The relationship between guilt and quality of drug experiences.
R G Evans, T R Schill, S Monroe
Journal of Clinical Psychology October 1978 DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(197810)34:4<999::aid-jclp2270340436>3.0.co;2-s (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Males classified as high or low guilt on a guilt measure |
| Key findings | High-guilt males reported significantly less use of marijuana, depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens than low-guilt males. Among users of each drug category, high-guilt individuals rated their experiences as less pleasant and reported more "bad trips." The authors interpret this as supporting Mosher's contention that high-guilt people avoid culturally prohibited activities and experience guilt-related unpleasantness when they engage in them. |
Abstract
Consistent with predictions from Mosher's (1966) guilt construct, the present study found that high guilt males, compared with low guilt Ss, reported significantly less use of marijuana, depressant, stimulant and hallucinogenic drugs. Among all Ss who reported at least one use within each drug category, high guilt Ss rated their experiences as less pleasant and reported a higher frequency of "bad trips" than did low guilt individuals. Overall, these results support Mosher's contention that high vs. low guilt Ss are less likely to engage in culturally prohibited activities such as drug use and are more likely to have unpleasant experiences resulting from guilt when such activities are pursued.