Is it possible for nonhuman animals to feel a sense of shame?

Question

"Shame" has been defined as "the consciousness or awareness of dishonor, disgrace, or condemnation."

Answer 1

Not in the sense that you define it.
Admittedly, it would seem as if animals can feel "shame" because of the behaviors they display, but they cannot be consciously aware of disgrace, since they do not possess that reflective awareness that human beings do.

The behaviors animals display are a result from operant conditioning- that is, rewards and punishment. Do's and Dont's CAN be learned by animals such as a dog through this system, and we all have witnessed a dog display his tail between his legs. This is because the dog has learned that a punishment follows a certain action, in which we would say the dog "feels shameful".

But a dog cannot reflect on itself and judge itself in such a manner as human beings do. Our rational consciousness is what segregates us from other animals- much like a birds ability to fly separates it from other animals- but this is on a much greater scale.

Shame comes from this ability to step outside ourselves, turn around and observe ourselves, and judge our own self with the same morals and standards we use to judge other people. When we do not measure up to the standards on which we set for ourselves, we feel shame.

Answer 2

I do not believe that what the others describe as shame in animals is actually shame. Dogs can be trained and they remember if they did something "wrong" and then they expect to be punished. If they would not had been trained accordingly they would not bother.
Humans develop "shame" at a certain state of inner consciousness. I observed this clearly with my son, who suddenly at the age of 6, 7 told me that he wants to get changed in his own room and he wants me out of the room.
So when he was a little kid, he had no feelings of shame and suddenly he developed it, without us doing anything in this regard. I believe humans develop shame, when they realise that they have a soul, which is different from the body. People who push away feelings of shame, most likely surpress their finer intuitions based on their soul and spirit. If a person has access to his her intuition or soul or spirit, nobility comes into play and at the same time a natural feeling of shame, which helps us to not let ourselves go, in a shameless manner, but direct physical instincts or desires with something that is higher in us and this is soul and spirit.

Answer 3

Of course it is! Have u ever seen a dog steal some food then slink away and look guilty?
But really, I think shame is something that sets humans apart from animals, can't be sure - but we don't go out and deficate in public as they do (which might be a silly answer but it's things like that which define shame).
Within their own community however they may have their own version of shame, the things we do might be shameful to them... and they may not do some things that would be considered shameful within their own species.
Alas, we will never know.

Answer 4

I think that animals have more emotions and intelligence than we give them credit for. They might not be smarter than us, but in many ways, they're wiser.
Dogs, certainly, can feel shame. Or at least, they appear to. If you catch them being disobedient, they will often slink away into a corner and look miserable.

~Tiger

Answer 5

Self doubt. It is possible.

The Erikson life-stage virtues, in the order of the stages in which they may be acquired, are:

hope- Basic Trust vs. Mistrust
will- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
purpose- Initiative vs. Guilt
competence- Industry vs. Inferiority
fidelity- Identity vs. Role Confusion
love (in intimate relationships, work and family)- Intimacy vs. Isolation
caring- Generativity vs. Stagnation
wisdom- Ego Integrity vs. Despair
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

Answer 6

The ability to REASON is what sets us apart from the animals but animals are very much like people. I couldn't live a happy life without animals.

Answer 7

absolutly! I had a dog, and when I found out about something he got into I just had to look at the mess and then look a him. He would slump down put his ears back and not want to look me in the eyes. many animals have just as much feelings as we do

Answer 8

Dogs have conscious awareness like all other animals. So yes.

Answer 9

No 'cause only humans have a conscious. Our bodies, like animals react by instinct, but our minds, souls, psyches are superior.

Answer 10

damn, I don't know anymore!!!