This chapter concerns focus of attention and its impact on social behaviour. I shall make the argument that there are two different sources of motivation behind social behaviour. One reflects a desire to please the self and involves self-focused attention. The other reflects an orientation toward others and their opinions and expectations. The former state, called self-awareness, involves standards and values that are unique to the individual. The latter state involves social norms and is manifested in impression management behaviour. Each state is associated with certain behavioural expectations or standards. When these standards are violated, transgressed, or failed, different forms of negative affect are produced, depending on whether attention is focused on the self or on others at the time the transgression occurs. Transgression or violation of personal standards results in guilt or disappointment for the self-focused person. Violations of social norms or transgressions of normative expectations produce feelings of embarrassment or shame for a person who is in the presence of others. In addition, fear of the negative affect that could be associated with transgression can itself have a significant inhibitory effect on behaviour. Although there are many commonalities in the two motivations and reactions to their transgressions, they are not identical. In fact, in many instances they produce very different types of behaviours. Each, however, serves an important and “civilising” function in a societal context.

This argument will be presented in three main sections.