Comparing Psychological Guilt and Godly Sorrow: Do Christians Recognize the Difference?

Abstract

Two studies primarily involving college students were conducted to determine whether or not Christians were able to differentiate Narramore's (1984) distinctions between guilt and Godly sorrow. The first study found that Christians could identify the difference as a function of resulting changes, the person and attitude/action in primary focus, and attitude toward God, three important distinctions in Narramore's model. Another important distinction suggested by Narra more, attitude toward self, was not a discriminating factor. The second study replicated the first and further suggested that mature Christians, as expected, are better at distinguishing between guilt and Godly sorrow than less mature Christians. Though not a direct test of Narramore's model, the results nevertheless provide reasonable support for the distinction between guilt and Godly sorrow.