Objective: Shame is a secondary self-conscious distressing emotion that can be evoked following experiences of failure. Research indicates potential gender differences in shame responses following failure however findings have been mixed. The current study examined whether gender-stereotypicality of a task was related to anticipated shame following task failure, and whether gender attitudes in mothers and children were related to anticipated shame.

Design: Mothers and their children completed measures assessing gender stereotyped attitudes. Children were then asked to read six short stories about failing a task (2 male-stereotyped, 2 female-stereotyped, 2 non-stereotyped). Following each story, children were asked to rate how much shame they would experience in the situation.

Participants: Participants were 28 mother-child dyads recruited from schools in London.

Results/Findings: ANOVA and correlational analysis were used to explore relationships between mother and child gender attitudes, and feelings of anticipated shame in response to gender-stereotyped and non-gender stereotyped failure. Results suggested a main effect of task, however associations between parent and child gender attitudes were inconsistent.

Conclusions/Implications: Mostly, the study hypotheses were not supported. Conceptual and methodological critiques are considered, such as validity of the concept of gender stereotyped tasks, task salience and measurement issues. Further research is needed to explore parent-child gender attitudes and the implications of these for the development of self-conscious emotions such as shame.