What is the psychological basis for the need to talk to others about the things we feel guilty about.
Talking about the things done to us to find comfort and healing is one thing, but why would someone want to talk about the wrongdoings they’ve done?
Wouldn’t it be better to keep a secret that could harm you to yourself? Why does such a need exist in the human psyche?
In: Other
Humans are social animals. We are essentially pack animals that need strength in numbers to survive and thrive.
Either through evolution, cultural learning or some combination of both, we need to be accepted by a group of people around us. That makes sense as a survival instinct.
Remember that evolution does not reward survival. It rewards reproduction. If I have 5 kids and they put me to death for a wrongdoing, my genes are still doing awesome in the evolution race.
Alerting others of danger (even danger you caused) gives them more chance to survive. The people around you are *probably* related to you, at least while we were evolving. So it makes sense that you’d be compelled to do right by them even at your own expense.
This is basically a form of altruism.
Latest Answers