Remorse: quick facts
Remorse is the distressed feeling of deep regret for having done something wrong, especially something that harmed another person. It combines sorrow with a moral dimension — a recognition that one's own actions caused…
Category
Complex & secondary emotions
Valence
Negative
Emotion family / blend
Self-conscious
Typical triggers
Having harmed someone, moral wrongdoing, broken trust, hurtful actions
How it's expressed
Bowed head, downcast eyes, apologetic tone, restless discomfort
Sources: American Psychological Association — APA Dictionary: emotion; Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley — Emotions; Plutchik's Wheel of Emotions (Robert Plutchik) — overview. Educational information only — not medical or psychological advice. See our sources & fact-check policy.