Shame is a basic component of normal homeostatic mechanisms regulating the libido. It performs an essential function in the control of impulses and the management of object relations. It is evoked by self-exposure followed by rejection, or by anticipation of this outcome. Guilt, on the other hand, arises only when defusion of libido and aggression occurs. The resulting deneutralized aggression is channeled into the superego and directed against the self.