humiliation

Humiliation is both a subjective emotional experience and a social process in which a person is degraded or shamed, often in a way that undermines their dignity, status, or self-worth. The experience can be caused by actions, words, or institutional practices that reveal or exaggerate a person’s inferiority in the eyes of others. Humiliation differs from embarrassment or shame in that it typically involves an intentional or externally imposed loss of face within a public or social context rather than a private feeling.

The term has historical roots in the idea of bringing someone to the ground or lowering their status, and it is closely linked to power relations and stigma. Humiliation can be produced by individuals through harassment, ridicule, humiliation in front of others, or by institutions through disciplinary measures, labeling, or public punishment. In modern life, online shaming and cyberbullying are contemporary forms of humiliation that can spread rapidly and persistently.

The effects of humiliation are largely negative and can include acute distress, reduced self-esteem, anxiety, withdrawal, and, in some cases, lasting trauma. Humiliation often reinforces social hierarchies and may deter noisy dissent or nonconformity. However, some individuals or communities resist humiliation by seeking social support, reframing the experience, or challenging the power structures that enable it.

Ethical and legal responses seek to minimize intentional humiliating conduct, whether in workplaces, schools, or public spaces. Understanding humiliation involves psychology, sociology, and anthropology to distinguish it from related experiences like embarrassment and to address its causes, contexts, and consequences.