Guilt (emotion)
Guilt is a feeling that a person has when they realise or believe that they have done something wrong. This usually depends on that person's own conscience, their understanding of right and wrong. Guilt is usually related to remorse ("feeling sorry"). The American Psychological Association (APA) defines guilt as a “self-conscious emotion” denoted by a “painful appraisal of having done (or thought) something that is wrong.” It also notes that such emotion can inspire people to reverse or compensate for perceived wrongdoing.