Shame is a complex emotion and often discussed with reluctance; these feelings are usually incapacitating and unbearable. In this paper, the aim is to review our understanding of shame. The paper highlights recent empirical findings in order to define shame and explore its different aspects and characteristics such as its development, its occurrence and its different forms and shapes. Furthermore, it identifies differences between shame and similar affective experiences such as guilt and embarrassment and takes a closer look at shame in different cultures and contexts.