Edmund Burke (18th Century) – "Guilt was never a rational thing, it distorts all faculties of the human mind, it perverts them.  It leaves a man no longer in the free use of his reason.  It puts him in confusion."

Shame culture vs guilt culture: your aversion to being seen as having done wrong, or of appearing naked.  So if no one sees, then it's OK?  But perhaps also means that regardless of motive, shame or loss of face is attributed – even if accidental.  This is the typical Asian model.

Kant said morality was universal, regardless of what social mores are learnt.  Hume said morality evolved as socially useful rather than logical therefore universal; although natural virtues exist eg beneficence, others eg not stealing are more about mutual respect. 

Whereas guilt is a disappointment in yourself, which automatically gives impetus to atonement, a consideration of the victim.  This is the typical Western European model.

Which all goes to show how much of it is socially constructed.  Empathy is biological, I presume; respect comes from empathy too.  The whole guilt/shame thing then falls down, except as a sort of social game.