Reframing shame: Confrontational support discourse in online forums

This study examines the discourse surrounding shame in Israeli-Hebrew online peer-advice forums. Employing a discursive psychology approach, we analyze how shame is mobilized in advice requests and addressed by commentators in these sites characterized by increased emotional exposure and disinhibited communication. Drawing on a corpus of posts from a leading Israeli advice forum containing explicit expressions of shame, our findings reveal distinct peer support patterns that often challenge the poster’s emotional experience and perspective, frequently using blunt, face-threatening language. This approach aligns with ‘dugri empathy’, a care discourse style rooted in the direct, action-oriented Israeli communication ethos. Peer responses typically aim to reframe shame-inducing situations, normalize experiences, or dismiss the relevance of shame, reflecting cultural norms of directness in emotional support. In contrast, responses from trained NGO volunteers adhere to Western therapeutic practices, emphasizing validation and exploration of emotions. This disparity highlights a tension between cultural support norms and professional approaches to mental health in online spaces. Our study contributes to understanding how cultural communication styles shape emotional discourse and support strategies in anonymous online communities, offering insights into the complex interplay between emotion, cultural norms, and digital communication.