Anticipated nostalgia: Looking forward to looking back
Abstract
Anticipated nostalgia is a new construct that has received limited empirical attention. It concerns the anticipation of having nostalgic feelings for one's present and future experiences. In three studies, we assessed its prevalence, content, emotional profile, and implications for self-regulation and psychological functioning. Study 1 revealed that anticipated nostalgia most typically concerns interpersonal relationships, and also concerns goals, plans, current life, and culture. Further, it is affectively laden with happiness, sadness, bittersweetness, and sociality. Studies 2 and 3 assessed the implications of anticipated nostalgia for self-regulation and psychological functioning. In both studies, positive evaluation of a personal experience was linked to stronger anticipated nostalgia, and anticipated nostalgia was linked to savouring of the experience. In Study 3, anticipated nostalgia measured prior to an important life transition predicted nostalgia a few months after the transition, and post-transition nostalgia predicted heightened self-esteem, social connectedness, and meaning in life.
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When people anticipate being nostalgic for a present experience, the present experience most commonly involves others.
“Finally, when people anticipate being nostalgic for a present experience (i.e., anticipated nostalgia), the present experience most commonly involves others [23].”
From Nostalgia: An impactful social emotion (2023) · cites this paper as [23]
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Nostalgia: An impactful social emotion
Juhl, J., & Biskas, M. (2023) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101545 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cheung, W.-Y., Hepper, E. G., Reid, C. A., Green, J. D., Wildschut, T., & Sedikides, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Winchester (GB)
- University of Surrey (GB)
- College of Charleston (US)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Cheung, Wing-Yee
- ORCID
- Venue
- Cognition and Emotion
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2019-08-02
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 511-525
- ISSN
- 0269-9931 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-0600
- OpenAlex
- W2966166356
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6
- FWCI
- 7.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cognition & Emotion (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion)
- Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Nostalgia and Consumer Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- nostalgia, self-regulation, savoring, life transitions, self-esteem, social connectedness, meaning in life, emotional valence, interpersonal relationships
- MeSH terms
- Self-Control, Adolescent, Adult, Affect, Aged, Emotions, Female, Forecasting, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Middle Aged, Mental Recall, Young Adult, Anticipation, Psychological
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