Nostalgia as a Resource for Psychological Health and Well‐Being
Abstract
Historically, nostalgia has been viewed as a disease of the brain or the mind. However, in recent years, nostalgia has received a conceptual rehabilitation due to a revival of scholarly interest accompanied by the use of contemporary empirical methods. Drawing upon this recent work, we propose that nostalgia is an important resource for psychological health and well‐being. We begin by detailing the characteristics of the nostalgic experience and then discuss a wide range of studies demonstrating that psychological threat triggers nostalgia, nostalgia enhances psychological health and well‐being, and nostalgia promotes adaptive psychological functioning among individuals at risk for poor mental health. We also highlight the need for future research on nostalgia's relation to psychological health.
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Nostalgia fulfils an existential function.
“We endorsed the view that nostalgia fulfils an existential function.”
From To Nostalgize (2015) · cites this paper as Routledge, Sedikides, et al., 2013
Nostalgia serves as a source of meaning in life, in part, thereby fulfilling an existential function.
“Further, we proposed that it does so, in part, by serving as a source of meaning in life (Routledge, Sedikides, et al., 2013;Sedikides et al., 2004).”
From To Nostalgize (2015) · cites this paper as Routledge, Sedikides, et al., 2013
Nostalgia, as an approach-oriented emotion, facilitates coping at hard times.
“Regardless, we argue that nostalgia, as an approach-oriented emotion, facilitates coping at hard times (Routledge, Wildschut, et al., 2013;Sedikides et al., 2009).”
From To Nostalgize (2015) · cites this paper as Routledge, Wildschut, et al., 2013
Nostalgia has momentary implications for psychological health.
“Nostalgia has momentary (Routledge, Wildschut, et al., 2013) and also long-term (Hepper, Robertson, et al., 2014) implications for psychological health.”
From To Nostalgize (2015) · cites this paper as Routledge, Wildschut, et al., 2013
Nostalgia augments positive affect and self-esteem.
“and that nostalgia augments both (Routledge, Wildschut, Sedikides, & Juhl, 2013)”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Routledge, Wildschut, Sedikides, & Juhl, 2013
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- Authors
- Routledge, C., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Juhl, J.
- Affiliations
- North Dakota State University (US)
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Routledge, Clay
- Venue
- Social and Personality Psychology Compass
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-11
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 808-818
- ISSN
- 1751-9004 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1486307234
- Cited by
- 219
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11
- FWCI
- 14.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social and Personality Psychology Compass (publishedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (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, mental health, well-being, psychological threat, adaptive behavior, mental health risk
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