Benefits of nostalgia in vulnerable populations
Benefits of nostalgia in vulnerable populations
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered and exacerbated psychological distress, and exposed psychological vulnerabilities, in large swathes of the population. Under challenging circumstances, nostalgia may convey tangible psychological and physical health benefits. We review recent evidence for nostalgia’s utility in vulnerable populations, including sojourners and immigrants, civil war refugees, people suffering bereavement, people facing a limited time horizon, and people living with dementia. Having raised the prospect of a positive role for nostalgia in responding to adversity, we next present findings from a series of randomised nostalgia interventions and their impact over time in the workplace, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at university, respectively. We conclude by offering evidence-based recommendations for future interventions, highlighting the importance of optimal person-activity fit, diversity of content, and accessibility of delivery mechanisms.
COVID-19, Nostalgia, person-activity fit, psychological distress, psychological health benefits, vulnerable populations
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim and Sedikides, Constantine
(2022)
Benefits of nostalgia in vulnerable populations.
European Review of Social Psychology.
(doi:10.1080/10463283.2022.2036005).
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered and exacerbated psychological distress, and exposed psychological vulnerabilities, in large swathes of the population. Under challenging circumstances, nostalgia may convey tangible psychological and physical health benefits. We review recent evidence for nostalgia’s utility in vulnerable populations, including sojourners and immigrants, civil war refugees, people suffering bereavement, people facing a limited time horizon, and people living with dementia. Having raised the prospect of a positive role for nostalgia in responding to adversity, we next present findings from a series of randomised nostalgia interventions and their impact over time in the workplace, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at university, respectively. We conclude by offering evidence-based recommendations for future interventions, highlighting the importance of optimal person-activity fit, diversity of content, and accessibility of delivery mechanisms.
Text
Wildschut and Sedikides, ERSP, in press
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
10463283.2022
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 26 January 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 26 February 2022
Additional Information:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Keywords:
COVID-19, Nostalgia, person-activity fit, psychological distress, psychological health benefits, vulnerable populations
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 454917
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/454917
ISSN: 1046-3283
PURE UUID: ffa5403a-74c4-41fd-a164-f254d59e9da8
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Date deposited: 01 Mar 2022 17:46
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:53
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