Nostalgia: an impactful social emotion
Nostalgia: an impactful social emotion
Nostalgia (a sentimental longing for one's past) is a highly social emotion. We provide an evidence-based argument that nostalgia's sociality is one of its most defining and impactful characteristics. First, we review evidence that has established the highly social content of nostalgic reflection. Second, we summarize research that has demonstrated nostalgia's capacity to provide a sense of connectedness with others, and that this social connectedness, in turn, conveys intrapersonal psychological benefits (i.e., meaning in life, self-continuity, optimism, inspiration). Third, we outline research that has documented the interpersonal consequences of nostalgia (e.g., greater physical closeness, strengthened relational goals, increased help seeking, intensified empathy, elevated prosocial behavior). Finally, we call for applied research to investigate how the social character of nostalgia can be harnessed to improve people's social lives.
Empathy, Help seeking, Interpersonal goals, Nostalgia, Prosocial behavior, Romantic nostalgia, Social connectedness
Juhl, Jacob
1c3b38b1-ba9e-4f3c-8520-ebca3b712fa2
Biskas, Marios
282b9e0f-efbf-4caf-942a-c736566ff65b
February 2023
Juhl, Jacob
1c3b38b1-ba9e-4f3c-8520-ebca3b712fa2
Biskas, Marios
282b9e0f-efbf-4caf-942a-c736566ff65b
Abstract
Nostalgia (a sentimental longing for one's past) is a highly social emotion. We provide an evidence-based argument that nostalgia's sociality is one of its most defining and impactful characteristics. First, we review evidence that has established the highly social content of nostalgic reflection. Second, we summarize research that has demonstrated nostalgia's capacity to provide a sense of connectedness with others, and that this social connectedness, in turn, conveys intrapersonal psychological benefits (i.e., meaning in life, self-continuity, optimism, inspiration). Third, we outline research that has documented the interpersonal consequences of nostalgia (e.g., greater physical closeness, strengthened relational goals, increased help seeking, intensified empathy, elevated prosocial behavior). Finally, we call for applied research to investigate how the social character of nostalgia can be harnessed to improve people's social lives.
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Accepted/In Press date: 12 December 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 20 December 2022
Published date: February 2023
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Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
Keywords:
Empathy, Help seeking, Interpersonal goals, Nostalgia, Prosocial behavior, Romantic nostalgia, Social connectedness
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Local EPrints ID: 473959
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/473959
ISSN: 2352-250X
PURE UUID: f089c489-da3f-41c3-a8c6-986bb51dc80d
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Date deposited: 06 Feb 2023 17:46
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 23:58
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Author:
Marios Biskas
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