Nostalgia as a vehicle for improving relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs
Nostalgia as a vehicle for improving relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs
The Israel-Hamas war has further strained relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs. In a proof-of-concept experiment, testing 98 Israeli Jewish and 103 Israeli Arab participants, we examined whether nostalgia could be harnessed as a psychological asset for improving intergroup relations. Participants in the nostalgia condition reflected on a nostalgic interaction with an outgroup member, whereas participants in the control group reflected on an ordinary interaction with an outgroup member. Both Israeli Jewish and Israeli Arab participants in the nostalgia condition (compared to control) reported increased social connectedness and outgroup trust as well as improved outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions. In addition, the effect of nostalgia on outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions was serially mediated by social connectedness and outgroup trust. The findings point to nostalgia’s promise as a tool for enhancing intergroup relations.
Behavioural intentions, Intergroup relations, Nostalgia, Outgroup attitudes, Outgroup trust, Social connectedness
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Abu-Rayya, Hisham
b462a012-2f47-45b3-8465-5f864b0de2ad
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Abu-Rayya, Hisham
b462a012-2f47-45b3-8465-5f864b0de2ad
Sedikides, Constantine, Wildschut, Tim and Abu-Rayya, Hisham
(2025)
Nostalgia as a vehicle for improving relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs.
International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 111, [102355].
(doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102355).
Abstract
The Israel-Hamas war has further strained relations between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs. In a proof-of-concept experiment, testing 98 Israeli Jewish and 103 Israeli Arab participants, we examined whether nostalgia could be harnessed as a psychological asset for improving intergroup relations. Participants in the nostalgia condition reflected on a nostalgic interaction with an outgroup member, whereas participants in the control group reflected on an ordinary interaction with an outgroup member. Both Israeli Jewish and Israeli Arab participants in the nostalgia condition (compared to control) reported increased social connectedness and outgroup trust as well as improved outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions. In addition, the effect of nostalgia on outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions was serially mediated by social connectedness and outgroup trust. The findings point to nostalgia’s promise as a tool for enhancing intergroup relations.
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Accepted/In Press date: 17 December 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 19 December 2025
Keywords:
Behavioural intentions, Intergroup relations, Nostalgia, Outgroup attitudes, Outgroup trust, Social connectedness
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Local EPrints ID: 508410
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/508410
ISSN: 0147-1767
PURE UUID: d9497653-bea5-458d-b578-92e29e50d6b0
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Date deposited: 20 Jan 2026 18:02
Last modified: 24 Jan 2026 02:41
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Author:
Hisham Abu-Rayya
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