A perceived facial expression of nostalgia
A perceived facial expression of nostalgia
Is nostalgia believed to have a face? We examined whether nostalgia has perceived facial expression features accompanied by trait inferences. In a Preliminary Study (N = 67), two facial actions featured in expressions of nostalgia: an averted gaze and a small smile. In Experiment 1 (N = 103), participants read vignettes with features that were central, peripheral, or unrelated to nostalgia, and subsequently selected the facial expression that best illustrated each vignette. Participants selected more frequently an expression with averted (vs. direct) gaze to illustrate vignettes with central or peripheral (vs. unrelated) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 2 (N = 306), participants selected more frequently expressions that combined an averted gaze and small smile to illustrate vignettes with central (vs. peripheral) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 3 (N = 303), participants attributed higher interpersonal warmth and nostalgia to facial expressions that combined (vs. did not combine) an averted gaze and a small smile. The findings provide first evidence for facial expression features perceived to be nostalgic—an averted gaze combined with a small smile—and show that this expression elicits attributions of interpersonal warmth.
Van Tilburg, Wijnand A.P.
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Zickfeld, Janis H.
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Wildschut, Tim
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Sedikides, Constantine
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Van Tilburg, Wijnand A.P.
7396f6c2-3a43-4d02-a4a0-97efe4d5ab12
Zickfeld, Janis H.
2d815540-7e18-4640-a52b-08be22165f1a
Wildschut, Tim
4452a61d-1649-4c4a-bb1d-154ec446ff81
Sedikides, Constantine
9d45e66d-75bb-44de-87d7-21fd553812c2
Van Tilburg, Wijnand A.P., Zickfeld, Janis H., Wildschut, Tim and Sedikides, Constantine
(2026)
A perceived facial expression of nostalgia.
Motivation and Emotion.
(doi:10.1007/s11031-026-10236-3).
Abstract
Is nostalgia believed to have a face? We examined whether nostalgia has perceived facial expression features accompanied by trait inferences. In a Preliminary Study (N = 67), two facial actions featured in expressions of nostalgia: an averted gaze and a small smile. In Experiment 1 (N = 103), participants read vignettes with features that were central, peripheral, or unrelated to nostalgia, and subsequently selected the facial expression that best illustrated each vignette. Participants selected more frequently an expression with averted (vs. direct) gaze to illustrate vignettes with central or peripheral (vs. unrelated) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 2 (N = 306), participants selected more frequently expressions that combined an averted gaze and small smile to illustrate vignettes with central (vs. peripheral) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 3 (N = 303), participants attributed higher interpersonal warmth and nostalgia to facial expressions that combined (vs. did not combine) an averted gaze and a small smile. The findings provide first evidence for facial expression features perceived to be nostalgic—an averted gaze combined with a small smile—and show that this expression elicits attributions of interpersonal warmth.
Text
Face of Nostalgia
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
s11031-026-10236-3
- Version of Record
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Accepted/In Press date: 29 March 2026
e-pub ahead of print date: 18 April 2026
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 511169
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511169
ISSN: 0146-7239
PURE UUID: d03dc96b-ea8b-426c-b4d0-cbf425fada66
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Date deposited: 05 May 2026 17:24
Last modified: 06 May 2026 01:37
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Author:
Wijnand A.P. Van Tilburg
Author:
Janis H. Zickfeld
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