Nostalgia
Top Cited Papers
- 1 October 2008
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Current Directions in Psychological Science
- Vol. 17 (5) , 304-307
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2008.00595.x
Abstract
Traditionally, nostalgia has been conceptualized as a medical disease and a psychiatric disorder. Instead, we argue that nostalgia is a predominantly positive, self-relevant, and social emotion serving key psychological functions. Nostalgic narratives reflect more positive than negative affect, feature the self as the protagonist, and are embedded in a social context. Nostalgia is triggered by dysphoric states such as negative mood and loneliness. Finally, nostalgia generates positive affect, increases self-esteem, fosters social connectedness, and alleviates existential threat.Keywords
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