Publication:
Pancultural nostalgia in action: Prevalence, triggers, and psychological functions of nostalgia across cultures

dc.contributor.authorHepper, E. G.
dc.contributor.authorArıkan, Gizem
dc.contributor.departmentPsychology
dc.contributor.ozuauthorARIKAN, Gizem
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-26T11:02:46Z
dc.date.available2024-02-26T11:02:46Z
dc.date.issued2024-01
dc.description.abstractNostalgia is a social, self-relevant, and bittersweet (although mostly positive) emotion that arises when reflecting on fond past memories and serves key psychological functions. The majority of evidence concerning the prevalence, triggers, and functions of nostalgia has been amassed in samples from a handful of largely Western cultures. If nostalgia is a fundamental psychological resource, it should perform similar functions across cultures, although its operational dynamics may be shaped by culture. This study (N = 2,606) examined dispositional nostalgia, self-reported triggers of nostalgia, and functions of experimentally induced nostalgia in young adults across 28 countries and a special administrative region of China (i.e., Hong Kong). Results indicated that nostalgia is frequently experienced across cultures, albeit better valued in more-developed countries (i.e., higher national wealth and life-expectancy). Nostalgia is triggered by psychological threats (especially in warmer countries), sensory stimuli (especially in more-developed countries), and social gatherings (especially in less-developed countries). The positive or negative affect prompted by experimentally induced nostalgia varied by country, but was mild overall. More importantly, recalling a nostalgic (vs. ordinary) memory increased social connectedness, self-continuity, and meaning in life across cultures. In less-developed countries, recalling an ordinary memory also conferred some of these functions, reducing the effect size of nostalgia. Finally, recalling a nostalgic (vs. ordinary) memory augmented state satisfaction with life in countries with lower quality of living (i.e., lower life-expectancy and life-satisfaction). Overall, findings confirm the relevance of nostalgia across a wide range of cultures and indicate cultural nuances in its functioning.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipCenter for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies ; Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research
dc.identifier.doi10.1037/xge0001521en_US
dc.identifier.issn0096-3445en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10679/9225
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001521
dc.identifier.wos001145853200001
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.peerreviewedyesen_US
dc.publicationstatusPublished onlineen_US
dc.publisherAmerican Psychological Associationen_US
dc.relation.ispartofJournal Of Experimental Psychology-general
dc.relation.publicationcategoryInternational Refereed Journal
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
dc.subject.keywordsNostalgiaen_US
dc.subject.keywordsCultureen_US
dc.subject.keywordsEmotionen_US
dc.subject.keywordsMemoryen_US
dc.subject.keywordsWell-beingen_US
dc.titlePancultural nostalgia in action: Prevalence, triggers, and psychological functions of nostalgia across culturesen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dspace.entity.typePublication
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublicationeb613b06-2aad-4fc0-baba-a9a816d9132e
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryeb613b06-2aad-4fc0-baba-a9a816d9132e

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