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Nostalgia Bolsters Perceptions of a Meaningful Self in a Meaningful World

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The Experience of Meaning in Life

Abstract

Although nostalgia was once considered a disease, recent research has discovered that it serves a number of positive psychological functions. In the current chapter, we discuss the meaning-making function of nostalgia. Specifically, we review emerging lines of research showing that nostalgia can provide two types of meaning. First, we review research showing that nostalgia augments the sense of personal meaning in life (the self as meaningful). Second, we review research showing that nostalgia provides feelings that the world beyond the self makes sense (the world as meaningful). We conclude with a discussion of the future of nostalgia research and the potential for nostalgia-based clinical interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Shackleton Building (B44), Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, USA

    Jacob Juhl & Clay Routledge

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  1. Jacob Juhl
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  2. Clay Routledge
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Correspondence to Jacob Juhl .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept. of Psychology, Texas A&M University, TAMU 4235, College Station, 77843, Texas, USA

    Joshua A. Hicks

  2. , Dept of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Minard Hall, Fargo, 58105, North Dakota, USA

    Clay Routledge

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Juhl, J., Routledge, C. (2013). Nostalgia Bolsters Perceptions of a Meaningful Self in a Meaningful World. In: Hicks, J., Routledge, C. (eds) The Experience of Meaning in Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6527-6_17

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