Nostalgia bolsters perceptions of a meaningful self in a meaningful world

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.