Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 15, 2025
06:45
Loneliness Assuaged: Eye-Tracking an Audience Watching Barrage Videos
Published on: May 29, 2020
4.5K
Combating Loneliness With Nostalgia: Nostalgic Feelings Attenuate Negative Thoughts and Motivations Associated With
Andrew A Abeyta1, Clay Routledge2, Samuel Kaslon1
1Department of Psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden, NJ, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 14, 2020
Summary
Nostalgia, a reflection on cherished memories, can help overcome loneliness. This positive emotion boosts social confidence and approach goals, particularly for those experiencing significant loneliness.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Loneliness is linked to negative social cognitions and motivations.
- These maladaptive tendencies make loneliness difficult to overcome.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate nostalgia as a psychological resource to mitigate loneliness-associated negative social outcomes.
- To examine nostalgia's effect on social confidence and approach-oriented social goals.
Main Methods:
- Four studies were conducted to test the hypothesis.
- Studies examined the moderating role of nostalgia on the relationship between loneliness and social confidence/goals.
Main Results:
- Nostalgia was found to mitigate the inverse relationship between loneliness and social confidence.
- Nostalgia also mitigated the inverse relationship between loneliness and approach-oriented social goals and intentions.
- These effects were particularly pronounced at higher levels of loneliness.
Conclusions:
- Nostalgia acts as a psychological buffer against the negative social impacts of loneliness.
- Reflecting on positive memories can enhance social confidence and encourage social engagement in lonely individuals.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
301
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
301
01:25Importance of Need for Affiliation
188
The need for affiliation is a fundamental human motive that drives individuals to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This universal drive varies in intensity among individuals due to genetic predispositions and life experiences, shaping it into a relatively stable personality trait. Social inclusion enhances emotional well-being by fulfilling the need for affiliation, whereas social exclusion leads to distress, negative emotions, and cognitive impairments.Psychological and Emotional...
188
01:30Social Relationships and Well-Being
173
The significance of social relationships in psychological well-being is a well-established area of inquiry within social psychology. Research consistently demonstrates that the presence of meaningful, supportive relationships enhances emotional health, while the absence or deterioration of such connections can contribute to psychological distress. Relationships serve as a foundation for emotional support, identity, and social belonging, all of which are critical to an individual’s overall...
173
01:29The Influence of Affect on Cognition
206
Positive affect significantly influences cognitive processes, including evaluation, memory, creativity, and social judgments. Compared to negative affect, positive emotional states promote more favorable interpretations of stimuli, cognitive flexibility, and heuristic processing. These effects highlight emotions' powerful role in shaping how individuals perceive, remember, and interact with the world.Influence on Evaluation and AttributionWhen individuals experience positive affect, they are...
206
01:27Horney's Sociocultural Approach
946
Karen Horney's psychoanalytic theories emphasize the potential for self-realization and the importance of addressing social and cultural, rather than biological, factors in personality development. She challenged traditional Freudian views, particularly Freud's concept of "penis envy," which she argued stemmed from cultural influences rather than inherent biological differences. Horney believed that any sense of inferiority in women was a result of societal conditioning, such as...
946
02:34Empathy
9.9K
Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.
9.9K