Virtual-reality induced nostalgia: Duration and psychological benefits

We developed a new nostalgia induction using virtual reality. We compared this virtual reality task (VRT) with the established event reflection task (ERT) in terms of intensity of felt nostalgia and strength of psychological benefits produced by each induction method (Experiment 1) and the durability of these effects over time (Experiment 2). Offering initial validation for the VRT, Experiment 1 revealed that felt nostalgia and psychological benefits were higher in the nostalgia condition than in the control condition, irrespective of the induction method. In Experiment 2, we improved the VRT and measured felt nostalgia and psychological benefits at five time points, separated by 5-min intervals. The augmented VRT produced significantly stronger effects on felt nostalgia than did the ERT, and it retained this advantage over time. Compared to the ERT, the VRT did not produce significantly stronger effects on psychological benefits. Instead, psychological benefits were higher in the nostalgia than control condition at each time point except the final one, irrespective of induction method. Virtual reality environments can induce vivid, durable feelings of nostalgia and ensuing psychological benefits.