April 21, 2019

How nostalgia is good for you: Happy memories make people more optimistic and less anxious about the future

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2506263/How-nostalgia-good-Happy-memories-make-people-optimistic-anxious-future.html

University of Southampton researchers found that looking back in time can help maintain feelings of self-worth and contribute to a brighter outlook
The study also found that listening to nostalgic songs made people more optimistic than those who listened to a tune unattached to memories
Scientists believe that by promoting optimism, nostalgia could help individuals cope with psychological adversity

By NICK MCDERMOTT FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 14:09 EDT, 13 November 2013 | UPDATED: 19:53 EDT, 13 November 2013

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Far from being self-indulgent, wallowing in the past can leave you feeling happier about the future.

Individuals who are nostalgic about their earlier lives also have a more positive outlook over the years to come, a study has found.

The findings suggest that recalling happy memories improves your sense of wellbeing.

Americans tend to focus on visual details, such as the colour of the decorations or the presents given

‘Nostalgia raises self-esteem, which in turn heightens optimism,’ said study co-author Dr Tim Wildschut, from the University of Southampton.

‘Memories of the past can help to maintain current feelings of self-worth and can contribute to a brighter outlook on the future.

'Our findings imply that nostalgia, by promoting optimism, could help individuals cope with psychological adversity.’

In the study, published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, participants were asked to recall a nostalgic event and write about it. A second group were asked to record an ordinary event from their past.

The team found that the number of optimistic words included in the nostalgic narratives were significantly higher than in the ordinary stories.

In a second experiment, participants were played either a nostalgic or ‘neutral’ song. Those listening to the former reported higher levels of optimism than the other group.

A previous study showed that pensioners who reminisced about their youth saw significant improvements in memory and six hour chats boosted recall by an average of 12 per cent

HOW THE STUDY FOUND NOSTALGIA LEADS TO OPTIMISM

By promoting optimism, nostalgia could help individuals cope with psychological adversity.

The study found that remembering times gone by can raise self esteem and heighten optimism.

The number of optimistic words included in nostalgic narratives were significantly higher than in the ordinary stories.

Researchers also found that people who listened to nostalgic songs reported higher levels of optimism.

The group was also presented with two sets of lyrics – one of which had been identified as nostalgic by half of them. When asked to complete questions about how they felt, those who read the nostalgic lyrics reported a more positive outlook compared to those who read the control lyrics.

Dr Tim Wildschut said: ‘Nostalgia is experienced by virtually everyone and we know that it can maintain psychological comfort.

‘We wanted to take that a step further and assess whether it can increase a feeling of optimism about the future.’

Previous studies have shown that reminiscing can be good for your health. Pensioners who got into groups and reminisced about their youth – including wartime experiences – saw significant improvements in memory.

Just six half-hour chats boosted recall by an average of 12 per cent.

Importantly, care home residents with dementia, including some in the late stages of the disease, also experienced improvements, with recall around 8 per cent better.

It is thought that the simple act of swapping stories makes use of parts of the brain that might otherwise lie dormant, reinvigorating the person’s ability to remember.

However, reminiscing one-on-one with a carer was not beneficial, meaning that the sense of togetherness fostered by teamwork is important to the process.

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How nostalgia is good for you: Happy memories make people more optimistic and less anxious about the future

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grumpy old git, London, 5 years ago

There is no place for nostalgia in this day and age.

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ME, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, 5 years ago

Yes but sadly some of us don't have many.

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StoveJobs, Exeter, United Kingdom, 5 years ago

Nostalgia was better in my day!

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jdf, nice france, 5 years ago

We all live in the past,present and the future

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Alexandra Rue, Chicago, United States, 5 years ago

My mother is in a late stage of dementia and often gets very anxious and says, "I don't know who I am. " She doesn't remember her married name, but remembers her childhood nickname with her maiden name and calms right down when I remind her. All she remembers now is her mother and father and sister and brother, but doesn't always remember their names. It makes her happy to tell me her sister came to see her even though her sister has been gone for many years.

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Mike, Antequera, 5 years ago

Nostalgia's not what it used to be.

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Mors Magne, Bromley, United Kingdom, 5 years ago

I think the most important sentence in this news story is the very last one.

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Pete, Cornwall, United Kingdom, 5 years ago

So, looking back at how brilliant I used to be, and what a waste of space I am now, will make make feel better will it? Hmmmmm.

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Geoff Wall-Davis., Birmingham, United Kingdom, 5 years ago

This is very true. Although this song may not be to everybody's taste the one song which evokes very good feelings for me is Val Doonican's version of " Elusive Butterfly ". I listened to it a lot when things started to go great in my life, and whenever I hear it a lot of happy memories come flooding to me. Another thing which makes me regress back to happy feelings is the smell of Lilac on a Summer's day.

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Independent Mama, Kansas CIty, United States, 5 years ago

Ahhhh----yes. Lilacs.

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Grammy, Igo, 5 years ago

Yes it works wonders to look back on your life. I look at my Husband of 40 odd years and see wrinkles and no hair but I can look at a photo of him in the beginning of our lives together and instantly fall head over heels in love with him all over again. And for a little while I see the young man instead of the one that looks just like my Father-in-law. Weird the first time you kiss your Husband with shock setting in that he looks just like his Dad. Would have been nice if I liked and respected his Dad but I didn't.

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