Nostalgia induction: Induction methods, measurements, and individual differences

Abstract

Nostalgia is a common emotion that people frequently feel in daily life. Nostalgia is typically defined as “sentimental longing for (one’s) past.” Previous studies have examined its characteristics, function, and individual differences. Nostalgia can be induced by a variety of triggers such as remembering nostalgic events, listening to nostalgic music, viewing nostalgic pictures, and being in certain types of state. A questionnaire is the most popular method used to assess the degree of induced nostalgia, although some studies have used physiological measurements. Furthermore, previous evidence reveals individual differences that affect the degree of induced nostalgia and sometimes alter nostalgia function. In this paper, I review the literature regarding nostalgia induction and suggest future nostalgia research.