A study of almost 1,500 individuals in the U.S. and Europe reveals that a strong sense of nostalgia could be helping you hold onto your closest relationships.
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Reminiscing… (Image Credit: Dean Drobot via Shutterstock / HDR tun by Universal-Sci)
Researchers from the University at Buffalo in the U.S. and Kyoto University in Japan wanted to know if there’s a connection between nostalgia and the size of a person’s social circle. Previous studies had already shown that having close friends and confidants boosts happiness and lowers the risk of depression—and can even help you live longer. Yet as we get older, our social circles often shrink.
A Look at the Research
In three separate investigations, participants answered questions about how nostalgic they felt, how motivated they were to maintain or grow their friendships, and how many close friends they had. The results revealed that the more nostalgic individuals were, the more effort they put into staying connected with their friends—and the larger their network of very close relationships turned out to be.
Interesting article on friendship: Research Check: is it true only half your friends actually like you? - (Universal-Sci)
The first two parts of the study involved American college students and an online panel of U.S. adults. Both groups were asked how often they experienced nostalgia and how motivated they felt to maintain their friendships. They also provided details about how many people they considered very close and how many were important to them overall. Even though the older, non-student group had fewer close contacts than the students, being nostalgic consistently matched up with having more tight-knit friendships and working harder to keep them.
The third part analyzed long-term data from a Dutch survey. It showed that as participants aged, their nostalgia levels increased—and those who were more nostalgic held onto the same number of close ties over seven years. Meanwhile, people with low nostalgia levels saw their closest relationships drop by almost a fifth.
Interesting article: This is how your friends affect your health - (Universal-Sci)
Why Holding On to Happy Memories Matters
The researchers say this link between nostalgia and strong friendships may come from a deeper awareness of how precious these relationships are. When we fondly recall shared experiences, we remember what makes those people important, which motivates us to stay connected. Kuan-Ju Huang, a PhD student at Kyoto University, explains that these feelings can start early on. He became nostalgic himself when he moved to Japan to begin his PhD: “During that time, I observed that many people, including myself, found comfort in listening to nostalgic music and watching old videos.”
It is important to note that the study’s authors note a few limitations, such as not distinguishing between different kinds of relationships—friends, relatives, or romantic partners. Yet their findings still suggest that revisiting happy memories can help us see the value of the people around us. By doing so, we’re more likely to keep these bonds strong as our lives change.
If you’ve ever worried about drifting apart from your closest friends, try embracing those shared moments of the past. It might just help you stay close—even when life leads you in different directions. For more details about the research be sure to check out the underlying paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Cognition & Emotion, listed below.
Sources, further reading and related articles:
The Past that Ties Us Together: Nostalgia Strengthens Social Networks - (Cognition & Emotion)
Research Check: is it true only half your friends actually like you? - (Universal-Sci)
This is how your friends affect your health - (Universal-Sci)
Did we evolve to pick our phones over our partners? - (Universal-Sci)
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