A Study of Existential Function of Personal and Simulated Nostalgia

Abstract

Previous studies manifested that nostalgia —a longing for past— (Hepper et. al., 2012) serves psycho— logical functions such as positive mood, higher self-es— teem, powerful social relationships and the perception of meaningful life that facilitates to cope with existen— tial anxieties (e.g., Routledge et al., 2008, 2011). These nostalgia studies ignored the anxiety buffering role of longing for “indirectly experienced” past Which was described as historical or simulated nostalgia (Batcho, 1998; Holbrook, 1993; Stern, 1992). For closing this gap, this study aimed to observe the associations of simulated and personal nostalgia activation with death anxiety.