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Attenuating pain with the past: the relationship between nostalgia and physical pain
Kersten, Mike
Kersten, Mike
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Date
2017
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Abstract
Previous work has found that nostalgia, a sentimental longing for the past, is associated with psychological, emotional, and social benefits (Routledge, Wildschut, Sedikides, Juhl, 2013). More recently, research has explored whether nostalgic reflection can improve individuals physical health (Kersten, Cox, Van Enkevort, 2016). Building on this, five studies examined the associative link between nostalgia and perceptions of physical pain. Study 1 demonstrated a positive correlation between pain severity and nostalgic reflection among chronic pain sufferers; whereas, Study 2 participants who underwent a painful experimental procedure reported a heightened accessibility of nostalgic thought. Conversely, activating thoughts of nostalgia decreased perceived pain severity among chronic sufferers (Study 3) and increased pain tolerance following a painful task (Study 4). The final experiment (Study 5) examined possible mediating variables in the relationship between nostalgia and pain (e.g., optimism, positive affect, social support) with non-significant results. Taken together, the current work provides initial support that individuals turn to nostalgia in response to the experience of physical pain, and that nostalgic reflection may serve as a psychological resource to reduce the perceived severity of ones current pain level.
Contents
Subject
Subject(s)
Pain Psychological aspects.
Pain Treatment.
Nostalgia.
Personality.
Pain Treatment.
Nostalgia.
Personality.
Research Projects
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Genre
Dissertation
Description
Format
1 online resource (iv, 75 pages) :
Department
Psychology