Psychologically Complete but Not Forgotten: Closure Appraisals as a Determinant of Nostalgic Experience

Prior research indicates that nostalgia confers benefits such as enhanced mood and well-being. In three studies ( N = 351), we examined whether closure appraisals (open vs. closed chapter) moderate and (indirectly) diminish the rewards nostalgia typically bestows. In Study 1, we found that closure appraisals associated with nostalgic experiences indirectly reduced reports of well-being. In Studies 2 and 3, we manipulated closure appraisals to examine whether they qualify the association between nostalgia and its benefits. Participants recalled nostalgic experiences involving a pet who had passed away or was still alive (Study 2) and focused on what they had lost or gained from a nostalgic experience (Study 3). We found that recalling closed (versus open) nostalgic experiences reduced nostalgia's association with well-being (Study 2) and positive emotions (Study 3). In all, closure assessment may enable a more nuanced understanding of nostalgia because some memories are construed as more “finalized” than others.