Collins English DictionarynostalgiaDefined as "a nostalgia for the past, especially a particularly happy time." Nostalgia, although bittersweet, often evokes memories of a good time in the distant past, a time that was both beautiful and unforgettable.A new study led by the University of Cambridge in the UK explores the physical places people feel nostalgic for, the characteristics of these places and how memories of these places affect our mental health.
"We had expected that people would miss green places more often because many studies have highlighted the psychological benefits of green natural environments," said Elisabeta Militaru, who led the study as part of her doctoral studies in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. "We were surprised to find that blue places are exactly the hallmarks of place nostalgia."
Researchers conducted three studies with more than 1,000 participants from the UK and the US to answer three questions: 1. What kinds of places trigger nostalgia? 2. How do people feel when they recall these places? 3. What are the psychological effects of these nostalgic memories?
“The idea of place as an emotional anchor is not new,” Militaru said. "Nearly 3,000 years ago, Homer wrote about Ulysses' longing to return to his native Ithaca. We wanted to understand what makes some places evoke nostalgia more easily than others. What physical and psychological characteristics give a place its nostalgic appeal?"
The most nostalgic places in Britain University of Cambridge/Dr. Elisabeta Militaru
In Study 1, 200 participants from the UK were asked to describe in writing a place they missed and classify its landscape as seaside, coast, lakeside, riverside, urban, agricultural, forest, meadow, bushland, wetland or year-round snow. Second, participants were asked to describe the size of the place (e.g., room, block, city). Third, participants were asked to indicate the number of people living there. Language analysis tools assessed whether their descriptions were more emotionally positive or negative. The researchers found that the most commonly cited nostalgic locations were "blue" landscapes, such as seaside, riverside or lakeside. These places are usually medium-sized, such as towns or neighborhoods, and sparsely populated. Participants used more positive than negative words when describing these places.
In the second study, 398 U.S. participants were asked to recall a nostalgic or ordinary place and plot its location on a map. The researchers then looked at how close these places were to where participants usually lived, whether they were near water sources, and how people described them. They also measured the emotional impact of thinking about these places. Nostalgic places were more likely to be located near water, physically distant from participants but feeling psychologically close. Thinking about these places increases a sense of social connection and meaning in life.
The third study, involving 403 U.S. participants, expanded on the previous study by adding ratings of green versus gray landscapes, measures of temporal distance (i.e., length of visit), and additional psychological benefits of self-continuity, self-esteem, and authenticity. Self-continuity is a stable sense of self across time. The researchers found that nostalgic places were bluer, greener, and less gray than ordinary places. They are physically and temporally further apart, but emotionally closer. Recalling these places enhanced participants' self-continuity, self-esteem, and authenticity, or made them feel true to themselves.
One reason why blue landscapes evoke stronger emotions is due to their visual structure. The researchers believe that the fractal nature of blue landscapes, namely their self-similar patterns and the similarity of their components to the whole at different scales, is one of the reasons for its high nostalgia ratings.
The Most Nostalgic Places in America Cambridge University/Dr. Elisabeta Militaru
"Past research has shown that landscapes like coastlines with moderate fractal structures tend to elicit positive emotions," Militaru said. "People don't like the extremely confusing silhouette you see in the middle of a forest, which doesn't feel open."
People also don't like too little complexity. For example, there are very few interruptions in the city skyline scene mode. Seashores, rivers and lakes may give us the best visual complexity, but more research is needed to fully understand this.
This research may seem fanciful, but its findings have important practical implications. Designing or redesigning cities with more accessible “blue” and “green” spaces not only enhances aesthetics, but also promotes meaningful and memorable experiences that promote emotional well-being. Place-based reminiscence therapy can be tailored for people experiencing loneliness or social disconnection by focusing on emotionally significant locations.
"We now know that nostalgia is a psychological resource; it arises when we face psychological discomfort, such as feeling lonely or socially excluded," Militaru said. "Emerging research finds nostalgia can also play a positive role in caring for people with dementia."
"Our research shows that priority should be given to coasts, rivers, parks and natural landscapes, especially in densely populated urban areas," Militaru added. "Communities need to be involved in urban planning decisions that are implemented in their communities. Only then can we identify local landmarks that need protection."
The study was published in the journal Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology.