Andrew A. Abeyta

Attachment-related avoidance and the social and agentic content of nostalgic memories

The reported research tested whether the social and agentic content of nostalgic memories varies as a function of attachment-related avoidance. We measured individual differences in attachment-related avoidance and anxiety and coded the interpersonal and agentic content of nostalgic and non-nostalgic narratives. Results revealed that nostalgic (relative to non-nostalgic) narratives contained more social content and that this link was not moderated by attachment-related avoidance. There was a significant association between attachment-related avoidance and attachment-related social content in nostalgic, but not non-nostalgic, past narratives. There was also a significant association between attachment-related avoidance and agency content in nostalgic, but not non-nostalgic narratives.

Looking back to move forward: nostalgia as a psychological resource for promoting relationship goals and overcoming relationship challenges

Previous research has shown that nostalgia is a highly social emotion that provides a sense of social connectedness. In the present research, we tested a social motivational function of nostalgia. Specifically, across 7 studies we found converging evidence that nostalgia mobilizes social goals. In Study 1, nostalgia increased the importance people assigned to relationship goals and how optimistic they felt about achieving these goals. In Study 2, nostalgia increased intentions to pursue goals of connecting with friends. In Study 3, experimentally induced pessimism about achieving relationship goals instigated nostalgia. In Study 4, we found evidence that it is the interpersonal nature of nostalgia that is associated with striving to connect with others. Specifically, nostalgia about aspects of the past that were high in sociality was associated with intentions to interact with others, whereas nostalgia for aspects of the past that were low in sociality was not. In Study 5, nostalgic reflection increased friendship-approach goal striving relative to reflecting on ordinary social memories, but did not increase friendship-avoidant goal striving. Finally, in Studies 6 and 7, we found evidence that social-efficacy mediated the effect of nostalgia on striving to connect with others and striving to overcome interpersonal challenges. Together, these findings establish nostalgia as catalyst for social goal pursuit and growth.

Miraculous Meaning: Threatened Meaning Increases Belief in Miracles

For many, religious belief is a source of meaning and a resource for coping with life stressors that have the potential to undercut meaning. In the present study, we sought to further probe the connection between religion and meaning by focusing on the potential for threatened meaning to inspire belief in miraculous testimonials. We threatened meaning with a meaninglessness manipulation and then had participants read testimonials in which people described miraculous experiences involving supernatural agents and rate the extent to which they believed these testimonials to be credible and true. Meaning threat, relative to a control condition, increased belief in miraculous stories.

Material meaning: narcissists gain existential benefits from extrinsic goals

The present research examined how narcissism is related to perceptions of meaning derived from distinct types of life goals, namely, extrinsic and intrinsic. Although in most cases extrinsic goals are inversely associated with well-being, we propose that narcissists’ pursuit of extrinsic goals (e.g., wealth, fame) is positively linked to meaning in life. In Study 1, higher levels of narcissism corresponded with viewing extrinsic goals as more meaningful. In Study 2, focusing participants on the extrinsic, relative to intrinsic, value of their goal pursuit increased meaning among narcissists. Taken together, narcissists derive meaning from extrinsic goals.

Fountain of youth: The impact of nostalgia on youthfulness and implications for health

Abstract The present research explored the impact of nostalgia on feelings of youthfulness, as well as the health benefits of nostalgia-induced youthfulness. Previous research indicates that feeling younger than one’s current age has positive implications for health. We predicted that, relative to ordinary autobiographical memories, nostalgic memories would make people feel more youthful. Further, we predicted that feelings of youthfulness would in turn lead to more positive attitudes about health and physical ability. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that, as people get older, nostalgic reverie relative to a control makes them feel more youthful. In Study 3, adults 40 and older who recalled a nostalgic memory from high school reported feeling more youthful than those who recalled an ordinary high school memory. Nostalgia-induced youthfulness in turn predicted the extent to which participants felt healthy, confident about their physical abilities, and optimistic about their future health. These findings suggest that nostalgia promotes a younger view of the self that may be beneficial for health.

I am not an animal but I am a sexist: Human distinctiveness, sexist attitudes towards women, and perceptions of meaning in life

Existential concerns relating to human physicality influence cultural worldviews and norms regarding women. When people are striving to bolster perceptions of meaning, they respond negatively to the aspects of the female body that serve as reminders that humans are animals. In the present research, we sought to further explore whether attitudes about human animality relate to attitudes about women. Specifically, we examined the association between beliefs about human–animal continuity and sexist attitudes. Since women serve as potent reminders that humans are biological creatures, we predicted that greater desire to perceive humans as distinct from other animals would be associated with higher levels of hostile and benevolent sexism among male participants. Results supported this hypothesis. We also tested and found support for the assumption that the belief that humans are distinct from and superior to other animals is associated with greater perceptions of meaning in life.

Death and end times: the effects of religious fundamentalism and mortality salience on apocalyptic beliefs

ABSTRACT According to terror management theory, the awareness of death motivates people to subscribe to cultural worldviews that offer some form of death transcendence. In support of this assertion, studies reveal that stimuli that heighten the awareness of death (mortality salience) increase investment in and defense of cultural worldviews (e.g., religion). Although past research has elucidated different forms of mortality salience-induced religious worldview defense, no study to date has considered how death-awareness contributes to apocalyptic beliefs derived from religious prophecy. The present research indicates that individual differences in religious fundamentalism interact with mortality salience to influence religious apocalyptic beliefs. For people higher in religious fundamentalism, mortality salience increased apocalyptic beliefs. For people lower in religious fundamentalism, mortality salience decreased apocalyptic beliefs.

The existential cost of economic insecurity: Threatened financial security undercuts meaning

ABSTRACT Financial security (i.e., a person’s sense that they can afford the things they need now and in the foreseeable future) contributes to psychological health and well-being. In the present research, we explored the implications of financial security for perceptions of meaning in life. In Study 1, we found that perceptions of financial insecurity predicted perceptions of meaning in life above and beyond income. Further, income only predicted perceptions of meaning to the extent that it was associated with reduced financial insecurity. In Studies 2 and 3, we found that financial security threats undermined perceptions of meaning in life. Taken together, these studies suggest that maintaining financial security is important for a sense of meaning in life.

The Existential Consequences of an Unjust World: The Effects of Individual Differences in Belief in a Just World and Just World Threats on Death-Thought Accessibility

Research has demonstrated that undermining cultural worldviews increases death-thought accessibility (DTA). However, individual differences in commitment to a particular worldview may predict DTA when that belief is challenged. In the present research, we tested if individual differences in belief in a just world (BJW) relate to DTA when the BJW is undermined. In Studies 1 and 3, BJW was associated with DTA when people reflected on an unfair experience. Study 3 indicated that this effect is driven by general BJW. In Study 2, BJW was associated with DTA after the 2012 presidential election among individuals who supported the losing candidate.

Nostalgia as a Psychological Resource for a Meaningful Life

Nostalgia is a mostly positive emotional experience that involves reminiscing about personally significant events and/or social relationships. A growing literature indicates that nostalgic reflection generally promotes well-being. This chapter focuses on how nostalgia promotes well-being by functioning as a resource for meaning in life. First, we discuss research demonstrating that nostalgic memories are meaningful memories and that reflecting on nostalgic memories bolsters a sense of meaning in life. Moreover, we review evidence that nostalgia is a psychological resource that people turn to when experiencing meaning deficits. Further, nostalgia functions to buffer existential threats and mitigate the negative consequences of lack of meaning. Finally, we discuss research suggesting that nostalgia encourages the pursuit of the good life by energizing meaning-making efforts of authenticity, self-growth, and interpersonal connection.