Long associated with melancholy, or even an escape from the present, the role of nostalgia is now being reevaluated. More than a mere feeling, it acts as a kind of emotional memory that revives our most cherished moments – laughter with friends, family reunions, or time spent with loved ones.

To better understand this effect, researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York and Kyoto University, Japan questioned 1,467 participants in three experiments, and uncovered that the more nostalgic we are, the more effort we put into maintaining our friendships and other relationships.

The first experiment, carried out among young Americans in their 20s, showed that those who felt the most nostalgia were also those who actively nurtured their relationships and had the largest circle of close friends.

This is also true of older adults, among whom nostalgia plays a key role in maintaining friendships regardless of personality.

On average, young adults report having seven very close friends and around 20 important relationships, while older adults have five and 14, respectively. And the more nostalgic they are, the more valuable these relationships seem.

Moreover, a longitudinal analysis conducted over seven years in the Netherlands reveals that nostalgia acts as a kind of social glue. Those with a high or medium level of nostalgia were found to maintain a stable network of strong social ties, while the less nostalgic had 18% fewer close relationships over the same period.

Cementing social ties

So, it seems that nostalgia isn’t just about dwelling on the past: it’s a driving force that encourages us to cherish and nurture our friendships, despite life’s changes.

“People who feel nostalgic more often and value those memories are more aware of their important relationships and the need to nurture them. This means these friendships may be more likely to last, even as we get older and our lives, interests and responsibilities change,” explained study co-author Kuan-Ju Huang from Kyoto University.

Published in the journal Cognition and Emotion, this study highlights that the effect of nostalgia on the preservation of friendships does not depend on temperament: whether extraverted or reserved, everyone can benefit from these memories to help maintain their social ties.

And it’s not just a question of relationships – a solid network also contributes to our mental and physical wellbeing. People who are well surrounded socially are less prone to depression, live longer, and receive valuable support in difficult times.

Although nostalgia touches all generations, its role changes with age. Younger adults find it an anchor against the challenges of independence, while older people see it as a way of coming to terms with loss and the prospect of a more limited future.

So, rather than viewing nostalgia as a simple attachment to the past, we should perhaps be more open to seeing this emotional state as a discreet but powerful motor for maintaining friendships. What if we listened more carefully to these nostalgic impulses and reconnected with those who really matter?