Nostalgia is a topic that most lay people are familiar with, but, until recently, few social scientists understood. Once viewed as a disease, nostalgia is now considered to be an important psychological resource. It involves revisiting personally cherished memories that involve close others. When people engage in nostalgia, they experience a boost in positive psychological states such as positive mood, feelings of social connectedness, self-esteem, self-continuity, and perceptions of meaning in life. Since nostalgia promotes these positive states, when people experience negative states (such as loneliness or meaninglessness), they use nostalgia to regulate distress. This book explains in detail what nostalgia is, how views of it have changed over time, and how it has been studied by social scientists. It explores issues like how common nostalgia is and whether people differ in their tendency to be nostalgic. It looks at the triggers and inspiration for nostalgia, and the emotional states that are associated with it. Finally, the psychological, social, and behavioral effects of engaging in nostalgia are discussed. This volume provides the most comprehensive overview to date of the social scientific research into the complex and intriguing phenomenon of nostalgia. It will be of interest to a range of students and researchers in psychology and beyond, and its accessible writing style and engaging anecdotes will also be appreciated by a wider, non-academic audience.

This book offers an in-depth exploration of the burgeoning field of meaning in life in the psychological sciences, covering conceptual and methodological issues, core psychological mechanisms, environmental, cognitive and personality variables and more.

Though scholars generally agree meaning serves an important function, psychologists understanding of meaning in life has progressed relatively slowly. In fact, compared to other well-being variables (e.g., life satisfaction, optimism, etc.), there have been far fewer studies on meaning in life. Moreover, the vast majority of empirical research examining meaning in life has employed cross-sectional designs, primarily focussing on the correlates of existential meaning. Moreover during the 20th century there was only one published experimental study on meaning in life (Williams, Shore & Grahe, 1998).

However, in the past 5 years or so there has been an increased interest in MIL in the psychological sciences. Over 50 articles have been published during this period (most appearing in top-tier journals such as JPSP, psych science, etc.) As such, the authorsbelieve that this is a great time to put together a collection of essays that will help lay the foundations for future avenues of research on MIL. Each chapter will feature an expert on MIL. While most of these experts will be academic, social, or personality psychologists, the authorswill alsorecruit experts from other areas of the field (e.g., Counseling and Clinical psychology). Each chapter will provide a means for the researcher to review his or her own work. At the same timethe authorswant this to be an opportunity for the researcher to postulate thought proviking ideas that might help future research. At the end of each chaptereach contributor is asked to answer 1 question, What is necessary for the scientific study of meaning in life to succeed?

This edited volume addresses many fundamental questions associated with the experience of meaning in life. Overall, the contents of the book covers a broad spectrum of issues relevant to the scientific study of meaning in life. These issues include conceptual and measurement issues facing the field, antecedents to experiencing and constructing a sense of meaning, as well as outcomes of perceiving life as meaningful.

This collection of essays is essential for any researcher or student studying well-being, meaning in life or other existential issues. Each chapter describes important research programs and raises provocative questions regarding the future of meaning in life in the psychological sciences.

Nostalgia is a topic that most lay people are familiar with, but, until recently, few social scientists understood. Once viewed as a disease, nostalgia is now considered to be an important psychological resource. It involves revisiting personally cherished memories that involve close others. When people engage in nostalgia, they experience a boost in positive psychological states such as positive mood, feelings of social connectedness, self-esteem, self-continuity, and perceptions of meaning in life. Since nostalgia promotes these positive states, when people experience negative states (such as loneliness or meaninglessness), they use nostalgia to regulate distress. This book explains in detail what nostalgia is, how views of it have changed over time, and how it has been studied by social scientists. It explores issues like how common nostalgia is and whether people differ in their tendency to be nostalgic. It looks at the triggers and inspiration for nostalgia, and the emotional states that are associated with it. Finally, the psychological, social, and behavioral effects of engaging in nostalgia are discussed. This volume provides the most comprehensive overview to date of the social scientific research into the complex and intriguing phenomenon of nostalgia. It will be of interest to a range of students and researchers in psychology and beyond, and its accessible writing style and engaging anecdotes will also be appreciated by a wider, non-academic audience.

Handbook of Terror Management Theory provides an overview of Terror Management Theory (TMT), including critical research derived from the theory, recent research that has expanded and refined the theory, and the many ways the theory has been utilized to understand domains of human social life. The book uses TMT as a lens to help understand human relationships to nature, cultural worldviews, the self, time, the body, attachment, group identification, religion and faith, creativity, personal growth, and the brain. The first section reviews theoretical and methodological issues, the second focuses on basic research showing how TMT enhances our understanding of a wide range of phenomena, and the third section, Applications, uses TMT to solve a variety of real world problems across different disciplines and contexts, including health behavior, aging, psychopathology, terrorism, consumerism, the legal system, art and media, risk-taking, and communication theory.

The Science of Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism presents in-depth analysis of the core issues in existential psychology, their connections to religion and spirituality (e.g., religious concepts, beliefs, identities, and practices), and their diverse outcomes (e.g., psychological, social, cultural, and health). Leading scholars from around the world cover research exploring how fundamental existential issues are both cause and consequence of religion and spirituality, informed by research data spanning multiple levels of analysis, such as: evolution; cognition and neuroscience; emotion and motivation; personality and individual differences; social and cultural forces; physical and mental health; among many others. The Science of Religion, Spirituality, and Existentialism explores known contours and emerging frontiers, addressing the big question of why religious belief remains such a central feature of the human experience.

Humans are existential animals. We are all fully aware of our fragility, transience, and potential cosmic insignificance. Our ability to ponder the big questions about death and meaning and the anxiety that these questions can provoke have motivated us to be a species not only concerned about survival, but also about our significance. The quest for transcendent meaning is one reason why humans embrace the supernatural. Children naturally see the world as magical, yet when humans reach full cognitive development they are still drawn to supernatural beliefs and ideas that defy the laws of physics. Even those who consider themselves secular or atheists are seduced by supernatural belief systems. Clay Routledge, an experimental psychologist, asserts that belief or trust in forces beyond our understanding is rooted in our fear of death and need for meaning. In Supernatural: Death, Meaning, and the Power of the Invisible World, he reveals just how universal supernatural thinking is, and how this kind of thinking is adaptive and even healthy. Routledge takes readers through a wide range of fascinating research from psychology that paints a picture of humans as innate supernatural thinkers. Exploring research from the emerging field of experimental existential psychology, he makes the case that all humans have the same underlying existential needs, with similar coping strategies across times, cultures, and degrees of religiousness. Surprisingly, cultural institutions such as sports, environmentalism, secular humanism, and science also showcase supernatural attributes and qualities. Indeed, studies show that supernatural thinking assuages stress and anxiety and improves mood and psychological well-being. But there is a potential dark side to this line of thinking: it can lead to personal and social problems, and some individuals can take it a step too far. However, Routledge argues that this dark side of supernatural thinking is the exception, not the rule. Further, supernatural thinking is ever-present, and should unite us instead of dividing us.