Still preoccupied with 1995: The need to belong and preference for nostalgic products - Loveland et al. (2010) - Article

What is nostalgia?

The word nostalgia is based on two Greek words, namely ‘nostos’ (“return to one´s native land”) and ´algos´ (“pain, suffering, grief”). Only during the twentieth century the term began to take on both its positive and negative associations. It is now defined as a preference towards objects that were more common when one was younger. In the current research nostalgia is limited to the preference for things, instead of people and places as well. The preferences are often shaped by objects that were popular in one´s youth and they persist throughout one´s life.

How does nostalgia relate to product production?

Many consumers are interested in products that generate favorable childhood memories. Early experiences help shape preferences and consumption decisions throughout an individual´s life. There has been a resurgence of toys and characters that used to be popular years ago. Marketers count on the strong pull of nostalgia from parents to sell their products.

How does the need to belong drive human behavior?

Human beings are very social and experience a social drive to feel socially connected. Forming and maintaining emotional bonds with others drive a variety of human behaviors. Individuals are constantly monitoring how others respond to their actions and make judgements about their rejection or exclusion. When they experience rejection or exclusion, they experience lower levels of belongingness and self-esteem. That often leads to behaviors that are aimed at restoring those feelings of belongingness.

What is the sociometer hypothesis?

The sociometer theory is a theory of self-esteem from an evolutionary psychological perspective which proposes that self-esteem is a sociometer (or gauge) of interpersonal relationships. Self-esteem is a measure of effectiveness in social relations and interactions that monitors acceptance and/or rejection from others. Alarming the sociometer causes behavior that restores the balance by restoring belongingness and an individual’s selfworth.

How can the goal to belong be activated?

The goal to belong can be activated in several threatening and nonthreatening ways. Research indicates that especially negative affect increases feelings of nostalgia (think of loneliness, threat of mortality, and ostracism). When people feel that they have been rejected, they experience a drop in feelings of belongingness, which results in a need to reconnect and restore adequate levels of belonging. The need to belong can also be activated in non-threatening manners, for example through the activation of the interdependent self.

Why does the independent self not activate the goal to belong?

The independent self refers to aspects of the self that make a person stand out from others. It is more concerned with individual self-efficacy and the need to feel connected is not a primary focus. When the independent self is active, we would not expect the social connection provided by nostalgic products to provide any additional value to consumers.

Why does the interdependent self activate the goal to belong?

The interdependent self refers to aspects of the self in connection with others (such as significant others and social groups). The interdependent self is more concerned with belonging and fitting in, and this is where the need to connect to others becomes most relevant. When the interdependent self is activated, consumers will feel a heightened need to belong, which will lead them to seek out means to enhance their sense of social belonging. Nostalgic products offer a means by which people can achieve this sense of belonging.

How is the need to belong related to nostalgia?

The need to belong is a basic driver of human behavior. It is possible that people can satisfy the need to belong through the consumption of nostalgic products. When the goal of belonging is activated, individuals consistently show an increased preference for nostalgic products. Nostalgic recollections often involve interactions with close others. Consuming formerly popular brands can help people feel reconnected with important people from their past with whom they consumed those brands.

How does the need to belong relate to product consumption?

People have a very strong drive to make and maintain lasting and positive interpersonal relationships. They may try to achieve these through nostalgic product consumption. Through consumption of music, movies, or other products, people may feel closer to their former friends, reconnect with their pasts and social communities. The nostalgic products help create a tangible link to the past by providing a point of focus for nostalgic thoughts.

What can be concluded of the results of the current research?

• Individuals who have an active goal to belong express a stronger preference for nostalgic products than individuals who do not have an active goal to belong.
• Individuals who have are socially excluded express a stronger preference for nostalgic products compared to individuals who are not socially excluded.
• The need to belong mediates the relationship between social exclusion and preference for nostalgic products.
• Individuals express a stronger preference for nostalgic products when the interdependent, as opposed to the independent, self is activated.
• The need to belong mediates the relationship between the activated self and preference for nostalgic products.
• The consumption of nostalgic products reduces or eliminates the need to belong for individuals for whom the need to belong has been activated. Only exposure to or selection of nostalgic products is not enough to bolster feelings of belongingness. Individuals must actually consume the nostalgic products in order to satisfy the belongingness goal.