#1 Jamie Leigh Curtis And Her Mother Janet Leigh, 1983. Photos By Bettina Cirone
#3 Former Child Star, Shirley Temple Reading A Collection Of Fan Mail In The Living Room Of Her Los Angeles Home, 1944. Photos By Earl Theisen
Looking through old pictures often takes us back to beautiful moments in the past we feel fond of. Cue the nostalgia. Sometimes all it takes is a pop-up notification reminding you of what you did a year ago to make you spend the rest of the hour browsing the gallery on your phone.
“We feel nostalgia for things that are associated with pleasant memories,” professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College, David Ludden, told Bored Panda. “This could be a particular time period. For instance, many people feel that high school was the best years of their life—good friends, fun times, little stress—so they often feel nostalgic about that. But you can feel nostalgic about anything in the past that you have fond memories of—a favorite food from childhood, a place you once visited, a former friend or lover.”
#4 Yul Brynner Arriving To The Premiere Of The Ten Commandments In His Mercedes-Benz 300sl Roadster, 1956
#5 Louis Armstrong Performing An Impromptu Concert At Mgm Studios During The Production Of High Society, 1956. Photos By Bob Willoughby
David Ludden, Ph.D., pointed out that nostalgia is a bittersweet emotion. “It's bitter in the sense that it's a feeling we get when our present circumstances are not happy. But it's sweet in the sense that we're reminiscing about a time in the past that was happier than the present.
“People use nostalgia to boost their mood when they're feeling down. It doesn't do anything to improve the current situation, but it does remind us that we were once happy in the past, giving us hope that we can be happy again in the future.”
#6 Tina Turner Photographed By Jack Robinson, 1969. The Iconic Photoshoot Was Aptly Titled, Wild Child. The "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll" Passed Away Today At The Age Of 83
#7 Marilyn Monroe Gambling With Director John Huston In Reno, Nevada During The Production Of The Misfits, 1960. Photos By Eve Arnold
#8 An 18 Year-Old George Harrison In Hamburg, Germany, 1961. Photos By Jürgen Vollmer
Even though nostalgia is typically evoked by moments we’ve enjoyed in the past, allowing us to feel good in the present moment as well, we should not cling to it. “Some people spend so much time living in the past that they miss opportunities for happiness in the present time. Like any other form of escapism, nostalgia can help improve our mood if used in moderation, but it can negatively impact our quality of life if used in excess,” the professor of psychology told Bored Panda.
#9 Paul Newman Leaning Against His Race Car Before The Start Of The Le Mans 24-Hour Race, June 11, 1979
#10 Mel Ferrer And Audrey Hepburn Sharing A Kiss During A Tennis Match In Cap D'antibes, France, 1956. Photo By Simon Michou
#11 Grace Kelly’s Strapless White Gown From To Catch A Thief (1955) Has Always Been One Of My Favorite Movie Costumes. It Was Designed By Edith Head
Dr. Ludden suggested that most of us likely engage in nostalgia on occasion, but some do it more than others. “Those with a tendency toward depression or anxiety may be more inclined to use nostalgia to dampen their negative feelings,” he pointed out. “Likewise, those who are not very open to new experiences and don't like dealing with change may be more inclined toward nostalgia because they find the familiar past more comforting than the uncertain present.”
#12 Dorothy Dandridge Cuddling With Her Dog Cissi At Orly Airport In Paris, France, 1962
#13 James Dean And His Cousin Marcus Walking Through Fairmount’s Park Cemetery In Fairmount, Indiana, 1955
#14 James Dean Greeting Fans During The Sweethearts Ball At His Old High School In Fairmount, Indiana, 1955
GWI revealed that when it comes to who tends to feel most nostalgic, two generations take the lead. Gen Z is reportedly the most nostalgia-seeking one with 15% of representatives saying they prefer to think about the past rather than the future. Gen Zers are closely followed by Millennials, 14% of whom agree to the same statement.
#15 Lynda Carter Arriving At London Airport For The Miss World Contest At Royal Albert Hall, 1972
#16 Sean Connery Snapping Pictures Of Brigitte Bardot During The Production Of Shalako In Deauville, France, 1968. Photos By Terry O'neill
#17 A 12-Year-Old Audrey Hepburn Posing For A Dance Portrait, 1942
Even though representatives of some generations might be more prone to nostalgic reverie, the extent to which they experience it differs with each person. So do the things that evoke nostalgia the most; for some it might be seeing a long-lost T-shirt they got from a friend, while others would get more nostalgic hearing that friend’s voice instead.
“Sights or sounds in the current environment can serve as memory cues that bring nostalgic thoughts to mind,” Prof. Ludden told Bored Panda. “For example, many couples had a special song when they were dating, and years later when they hear ‘our song,’ they feel nostalgia for that happy time. But it's not just sights and sounds. Any of the senses can evoke a nostalgic memory, whether it be the scent a former lover used to wear, the taste of a favorite food from childhood, or the feel of a familiar fabric.”
#18 Claudia Cardinale Dancing Barefoot On A Roof Terrace In Rome, 1959
#19 Audrey Hepburn With Her Fellow Chorus Girls, Aus Johanssen And Enid Smeedon, On The Rooftop Of London’s Cambridge Theater, 1949
#20 Harrison Ford Photographed By Dennis Stock, 1973
In a piece for Psychology Today, former athlete and science writer, Christopher Bergland, pointed out that nostalgia can even help relieve pain. Recent fMRI-based research suggests that viewing nostalgic images reduces subjective ratings of low-intensity pain, which is all the more reason to open up a photo album every once in a while.