Dreaming of a White Christmas: Examining Nostalgia, Trend Perceptions, & Climate Change Attitudes

Kasia Tuzzolino, Oberlin College

Location

PANEL: Challenging Predictions, Patterns, and Expectations of Human Social Behavior
Wilder Hall 112

Document Type

Presentation

Start Date

5-13-2022 3:00 PM

End Date

5-13-2022 4:30 PM

Abstract

Due to the common media portrayal of a “white Christmas” (WC), many Americans idealize snowfall during the Christmas holiday. For those living in regions that experience snowfall, this may foster a sense of nostalgia for past WCs. This study investigates how this nostalgia shapes memory for the number of WCs experienced in the past and, in turn, how these memories influence estimations of future WCs. Participants tended to estimate a steep decline in WCs over time, both when remembering the past and estimating the future. Moreover, predictions of future WCs were related to attitudes about climate change, suggesting that nostalgia can be incorporated into strategies to promote sustainability.

Keywords:

Memory, Nostalgia, Climate change, Trend perception

Project Mentor(s)

Clinton Merck, Psychology

2022

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May 13th, 3:00 PM May 13th, 4:30 PM

Dreaming of a White Christmas: Examining Nostalgia, Trend Perceptions, & Climate Change Attitudes

PANEL: Challenging Predictions, Patterns, and Expectations of Human Social Behavior
Wilder Hall 112

Due to the common media portrayal of a “white Christmas” (WC), many Americans idealize snowfall during the Christmas holiday. For those living in regions that experience snowfall, this may foster a sense of nostalgia for past WCs. This study investigates how this nostalgia shapes memory for the number of WCs experienced in the past and, in turn, how these memories influence estimations of future WCs. Participants tended to estimate a steep decline in WCs over time, both when remembering the past and estimating the future. Moreover, predictions of future WCs were related to attitudes about climate change, suggesting that nostalgia can be incorporated into strategies to promote sustainability.