A Perceived Facial Expression of Nostalgia

Is nostalgia believed to have a face? We examined whether nostalgia has perceived facial expression features accompanied by trait inferences. In a Preliminary Study (N = 67), two facial actions featured in expressions of nostalgia: an averted gaze and a small smile. In Experiment 1 (N = 103), participants read vignettes with features that were central, peripheral, or unrelated to nostalgia, and subsequently selected the facial expression that best illustrated each vignette. Participants selected more frequently an expression with averted (vs. direct) gaze to illustrate vignettes with central or peripheral (vs. unrelated) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 2 (N = 306), participants selected more frequently expressions that combined an averted gaze and small smile to illustrate vignettes with central (vs. peripheral) features of nostalgia. In Experiment 3 (N = 303), participants attributed higher interpersonal warmth and nostalgia to facial expressions that combined (vs. did not combine) an averted gaze and a small smile. The findings provide first evidence for facial expression features perceived to be nostalgic—an averted gaze combined with a small smile—and show that this expression elicits attributions of interpersonal warmth.