Experiential gifts as meaningful moments and memories: Their influence on nostalgia, and relive intention

Abstract
We tested the influence of experiential versus material gifts on nostalgia through their influence on perceptions of meaningful moments and memories and examined one consequence of nostalgia: relive intentions. Participants from Study 1 were randomly assigned to recall and write about an experiential or a material gift they received and completed a measure of nostalgia, perceptions of meaningful moments, and relive intentions. Results showed that meaningful moments mediated the relationship between experiential gifts and nostalgia. Nostalgia was positively related to reliving intentions. Study 2 was an identical replication. Results showed a significant mediation of meaningful moments on the relationship between experiential gifts and nostalgia. Nostalgia was positively related to reliving intentions. We conducted an additional replication with older participants in Study 3. Results showed the same mediation of meaningful moments on the relationship between experiential gifts and nostalgia. In Study 4, participants were randomly assigned to recall and write about a gift that represented a meaningful or an ordinary moment and completed the same measures as Study 2. Results showed a positive influence of recalling a gift that represented a meaningful moment on nostalgia. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine nostalgia in the gift exchange.