Start Date
April 2026
Location
2nd floor - Library
Abstract
Problem:
Previous work has shown that nostalgia is a source of positive emotions and can enhance brand equity (Sierra & McQuitty, 2007; Merchant & Rose, 2012; Kessous et al., 2015). In a political context, nostalgic imagery is often used in messaging with an emphasis on an idealized past (Stefaniak et al., 2021). This approach tends to be more successful for conservatives because they “update” less than liberals (Buechner et al., 2021).
In this research, we question whether nostalgia creates a buffering effect among consumers when moral transgressions occur and whether this relationship is moderated by political ideology. We hypothesize that nostalgia has a buffering effect and that this effect will be stronger for conservatives (vs. liberals).
Procedure/Results:
S1: We test whether nostalgia creates a buffering effect when moral transgressions occur. We randomly assigned 300 Prolific participants to a 2 (control group vs. nostalgia) group between-subjects design. Participants identified a TV show that made them nostalgic (vs. associated with their present). Participants responded to attitude, behavior, and identity measures towards the TV show both before (T1) and after (T2) a moral transgression. For the moral transgression, participants imagined producers stole the show idea from someone else. We subtracted T2 responses from T1 to assess changes in attitude, behavior, and identity due to the transgression. One-way ANOVA results showed that the difference between T1 and T2 was significantly lower for the nostalgic condition across attitudes (F(1,298)=12.59,p<.01), behaviors (F(1,298)=8.79,p<.01), and identity (F(1,298)=10.24,p<.01)—suggesting a buffering effect of nostalgia (see Figure 1).
S2: We test whether political identity moderates the buffering effect. 162 undergraduate participants identified a celebrity that made them nostalgic. As in S1, participants responded to attitude, behavior, and identity measures towards the celebrity both before (T1) and after (T2) a moral transgression. For the moral transgression, participants imagined the celebrity kicked a dog. Finally, participated rated their political identity. Regression results indicated smaller differences between T1 and T2 among conservatives (vs. liberals) across attitudes (F(1,160)=3.77,p=.05), behaviors (F(1,160)=4.07,p<.05), and identity (F(1,160)=6.54,p=.01)—suggesting that the buffering effect of nostalgia is stronger among conservatives.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that nostalgia buffers against moral transgressions, and this effect is stronger for conservatives (vs. liberals). That is, conservative respondents update their responses less than liberals.
Nostalgia Across the Aisle: Political Identity and Reaction to Moral Transgressions
2nd floor - Library
Problem:
Previous work has shown that nostalgia is a source of positive emotions and can enhance brand equity (Sierra & McQuitty, 2007; Merchant & Rose, 2012; Kessous et al., 2015). In a political context, nostalgic imagery is often used in messaging with an emphasis on an idealized past (Stefaniak et al., 2021). This approach tends to be more successful for conservatives because they “update” less than liberals (Buechner et al., 2021).
In this research, we question whether nostalgia creates a buffering effect among consumers when moral transgressions occur and whether this relationship is moderated by political ideology. We hypothesize that nostalgia has a buffering effect and that this effect will be stronger for conservatives (vs. liberals).
Procedure/Results:
S1: We test whether nostalgia creates a buffering effect when moral transgressions occur. We randomly assigned 300 Prolific participants to a 2 (control group vs. nostalgia) group between-subjects design. Participants identified a TV show that made them nostalgic (vs. associated with their present). Participants responded to attitude, behavior, and identity measures towards the TV show both before (T1) and after (T2) a moral transgression. For the moral transgression, participants imagined producers stole the show idea from someone else. We subtracted T2 responses from T1 to assess changes in attitude, behavior, and identity due to the transgression. One-way ANOVA results showed that the difference between T1 and T2 was significantly lower for the nostalgic condition across attitudes (F(1,298)=12.59,p<.01), behaviors (F(1,298)=8.79,p<.01), and identity (F(1,298)=10.24,p<.01)—suggesting a buffering effect of nostalgia (see Figure 1).
S2: We test whether political identity moderates the buffering effect. 162 undergraduate participants identified a celebrity that made them nostalgic. As in S1, participants responded to attitude, behavior, and identity measures towards the celebrity both before (T1) and after (T2) a moral transgression. For the moral transgression, participants imagined the celebrity kicked a dog. Finally, participated rated their political identity. Regression results indicated smaller differences between T1 and T2 among conservatives (vs. liberals) across attitudes (F(1,160)=3.77,p=.05), behaviors (F(1,160)=4.07,p<.05), and identity (F(1,160)=6.54,p=.01)—suggesting that the buffering effect of nostalgia is stronger among conservatives.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that nostalgia buffers against moral transgressions, and this effect is stronger for conservatives (vs. liberals). That is, conservative respondents update their responses less than liberals.
