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Nostalgia Scale

Nostalgia is an important emotion, but it can cloud your present-day decision-making. This scale helps assess whether your feelings of nostalgia may be overpowering your better judgment.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

October 26, 2023

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Measuring nostalgia involves exploring the memories, emotions, and cognitive processes that contribute to a “wistful longing for the past.” Researchers often employ a combination of methods to gain insight into this phenomenon.

Below is one method to test a person’s propensity for engaging in nostalgic thought. It is adapted from scientific research conducted by Teodor Gergov and his collaborators.

This self-report measure helps quantify various aspects of nostalgia, offering a glimpse into the tapestry of personal recollections. Clinicians rely on assessments such as these to determine whether one’s longing for the past may be interfering with their present judgment and decision-making.

You can take this test here. Follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Gergov, T., & Stoyanova, S. (2013). Sentimentality and nostalgia in elderly people: Psychometric properties of a new questionnaire. Psychological Thought, 6(2).

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. I think about the past often.

2. The past is very important to me.

3. My feelings about my past are a large part of my present outlook.

4. When I think about the past I well up with positive emotions.

5. I am more sentimental than most people I know.

6. If people knew my past, they would view me favorably.

7. I long to return to a simpler time.

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Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.