The Psychology of Sentimentality

It’s funny how sentimental we get. The objects we can attribute importance to. The things we can’t part with.

This has echoed in my mind over the past week as I struggled to get rid of my first car. 

Which was a surprise, as my relationship with it was very neutral. It had many issues over the years I owned it, leading to frequent repairs that drained my bank account. It was slow and took too long to heat up in the winter. And because of these problems, I had planned to replace it with a newer car later this year.

But when circumstances forced me to get rid of it, I still found it oddly sad letting it go. It made me reflect on all the experiences I had had with it. It was my first car, and so being able to drive opened many possibilities for me. It took me to concerts, events and dates. It has made my world bigger. But it was still only a car.

This led me to want to explore the psychology of sentimentality and why we experience it.

Lauren Smelker talks about this in her article for The Lexington Line. She explains that when ‘‘properly contextualised’’, sentimentality ‘’helps us better understand our own journeys’’ and ‘’choices’’. Smelker says ‘’We hold the key to our past, and these memory objects are a way to unlock them.’’ This, undoubtedly, embodies why I felt grief over my car as it represented a distinct period of my life that contrasts a bit with my current state. 

Therefore, getting rid of it is losing a token that unlocks that.

In essence, sentimental objects lead to nostalgia, which has many benefits. According to

psychological research, it is said to ‘’increase meaning in life, self-esteem’’ and ‘’optimism.’’ It

can also encourage charitable and ‘’prosocial behaviour’’. These positive benefits explain why nostalgic content is so popular online. 

Why TV show reboots are made, and why many celebrities recall past famous roles. The positive effects of nostalgia will make us temporarily happier. It can also underline why it may be difficult to let sentimental objects go. Because it feels like losing tangible pieces of happy memories.

But, like many things, the opposite can be true. Nostalgia can be negative, evoking painful

memories. A 2008 psychology study found that it can increase the effects of loneliness. 

Objects can be a reminder of a past long gone, of people no longer in our lives and a previous self. I know that I still possess a handful of items that do this for me.

Bottom line, though, while being sentimental may feel like a burden at times, it is a beautiful

thing to be. Finding love and memories sealed in objects that allow you to reflect on your life can be positive. With the contrast between your past and now, you can use that knowledge to make future decisions as best you can. And to let you construct a path to a brighter future.

I hope to do this in my new car too.

Written by, Gia Dove