Regarding definitions:
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Originally Posted by Mari
the New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) to show nostalgia as " a sentimental longing for the past."
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Ok, so here we have the term "longing" - this remains consistent with both the Oxford Dictionaries online definition and the Webster's 2nd definition.
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They mention the different understandings of nostalgia with Davis (1979) defining nostalgia as a "positively toned evocation of a lived past."
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This is indeed different, because, contrary to both dictionary definitions, it does not involve longing or wistfulness (regret/yearning).
I will look at the articles more close up. I have to confess I was replying based on your quoted excerpts and have not read the entire articles linked, as yet.
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In this article linked to by the NYT, nostalgia is defined thus:
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=...2012-15305-001
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Nostalgia, a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, is a predominantly positive and social emotion. Recent evidence suggests that nostalgia maintains psychological comfort. Here, we propose, and document in five methodologically diverse studies, a broader homeostatic function for nostalgia that also encompasses the maintenance of physiological comfort.
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Ok, I do not read the entire cited quotation as a definition. I read only the bolded clause as the definition and it corresponds closely to the Oxford definition. I read the underlined predicate as presenting the author's thesis as to the role of nostalgia. The rest of the paragraph introduces the thesis in greater detail, stating how the author intends to substatiate it.
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People are likely to be triggered by cold:
The part about cold is interesting and makes sense to me.
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Yes, I can't offer any logical observations here, but it sits well with me too, somehow. It just feels right, even though I couldn't say why.
waves