Abstract
This study examined how nostalgic memories and future imagining influence subjective well-being (SWB) and whether individual differences (i.e., Big Five personality traits and Zimbardo time perspectives) and memory characteristics (i.e., personal significance, emotional engagement, and vividness) contribute to changes in well-being. Participants (N = 132) completed pre- and post-intervention measures of SWB and were randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: nostalgia, future imagining, or control. Results indicated significant decreases in negative affect from pre- to post-interventions, but no significant improvement in overall SWB. Furthermore, neither individual differences nor memory characteristics significantly explained or moderated changes in SWB. Findings and implications are discussed.