MAPP Magazine: Nature & Well-being

By Josey Murray -

“Step outside, breathe in, and look closely. Where can you feel the web of life that you’re a part of? What might shift if you paused to attune to the wonder and wisdom that surrounds you each day?” Molly Peterson, MAPP’24, writes this in the latest issue of MAPP Magazine, Nature & Well-Being. This invitation speaks to what this issue asks of all of us: to go outside, engage with the rest of the natural world, and evaluate our connection with it.

While environmental psychology has been around for decades and people have considered what it is to be in and of nature for even longer, in many ways, positive psychology has only relatively recently entered the nature conversation. In this issue of MAPP Magazine, we delve into this conversation to understand what current research is saying about what nature has to do with human well-being and the responsibility we have to ensure it isn’t just humans thriving, but the planet as a whole. Positive psychology may be rooted in human flourishing, but, amidst an era of human-nature disconnection, climate collapse, and environmental degradation, we believe it must also prioritize the well-being of our non-human neighbors and this sacred, collective home.

We invite you to consider the rich possibilities of a deeper connection to the rest of nature, both for our sake and the sake of the planet.  

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Belonging to the wild: How nature connection nurtures well-being

As a former wildlife biologist, Molly Peterson (MAPP ’24) is no stranger to the impact a relationship with nature has on the individual.

Blending personal narrative with current research in positive psychology, her article examines the science of nature connectedness and offers evidence-informed strategies for enhancing well-being through everyday interactions with the natural world.

The ethics of eudaimonia and the Anthropocene

What does it look like to live virtuously and do good in an age of ecological crisis?

Inspired by Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia and Michael Steger’s emerging work in regenerative positive psychology, Andrew Soren (MAPP’13) explores this question and reflects on the role of moral responsibility to one another and to the planet in the modern pursuit of well-being.

On nature and meaning: A conversation with Holli-Anne Passmore, PhD

With the proposed third wave of positive psychology, more and more of us are considering the role of nature in well-being.

A core figure in the conversation is Holli-Anne Passmore, a well-being researcher whose intervention of choice is nature.

In this interview, Dr. Passmore discusses the research that connects nature to meaning, positive emotions, and more.

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References

Many references for Molly Peterson’s article are included in the MAPP Magazine article. Here are three.

Baxter, D. E., & Pelletier, L. G. (2019). Is nature relatedness a basic human psychological need? A critical examination of the extant literature. Canadian Psychology / Psychologie Canadienne, 60(1), 21–34. https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000145

Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00976

Howell, A. J., Dopko, R. L., Passmore, H.A., & Buro, K. (2011). Nature connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(2), 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.03.037

Many references for Andrew Soren’s article are included in the MAPP Magazine article. Here are two.

Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069

Steger, M. F. (2024). Regenerative positive psychology: A call to reorient wellbeing science to meet the realities of our world. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 20(3), 373–396. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2024.2365259

Passmore, H.-A., Lumber, R, Niemiec, R., & Sofen, L. I. (2025). Creating kinship with nature and boosting well-being: Testing two novel character strengths-based nature connectedness interventions. Journal of Happiness Studies, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-025-00900-9

Barnes, C. A., & Passmore, H.-A. (2024). Development and testing of the Night Sky Connectedness Index (NSCI).. Journal of Environmental Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102198

Passmore, H.-A., & *Krause. A. N. (2023). The Beyond-Human Natural World: Providing Meaning and Making Meaning. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126170

Image Credits

Cover image by Josey Murray.

Path image by  Pauline Heidmets on UnSplash

Plant in hands by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Holli-Anne Passmore picture used with her permission.

This article first appeared on Positive Psychology News. To see the original article, click here. To comment on this article, click here.