Josey Murray, MAPP’23,is a well being, wellness, and life-style author and editor primarily based in New York Metropolis. Her writing focuses on the best way to reside the nice life and what sustainable wellness means for thoughts, physique, and planet. She has written for Girls’s Well being, mindbodygreen, Properly+Good, and extra. She is the affiliate editor of MAPP Journal. She holds a level in English and Artistic Writing from Wellesley School. Josey’s articles are right here.
“Step outdoors, breathe in, and look carefully. The place can you are feeling the online of life that you simply’re part of? What may shift should you paused to attune to the marvel and knowledge that surrounds you every day?” Molly Peterson, MAPP’24, writes this within the newest subject of MAPP Journal, Nature & Properly-Being. This invitation speaks to what this subject asks of all of us: to go outdoors, interact with the remainder of the pure world, and consider our reference to it.
Whereas environmental psychology has been round for many years and folks have thought-about what it’s to be in and of nature for even longer, in some ways, optimistic psychology has solely comparatively lately entered the character dialog. On this subject of MAPP Journal, we delve into this dialog to grasp what present analysis is saying about what nature has to do with human well-being and the accountability we have now to make sure it isn’t simply people thriving, however the planet as an entire. Optimistic psychology could also be rooted in human flourishing, however, amidst an period of human-nature disconnection, local weather collapse, and environmental degradation, we consider it should additionally prioritize the well-being of our non-human neighbors and this sacred, collective residence.
We invite you to think about the wealthy prospects of a deeper connection to the remainder of nature, each 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 not any stranger to the influence a relationship with nature has on the person.
Mixing private narrative with present analysis in optimistic psychology, her article examines the science of nature connectedness and gives evidence-informed methods for enhancing well-being by on a regular basis interactions with the pure world.
The ethics of eudaimonia and the Anthropocene
What does it appear like to reside virtuously and do good in an age of ecological disaster?
Impressed by Aristotle’s idea of eudaimonia and Michael Steger’s rising work in regenerative optimistic psychology, Andrew Soren (MAPP’13) explores this query and displays on the position of ethical accountability to 1 one other and to the planet within the fashionable pursuit of well-being.
On nature and which means: A dialog with Holli-Anne Passmore, PhD
With the proposed third wave of optimistic psychology, increasingly of us are contemplating the position of nature in well-being.
A core determine within the dialog is Holli-Anne Passmore, a well-being researcher whose intervention of selection is nature.
On this interview, Dr. Passmore discusses the analysis that connects nature to which means, optimistic feelings, and extra.
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References
Many references for Molly Peterson’s article are included within the MAPP Journal article. Listed here are three.
Baxter, D. E., & Pelletier, L. G. (2019). Is nature relatedness a fundamental human psychological want? A crucial 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 connection 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, Ok. (2011). Nature connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness. Character and Particular person Variations, 51(2), 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.03.037
Many references for Andrew Soren’s article are included within the MAPP Journal article. Listed here are two.
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is every little thing, or is it? Explorations on the which means of psychological well-being. Journal of Character and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
Steger, M. F. (2024). Regenerative optimistic psychology: A name to reorient wellbeing science to satisfy the realities of our world. The Journal of Optimistic 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 Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-025-00900-9
Barnes, C. A., & Passmore, H.-A. (2024). Growth and testing of the Evening 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 Past-Human Pure World: Offering That means and Making That means. Worldwide Journal of Environmental Analysis and Public Well being, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126170
Picture Credit
Cowl picture by Josey Murray.
Path picture by Pauline Heidmets on UnSplash
Plant in fingers by Noah Buscher on Unsplash
Holli-Anne Passmore image used together with her permission.
