About Us
The Aitheros Research Association
Director: Kevin A. Harris, PhD, LP, HSP
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Our Lady of the Lake University
411 SW 24th St., Moye 405
San Antonio, TX 78261
Website: http://aitheros.wix.com/research
E-mail: drkevinaharris@gmail.com
Phone: (210) 431-3937
Our Research Team
The ARA (Aitheros Research Association) is a research team devoted to scientific research on the psychology of religion and spirituality and the psychology of music. It gets its name from the Greek word ΑΙΘΕΡΟΣ (pronounced EYE-tayr-ohs), meaning "of the ethereal," referring to the fifth element in ancient Greece (in addition to earth, air, fire, and water) -- namely, ether, or spirituality. It began as a research library and research project at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana on the psychology of spirituality, but it has since expanded to include research projects (and research libraries) on the psychology of music, campus sexual assault awareness, and an Integrative Model of psychology. We were located for several years at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) in Odessa, Texas. We are now currently housed at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) in San Antonio, Texas but we have members from around the world.
We are a research team in the truest sense of the term. We are directed by a professor, but the undergraduate and graduate student members of the team are not his research assistants; we are a team, and we make decisions about next steps to take in our research as a team. We enjoy doing research as a group -- and in addition to the quantitative research we do, we also conduct qualitative research using a team approach to argue to consensus (such as Consensual Qualitative Research). We are always looking for eager and reliable people who want to join our team. Our research team currently consists of 30 professors, students, and professionals at 13 universities in 10 states and 4 countries.
Locations (Past and Present): California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Tennessee, Texas, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, China
Universities (Past and Present): Biola University, Columbia University, Florida State University, Jilin Normal University, Morgan State University, Our Lady of the Lake University, Trinity University of Asia, University of Missouri Kansas City, the University of Oxford, the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Wellesley College, Westmont College
Research Team Director
Kevin A. Harris, PhD, LP, HSP
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU)
Dr. Harris has a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and is a licensed psychologist in Texas who teaches doctoral courses in the Counseling Psychology PsyD Program at OLLU in San Antonio, Texas. He was previously graduate faculty at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) in Odessa, Texas. His research interests are in the psychology of religion and spirituality, clinical judgment, client expectations in counseling, the impact of music and theatre on mental health, sexual assault prevention, and counseling Pagan college students.
Research Team Members
Dr. Amy Ai
Dr. Amy Ai is a professor in the College of Social Work and Department of Psychology, and Associate Dean for Research, at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She is a John A. Hartford Scholar and Fulbright Senior Specialist. She is currently co-editing a book with Dr. Harris entitled Assessing Spirituality and Religion in a Diversified World.
Yaritza Baltier
Yaritza Baltier is an undergraduate psychology major at UTPB in Odessa, Texas. She is working on the Measures Project and the Definitions Project (including the Delphi Study, the Division 36 Survey, and the Factor Analysis Study).
Dr. Fernando Cadiz Carandang, Jr.
Dr. Jhon Carandang is an associate professor at Trinity University of Asia in Quezon City, Philippines. He is currently working on an international survey of religiosity, spirituality, music preference, and food preference in the United States, China, and the Philippines.
Dr. Chun-Han Chen
Dr. Chun-Han Chen is affiliated with Jilin Normal University in Jilin Province, China. He is currently working on an international survey of religiosity, spirituality, music preference, and food preference in the United States, China, and the Philippines.
Dr. Joanna Hadjicostandi
Dr. Joanna Hadjicostandi is a professor of sociology at UTPB. She is currently working with Dr. Harris on an article on campus sexual assault prevention and on a faculty/staff campus climate survey.
Dr. Peter Hill
Dr. Pete Hill is a professor of psychology and undergraduate chair at Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He has authored several books, including Measures of Religiosity (1999). He is currently coauthoring a book with Dr. Harris entitled Measures of Spirituality.
Dr. Ralph Hood
Dr. Ralph Hood is a professor of psychology, member of the graduate faculty, and director of the Psychology of Religion Lab at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has authored several books, including Measures of Religiosity (1999). He is currently coauthoring a book with Dr. Harris entitled Measures of Spirituality.
Dr. Jonathan Jong
Dr. Jonathan Jong is a Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Brain, Belief, and Behaviour Group at Coventry University and the Research Coordinator of the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Oxford in Oxford, the United Kingdom. He is currently coauthoring a book with Dr. Harris entitled Measures of Spirituality.
Mary Medlin
Mary Medlin recently graduated with a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of Louisiana Monroe and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She is currently working on the Clinical Judgment Project and the Character Strengths Project, and she is a Research Assistant working on the Measures Project.
Ashley Moreland
Ashley Moreland is a former online undergraduate Psychology student at UTPB who lived in Oahu, Hawaii. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University in New York City, New York. She is currently working on the Clinical Judgment Project, the Character Strengths Project, the Well-Being Project, the Measures Project, the Faith Development Project, and the Definitions Project (including the Delphi Study, the Division 36 Survey, and the Factor Analysis Study).
Dr. Raymond F. Paloutzian
Dr. Raymond F. Paloutzian is a professor of Psychology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He is currently co-editing a book with Dr. Harris entitled Assessing Spirituality and Religion in a Diversified World.
Stephanie Silva
Stephanie Silva is a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology PsyD Program at OLLU. She is currently a Research Assistant working on the Measures Project.
Daquane Triplett
Daquane Triplett is a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology PsyD Program at OLLU. He is currently a Research Assistant working on the Measures Project.
Dr. Paul Spike Wilson
Dr. Paul Spike Wilson has a PhD in Theatre, is the Director and Curriculum Head of Page and Stage Theatre in Kokomo and Noblesville, Indiana, and is Head Speech Coach at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. He uses theatre to educate disadvantaged and disabled youth. He and Dr. Harris are working on writing a book about personality and the soul.
Dr. Paul M. Wink
Dr. Paul M. Wink is a professor of Psychology at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He is currently co-editing a book with Dr. Harris entitled Assessing Spirituality and Religion in a Diversified World.
Former UTPB Research Team Members
Dr. Ann Marie Smith
Dr. Michelle Pence
Dr. Dan Keast
Dr. Frank Eychaner
Desiree Pelletier Bowen
Kourtnye Chandler
Evelena McCutcheon
Danielle E. Moreno
Danielle O. Moreno
Oscar Romo
Chynna Talbott
Maribel Benitez
Kynnie Campbell
Amber Chavez
Jacqueline Cummings
Furaha Christine Engulu
Kandice Hargreaves
Rebecca Harpster
Benjamin Herrera
Sylvia Hinojos
Melissa Lujan
Chinenye Ogaraku
Adam Pitt
Gabriel Sanchez
Paige Slater
Jeanette Torres
Allison Turner
Christina Watson
Sabrina Blaskey
Ana-Faith Caraballo
Rhea Cholia
Amandina Corral
Ryan Day
Andrea Despain
Ricardo Garcia
Elizabeth Hernandez
Taylor Ingram
Vivian Lee
Amanda Mentzer
Candace Mouton
Abigail Nau
Rebecca Perez
Richard Rosalez
Jennifer Wheelan
Jane Wilson
Former Ball State University Research Team Members
Desiree S. Howell
Erin M. Gray
Adam W. Sirken
John M. McConnell
Brooke E. Randolph
Tim D. Gordon
Danielle R. Coulter
Michael J. Everett
Alyssa J. Goodwin
Belinda Heredia
Kathleen Hilger
Lindsey A. Muntz
Randall C. Oswalt
Don W. Spurgeon
Tai L. Staller
Cassandra Austin
Stephanie Bell
Ranada Bowie
Amber Bowles
Alison Fessenden
Brittney Johnson
Debbie Koliba
Emily Kuhns
Lynna Reynolds
Leslie Schellenberg
Matt Werner
Holly Zech
Other Former Research Team Members
Dr. Nicole Blakesley, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Dr. Stephanie Winkeljohn-Black, Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg
Dr. Eric Boorman, Morgan State University
Marina Khan, University of Missouri at Kansas City