Paul B. Harris, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
pharris@rollins.edu

PhD  University of Utah, Social Psychology, 1994
MS    University of Arizona Family and Consumer             Resources (Interior Design), 1999
MS    Texas Christian University, Experimental
         Psychology, 1986
BA     KnoxCollege, (Psychology with Honors), 1984

Office Hours: By Appointment
Phone: 407-628-6316
Johnson Center: Room #185


With a doctorate in social psychology and a master's degree in interior design, Paul Harris has twenty years of experience studying the links between physical settings and human response. Dr. Harris has published articles in a variety of scientific journals on topics such as burglary victimization, privacy and place attachment, decoration and identity display, housekeeping and personality, hospital settings and patient satisfaction, and unsafe driving practices. In addition to his scholarly work in academic settings, Dr. Harris has worked as a research and program evaluation consultant in mental health, health care, and interior design.

Courses Taught:

Social Psychology focuses on the individual in interactions with others and includes such topics as attraction, helping, aggression, prejudice, and social influence.

Environmental Psychology examines the relationship between the physical environment (i.e., both natural and built settings) and the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individuals.

Careers in Psychology helps students explore their career interests and options with an emphasis on preparing for graduate education in psychology.

Statistics and Research Methods II teaches students the fundamentals of experimental design and the statistics typically used to analyze experimental data.

Multivariate Statistics exposes students to a variety multivariate procedures and provides opportunities for practical experience in using techniques such as Multiple Regression and Factor Analysis.

Research Interests:


• Privacy and Human Territoriality

• Design, Environmental Evaluation, and Impression Formation

• Aggressive Driving and Competitiveness


Selected Publications

Houston, J. M., Harris, P. B., Moore, R., Brummett, R. A., & Kametani, H. (In Press). Competitiveness in three cultures: Comparing Chinese, Japanese and American undergraduates.  Psychological Reports.

Harris, P. B., & Sachau, D. (2005). Is cleanliness next to godliness? The role of housekeeping in impression formation. Environment and Behavior, 37, 81-101.

Houston, J. M., Harris, P. B., Norman, M. (2003). The Aggressive Driving Behavior Scale: Developing a self-report measure of unsafe driving practices. North American Journal of Psychology, 5, 269-278.

Harris, P. B., McBride, G., Ross, C, & Curtis, L. (2002). A place to heal: Environmental sources of satisfaction among hospital patients. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32, 1276-1299.

Houston, J. M., Harris, P. B., McIntire, S., & Francis, D. (2002). Revising the competitiveness index using factor analysis. Psychological Reports, 90, 31-34.

Harris, P. B. (2001). Pardon my mess: Preliminary findings on the role of housekeeping in impression formation. Population and Environmental Psychology Bulletin, 27, 6-7.

Student Researchers: Brummett, Norman, Francis

Recent Conference Presentations

Harris, P. B., Earle, S. A., & Kochurka, K. A. (2004).  A scientific look at the practitioner: Implicit theories of design educators concerning emotion and interior design. Presented at the  meeting of the Environmental Design Research Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Harris, P. B., Houston, J. M., Kochurka, K. J., & Kametani, H. (2004).  Aggression without borders: Unsafe driving behavior in America and Japan. Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Harris, P. B., Houston, J. M., Kochurka, K. J., & Stephenson, B. (2004).  Won’t you be my neighbor: Privacy and neighborhood place attachment. Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Harris, P. B., Norman, M. T., & Houston, J. M. (2004).  The cost of classism: Income and stereotypes on campus. Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Houston, J. M., Harris, P. B., Moore, R., Brummett, R. A., & Kametani, H. (2004). Competitiveness in three cultures: Comparing Chinese, Japanese and American undergraduates.  Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Queen, J. S., & Harris, P. B. (2004).  Link to the future: Using web design to explore careers.  Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Atlanta, Georgia.

Harris, P. B., Houston, J. M., & Norman, M. (2003).  Situational correlates to aggressive   driving behavior.  Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Houston, J. M., Harris, P. B., Moore, R., & Brummett, R. A. (2003).  Competitiveness in two cultures:Comparing Chinese and American undergraduates.  Presented at the meeting of the        Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Harris, P. B., (2002).  A Broom with a view: The role of housekeeping in impression formation. Presented at the meeting of the Environmental Design Research Association, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Harris, P. B., & Deak, D. K. (2002).  Privacy regulation, academic and social adjustment:Predicting college satisfaction.  Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Orlando, Florida.

Oelke, J. L., Harris, P. B., & Walker, B. (2002).  Ideal body image for female athletes and non-athletes.  Presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association, Orlando, Florida

Price, B., & Harris, P. B. (2002).  Relating personality to wireless telephone use.  Presented at the meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Orlando, Florida.

Harris, P. B., McBride, G., Ross, C., Curtis, L. (2001).  Environmental satisfaction in health care settings.  Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, Canada.

Student Researchers: Earle, Kochurka, Brummett, Norman, Deak, Oelke, Price