Encyclopedia of Religion
and Society

William H. Swatos, Jr. Editor

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DITTES, JAMES E.
(1926-) Professor of Pastoral Psychology and Psychology at Yale University. He is a former Executive Secretary (1959-1965) and President (1971-1972) of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. He also served as editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (1966-1971).

Dittes wrote one of the first contemporary critical reviews of the empirical literature in the psychology of religion. He has contributed to studies in religious biography, including works on St. Augustine and an authoritative analysis of William James. He also has written on mainstream psychology of religion topics, including religion and prejudice and intrinsic/extrinsic religion. In addition, he has written extensively on characteristics of religious professionals and the psychological assessment and testing of ministerial candidates.

Ralph W. Hood, Jr .

References

D. E. Capps and J. E. Dittes (eds.), Hunger of the Heart (Washington, D.C.: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1990)

J. E. Dittes, "Psychology of Religion," in Handbook of Social Psychology 5, ed. G. Lindsey and E. Aronson (New York: Addison-Wesley, 1969): 602-659

J. E. Dittes, "Some Basic Questions About Testing Ministerial Candidates," in Psychological Testing for Ministerial Selection , ed. W. Biers (New York: Fordham University Press, 1970): 3-26

J. E. Dittes, "Psychological Characteristics of Religious Professionals," in Research in Religious Development , ed. M. P. Strommen (New York: Hawthorn, 1971a): 355-390

J. E. Dittes, "Typing the Typologies," Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion , 10(1971b):375-383

J. E. Dittes, "Beyond William James," in Beyond the Classics? ed. C. Y. Glock and P. E. Hammond (New York: Harper, 1973a): 291-354

J. E. Dittes, Bias and the Pious (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1973b).

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