| Level | Item |
| Ref No | AUD/002/OHP 115 |
| Title | Sloboda, John - Recording |
| Site | London |
| Date | 19 January 1997 |
| Extent | 1- DVDR |
| Description | DVDR sound recording of an interview with Professor John Sloboda, FBPsS, CPsychol, FBA, ATCL, LTCL, HonRCM, formerly Head of the Psychology Department, Keele University, currently Research Professor, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama for the British Psychological Society's Oral History Project.
The interview was conducted by Dr Lorraine Ludman in January 2015.
The following summary by Dr Lorraine Ludman is by way of introduction to the full recording held at the British Psychological Society's History of Psychology Centre, London.
Interviewee: Professor John Sloboda (JS)
Interviewer: Lorraine Ludman (LL).
LL asks JS when his interest in psychology (P) first started
JS talks about the influence of school teacher (careers advisor) who suggested that rather than studying medicine he should consider psychology which would integrate his artistic and scientific interests. 1963: Read psychology and philosophy at Queens College, Oxford;
LL asks if JS kept up his interest in music.
JS talks about 2 important things that happened while he was at Oxford. He talks about being a Roman Catholic and his experience of being the conductor and writing music for the catholic chapel choir for performance in church.
LL asks how this impacted on his psychology studies and about his psychology teachers;
JS names Patrick Rabbitt a protégé of Donald Broadbent; talks about experimental psychology later know as cognitive psychology; abstruse area of it to do with reaction time;
JS talks about the psychology he learnt about: experiments in highly controlled laboratory situations where people 'stare at the screens and press buttons' ;
JS talks about his love of maths and finding mathematical precision exciting; JS mentions others he learnt from while at Oxford: Geoffrey Grey neuropsychologist; one of the cleverest people he ever met; Rabbitt encouraged him to do a PhD in Psychology;
1971: University College London, MRC Developmental Psychology Unit; supervisors directors of the unit, Neil O'Connor and Beate Hermalin: pioneers in UK of applying rigorous methods of testing cognitively challenged individuals; Psycholinguistics: excitement relating to talks given by Noam Chomsky while at Oxford.
PhD: on some aspects of children's reading development;
JS talks about change in direction resulting from inspired suggestion by supervisors-how do people learn to read music; JS talks about being passionate about sight reading music; applied rigorous reaction time techniques to musical stimuli; resulted in his PhD entitled : Prose reading and music reading (1974).
Followed by job as junior Lecturer in Psychology at Keele University;
LL lists his various positions during his 30 years at Keele and asks JS to talk about his work there.
Took early retirement in 2008.
JS then talks about the range of his work and positions at the university; in 1970s Keele were appointing very bright researchers in order to enhance the university research reputation; ideal environment to develop 'this obscure thing called music psychology'; in 1991 appointed Professor of Psychology and Director of the Unit for the Study of Musical Skill and Development.
(24:26) LL asks about his involvement with Iraq Body Count Project which he Co-founded in 2003; work for the Oxford Research Group;
JS talks about his deep involvement in the peace movement (CND);
JS: since 2000 forced a change in his priorities: tried to devote his psychology and music towards activities might benefit people; currently research at Guildhall in 'Understanding Audiences'; (27:00) JS talks at length about decline over last 30 years in the number of people attending live classical concerts. Trying to understand why it is happening and how to reverse it
LL asks about his appointments following his retirement from Keele : Honorary Professor of Music and of Politics and International Relations, at Royal Holloway, University of London; and Advisor to the AHRC Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice;
LL asks JS to talk about this; later in interview says Royal Holloway didn't work out very short lived.
(29:05) JS: he has come to the view that if someone asks him what he does -more important to him to describe the problems he is trying to address; human problems that need a solution
(32.27) JS talks about retiring at 65 and the importance of not holding down a position which could be filled by a younger person. Hope his post will be filled by Dr Karen Wise one of his former students: her PhD on people who believe they can't sing, so called tone deaf.
(35:37) LL lists his books and publications and asks JS to comment on how he finds the time for all his writing as well as his teaching commitments, committee work and editorships; JS answers
(37:33) LL asks about his attendance at conferences, visiting professorships;
JS speaks about creative exploratory conversations with academic colleagues that can take place within conference environment; also some of the most important research collaborations of his life were forged by of chance meetings with colleagues-talks about his13 year collaboration with the late Michael Howe Professor Education at Exeter (achievement in music closely linked to the number of hours of practice) (40:25) led to 10,000 hours rule-explains this
LL asks about visiting professorships?
JS talks about the importance of sabbaticals. Details one of his which was with Henry Shaffer who built first midi piano and how LS used it. ( 44.45)Talks about influence on him of Christopher Longuet-Higgins, initially Professor theoretical chemistry switched to theoretical physics: AI artificial Intelligence; computer programme that understood music; reading his paper in 1973 was a transformative moment for him
JS talks about research he did in Finland where he was very well supported; emotional response to Chopin piano music
LL asks when JS came down to London;
JS talks about spending half the week in London from 2003. Following keynote speech at the Guildhall the Director of Research, Helena Gaunt offered him a part-time appointment at the Guildhall; currently (2015) there 2 days a week. well documented in chapter in his book Exploring Musical Mind.
(40:46) LL asks (lists all his awards and positions) JS to talk about the links with professional bodies (relating to psychology) such as the BPS; talks about EPS and preference for BPS; talks about initiating and setting up Guidelines for the examination of PhD in psychology (?1993). Then talks about his contention with BPS relating to lack of response to war (1999) with Peter Coleman from Southampton. Published about their experience in Psychologist in 2000
LL asks about role with British Association for the Advancement of Science; and his role as President of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music.
JS talks at length about the early days and the setting up of a professional body where people interested in music could get together and its development into and international organization and European society. His presidency 1995-1998. Talks about project ESCOM European monograph series; 1st publication 2012 translation of Origins of Music (1911) by W. Stumpf.
LL asks about his thoughts on the future of psychology how the profession moving;
JS now no longer working in P world working in musical world; exciting time for P in 1960s and 70s…foundational ideas; talks about current domination of neuropsychology;
(1:09:00) LL asks about the best or the worst aspect about being a psychologist: any ethical issues that concern him?
JS responds -true P are clinical and educational Ps etc; he was an intellectual who used psychological theories for research and teaching; talks at length about incredible success of P as an undergraduate subject and the implications of this for teaching; popularity not in P's interest; distortion of the profession
LL asks about possible impact of personal and family life on his career as a psychologist;
JS talks about influence of parents stressing importance of education. JS now taken up and returned to his love photography.
LL asks if there anything else about P he would like to mention.
JS talks about the publication of a book Music and the Mind, Essays in Honour of JS organized on his retirement by two former collaborators (19 chapters) Irene Deliege and Jane Davidson (2011)
Ends.
Total Running time: 80 minutes. |
| RunTime | c 80 minutes |
| Format | Digital Disk |
| Notes | The History of Psychology Centre is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our users. Be aware that our catalogue contains historic terminology relating to mental health which could be considered offensive. The terminology exists within the original record and has been retained to inform users on viewpoints at the time. It in no way reflects the attitudes of the cataloguers or the British Psychological Society. |
| Language | English |
| RelatedRecord | AUD/001/34 |
| AccessConditions | Authorised Users. View by Appointment. |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Location | 13: BPS History of Psychology Centre, London |
| Term | Intelligence tests |
| Intelligence |
| Copyright | Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation. Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of the History of Psychology Centre and Archives and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material |
| Rules | Description compiled in line with the following: ISAD (G) General International Standard Archival Description MAD3 Third Edition 2000 |
| ArchNote | Compiled by Mike Maskill BPS Archivist for the History of Psychology Centre.
Summary by Dr Lorraine Ludman. |
Show related Persons records.
Persons
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| BPS/GB/273 | Sloboda; John (1950-); Professor; FBPsS, FBA, CPsychol, ATCL, LTCL, HonRCM. | 1950- |
| BPS/GB/112 | Broadbent; Donald Eric (1926-1993); Professor; CBE FRS | 1926-1993 |