| Description | Audio cassette sound recording of an interview with Professor Elizabeth Valentine, FBPsS, CPsychol, University of London for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by Julie Perks in 2007.
The following summary is by way of introduction to the full recording held at the British Psychological Society's History of Psychology Centre London.
Performers:
Professor Elizabeth Valentine (EV)
Julie Perks (JP)
Two sides (A and B)
Side A
Topics covered:
JP asks EV to speak of her early experiences and how she took up psychology
EV speaks of her decision to study philosophy and psychology at University College London (UCL), her student days and the Psychology Department at UCL (in the mid-1960s), her tutors including Cecily de Monchaux, Charlotte Banks, Mildred Marshak and course subjects on offer
EV continues to talk of her time at UCL including her growing interest in cognitive psychology, her grounding in statistics, experimental design, philosophy of science, Bob Phillips and meeting her future husband John Valentine
EV moves on to speak of her early teaching at West Ham College of Technology and lecturing part-time at City of London Polytechnic, her PhD supervisor Peter Weiner? her teaching experiences at West Ham College, the Department including John Radford, Brian Foss, Michael Eysenck and when West Ham College became the North East London Polytechnic in 1970 her promotion to Senior Lecturer and her overall views on the working environment at Polytechnics.
EV gives her views of psychology at the time (1970s), and her early experiences as a PhD supervisor.
JP asks EV to talk of her move to Bedford College in 1972, the college's amalgamation with Royal Holloway and what changes has EV seen over the years
EV talks of the study habits of students, a boom in student numbers,degree standards, funding issues, administrative functions, developments in neuropsychology, neuro science and compares psychology today with the 1970s.
JP asks EV how her approach to psychology has changed over the years
EV talks of her study of memory, collaborative work with John Wilding, her interest in psychology of music and philosophy and history
In reply to JP's question concerning the differences of being a woman and the directions made EV talks of gender and personality characteristics, work and self-promotion and the availability of research jobs after graduation
EV talks of her time as a founder member of the BPS History of Psychology Section and BPS Consciousness and Experiential Section, early meetings, Maggie Vernon, Sandy Lovie, Arthur Still, setting up the constitution and name selection of the Consciousness and Experiential Section.
In response to JP's question as to what does she consider her greatest achievement EV mentions writing 'Conceptual Issues in Psychology' book, EV's academic adviser role and her intellectual integrity.
JP asks EV how she sees the future of psychology
EV talks of fragmentation, differences between social psychology and neuroscience and behavioural issues.
EV speaks of her plans for the future, the beginnings of institutional psychology (especially working on women psychologists), her interest in music and bird watching.
EV talks of the things she has enjoyed about being an academic such as, tutorial freedom, working with congenial colleagues, opportunities to travel (conferences), Tempus Project in Slovenia, exchanges between staff and students and the formation of friendships.
EV returns to her early days and speaks of her early choice of educational psychology and how she applied to do a DipEd, her post graduate work, choice of PhD and her PhD supervisor Peter Weiner
Side A ends c 47 mins
Side B
Topics covered:
EV talks of the impact of technological changes in higher education, time change differences caused by the use of computers today as compared with the old system of handwriting notes, email messages and potential archive issues with the storing of electronic messages.
Side B ends c 5 mins
Total Running Time: c 52mins
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist. |
| RunTime | On one FE90 cassette, running time c 52 minutes |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 18/03/1942
Place of Birth: Pinner, Middlesex, UK
University Qualifications and Professional Training:
University College London, BA Philosophy and Psychology 1960-1963
University College London, PhD. Cognitive Psychology 1963-1966
Other Honours and Awards:
Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of London 2005
Invitation to membership of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2003
Honorary Research Fellow, Dept.of Psychology, University College London, 2001
Runner-up in the BPS Book Award for Superior Memory co-authored with J.Wilding, 2000
Invitation to become a member of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1996
Award for significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the field from the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research and Cybernatics, 1995
Visiting Scholar, Department of Psychology, Stanford University, 1992
Professional career:
Lecturer in Psychology, West Ham College of Technology (from 1970 North East London Polytechnic), 1966-1970
Senior Lecturer in Psychology, North East London Polytechnic, 1970-1972
Part-time Lecturer in Psychology, City of London Polytechnic, 1970-1972, 1975-1991
Part-time Lecturer in Psychology, Bedford College London, 1972
Part-time Lecturer in Psychology of Music, City University, 1988
Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, 1992-1997
Reader in Psychology, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, 1997-2003
Professor of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, 2003-2004
Involvement with BPS and/or other societies and organisations:
Member of the European Society for the History of the Human Sciences, 2003
Member of the Institute of Learning and Teaching, 2001
Fellow of the BPS, 1998
Member of the European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music, 1994
BPS Chartered Psychologist, 1989
Elected Member of the Experimental Psychology Society, 1988
Member of the Society for Education, Music and Psychology Research, 1986
Member of the International Society for Theoretical Psychology, 1985
Member of the International Society for the Study of Tension in Performance, 1984
Founder member of the History and Philosophy Section of the BPS, 1983
Chair, History and Philosophy Section of the BPS, 1994-1997
Committee member, History and Philosophy Section of the BPS 1983-1987, 1991-
History and Philosophy Section Representative on the Council of the BPS, 1994-1997
BPS Book Award Committee Member, 1993-1995
Founding editor of History and Philosophy of Psychology, the journal of the History and Philosophy Section of the BPS, 1999
Founder member of the Consciousness and Experiential Psychology Section of the BPS, 1994-1997 |