| Level | Item |
| Ref No | AUD/002/OHP 32 |
| Title | Beloff, Halla - Recording |
| Site | Interviewee's sitting room, Edinburgh |
| Date | 24 June 2008 |
| Extent | 1-Audio Cassette |
| Description | Audio cassette sound recording of an interview with Professor Halla Beloff, FBPsS, CPsychol, ACsS, HonMBPsS (Honorary Life Member) of the British Psychological Society, President of the British Psychological Society 1983-1984 for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by Helen Ross in 2008.
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:
Halla Beloff (HB)
Helen Ross (HR)
Topics:
Side A
HR begins the interview by asking HB what made her take up psychology
HB talks of choosing to study psychology part-time at Birkbeck College whilst working, Professor Mace, combining work with evening study, cultural life outside Birkbeck, the influence of American textbooks, Alec Rodger (Tutor), her fellow students at Birkbeck, her tutors John Cohen, Gilmore Lee and Brian Foss.
HB talks of life after graduation from Birkbeck, her engagement and marriage to John Beloff, R.B.Catell's invitation to work in his Lab in th University of Illinois, working conditions at Illinois, J McVicar Hunt.
HB speaks of her return to Britain and subsequent move to Queen's University Belfast.
HB talks of her time at Queen's University Belfast, George Seth, Peter McKeown, her PhD at Queen's, BPS Northern Ireland, life in Belfast and James Drever's (secundus) invitation to move to Edinburgh University.
HB speaks of her PhD in 'Anal Character' (at Queen's), her research on 'Face Perception' using the Galton technique, her interest in conformity in the late 1950s, social psychology demands and her outside interests including her role as a reviewer for BBC Scotland.
HB talks of her other professional activities including involvement with BPS sections, branches and BPS Council.
HB talks of the importance of conferences, dicussions, interactions with people, the foundation of the BPS Psychology of Women Section, and the psychology of visual arts.
HB speaks of friends including, Marie Jahoda, Michael Bilig, Gustav Jahoda, Rudolph S chaffer, and John Beloff.
HB talks of books American texts on personality that have influenced her, her personal character, feminism, her mother's influence, her enjoyment of social interaction, industrial psychology, academic life and ambitions.
HB talks of her interest in the arts, her time as President of the BPS and the influence of psychology on her family life.
HB speaks of early social psychology, Michael Argyle's position at Oxford and UK social psychology compared with America.
HB gives her predictions for social psychology in the future, a closer relationship with sociology, psychology of women and men, stereotypes of unskilled men and learning skills.
Side A ends
c 47 mins
Side B
Topics
HR asks HB to talk of her main contribution to psychology
HB speaks of her work on conformity, the psychology of photography, her book 'Camera Culture' and the influence of her teaching on female students at Edinburgh.
HB talks of changes in academic publishing, internet publishing and suggests names for possible Oral History interviews.
The interview ends after 7 minutes and begins again with HB talking of her theoretical allegiances, welfare reforms, psychologists and political allegiances.
Side B ends
c 13 mins
Total running Time: c 60mins
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist. |
| RunTime | On one C90 cassette, running time c 60 minutes |
| Format | Cassette Tapes and text |
| 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 | PHO/001/01/34 |
| AccessConditions | Authorised Users. View by Appointment |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Location | 13: BPS History of Psychology Centre, London |
| Term | Social psychology |
| Skills |
| Perception |
| Industrial psychology |
| Scientific methods |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 11/05/1930
Place of Birth: Ludwigsburg, Germany
University and Professional Training:
Birkbeck College, University of London BSc (Hons) Psychology, 1952
Queen's University, Belfast PhD 1956
University of Surrey, MUniv (Honorary), 1991
BPS Chartered Psychologist (nd)
Professional career
Research Assistant to Prof R B Cattell at the Laboratory of Personality Assessment and Group Behavior, University of Illinois, 1952-1953
Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Belfast, supported by MRC 1953-1959
Lecturer in Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 1963-1976
Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh, 1976-1996
Acting Head of Department, University of Edinburgh, 1984-1986
Fellow, International Social Science Institute, University of Edinburgh, 1996-1997
Director, International Social Science Institute, University of Edinburgh, 1997-1999
Visiting Professor in Photographic Culture, University of Derby, 1998-2003
Involvement with BPS and/or other societies and organisations:
Social Psychology Editor of the Br J of Social & Clinical Psychology (nd)
Chair of the BPS Publications Committee (nd)
Member of the BPS Standing Committee on Research with Animals (nd)
Chair of the BPS Social Section (nd)
President of the BPS 1983-1984
Chair of the BPS Psychology of Women Section, 1992-1993
Member of the BPS Scientific Affairs Board, 1991-1993
Member of the BPS Post-graduate Admissions Committee, 1989-1993
Member of the BPS Graduate Qualifications Accreditations Committee, 1993-1997
Member of the BPS Disciplinary Board, 1994-2000
Member of the BPS Investigatory Committee, 2000-2005
Member of the BPS Ethics Committee, 2000- to present
Member of the BPS Working Group on End of Life Issues 2004 to present
Honorary BPS Visual Archivist, 1991-2003
Member of the Executive Committee and later Chair of the Association of Learned Societies in the Social Sciences (nd)
Committee member, Association of Heads of Psychology Departments, 1991-1995
Regular broadcaster for BBC Radio Scotland on psychological and arts topics from 1970-1999 |
| 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. |