| Description | Audio cassette sound recording of an interview with Professor Peter Saville, HonFBPsS, CPsychol, FRSA for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by David C. Duncan 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:
Peter Saville (PS)
David C. Duncan (DD)
Side A:
Topics:
The interview begins with a preamble by PS concerning SHL, NFER, Tests, 11- plus campaign, the Internet and students.
5 Minutes in DD asks PS about his sporting activities
PS talks of playing various sports including, cricket, tennis, golf, football (until age 48), his rugby position/ weight and playing sports at Ruislip school
DD asks PS to talk about his time at Grammar school
PS speaks of his dyslexia, his treatment for back problems, his elder brother, his father's army service overseas, his birthplace in London and subsequent moves to Ruislip and Surrey, PTSD, memory problems, school tests, his memory techniques at school and O levels
DD asks PS how he got in at Leicester [University]
PS talks of taking Valentine's test and being offered a place at Leicester by Robert Thomson, his interest in memory, child development, his tutors at Leicester including Professor Jim Reason, Ann Davies, Bill ?, Derek Wright, Professor Lee, his move to Brunel University as postgraduate, Ian Wiseman, his MPhil and PHD thesis, his examiners including Hans Eysenck, multiple intelligences and sportsmens' multiple abilities, Vernon's model (and 1948 book), numeracy tests and business environment and producing tests
DD asks PS how he came to join NFER
PS speaks various jobs and job applications, Professor Sluckey's influence on his decision, his NFER interview, Douglas Pidgeon, and his appointment at NFER as an assistant psychologist
PS talks of NIIP and Douglas Vincent (1975), 16PF courses, the origins of NFER, Bill Alexander, running courses and market research, psychometrics
DD talsk of NIIP
PS speaks of MRSA, Eric Wilson, Sir William Kendall then DD talks of statistics
PS speaks of joining the BPS, the NFER test standard committee, Ken Miller, Isabel Blain, Jeremy Dodd, personality tests, completing a major study of various tests, BPS Occupational Psychology keynote speech in January, test variables, Eric Wilson, Birch Study (1997), Spearman-Brown property formula, distinct test questions and personality test design.
Side A ends
c 48 mins
Side B
Topics:
PS talks of higher IQ's, U shapes, his musical interests, his wife and family matters, Saville Consulting development and trails, Professor Paul Klein? Dr Rhina? Kurtz?, measuring variables and OPQ
DD speaks of Saville and Holdsworth tests
PS speaks of IQ tests and measurement, the use of personality test in USA, his early schooldays and the 11-plus, his time at Queen's University Belfast as a psychometric tutor for a postgraduate course and his visiting professorship at Kingston Business School
PS talks of Level A and B tests, correlation and other tests.
Interview ends
c 20mins
***The last five minutes of the original recording are closed***
A handwritten transcription by David C. Duncan is available upon request.
2 Sides A and B
Total Running Time: c 68mins
In addition please see: The Psychologist Vol.20 part 5 (2007) page 306-307 'Still in love with psychology' Richard Kwiatkowski interviews Peter Saville.
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist.
Tape converted to digital |
| RunTime | On one FE90 cassette, running time c 68 minutes |