| Level | Item |
| Ref No | AUD/002/OHP 58 |
| Title | Apter, Michael J. - Recording |
| Site | Apter International Headquarters, nr Loughborough UK. |
| Date | 15 June 2010 |
| Extent | 1-CDR |
| Description | CDR sound recording of an interview with Professor Michael J. Apter, FBPsS, C.Psychol.,C.Sci, Director of Apter International Inc. for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by Julie Perks in 2010.
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:
Michael Apter (MA)
Julie Perks (JP)
Topics covered:
Running order:
JP asks MA to talk of his early experiences and what made him become a psychologist
MA talks of his father (a child psychiatrist), his father's work in a local mental hospital, how , from an early age, he wanted to become a journalist, his first job as a cub reporter for the Bristol Evening Post, how his father recommended him to George C. Drew at Bristol University, his decision to study at Bristol University, his surprise first in psychology, his mentor at Bristol Frank George, his PhD and time at Princeton (1960) his return to Bristol (after a year) to complete his PhD and how he began his academic career rather than return to journalism.
MA continues to speak of his time at Bristol including; the psychology staff, George C.Drew, Frank George, Ruth Bowyer, Peter Pysland, Pleydell-Pearce, how he studied in a small class of 8, his classmate Stuart Diamond, Pleydell-Pearce's lectures.
MA talks of his time at Princeton, the career focus of Princeton, the differences between Bristol and Princeton, teachers at Princeton including; Warren Weaver, Jack Vernon, Bob Gagne, Learning theory, , rats John Kennedy (social psychologist), and a lost experiment.
MA speaks of his time back at Bristol including; Frank George and cybernetics, Ross Ashby, Grey Walter, his PhD in cybernetics, his term at Oxford with Michael Argyll, his one year spell at King's College London,, the zoology department (Lewis Wolport), the publication of his thesis as a first book in 1966.
JP asks MA for his next move after his PhD
MA talks of a job offer from Frank George's research company which he accepted and how he left the company after 2 years to go to Cardiff University.
MA talks of his time teaching at Cardiff, George Westby as Head of Department, Derek Blackman, his project on reversal theory (its initial ideas), developing reversal theory, Steve Murgatroyd, reversal theory study group and the first international symposium in 1983
MA talks of reversal theory websites and what reversal theory has to offer and how he setup (with Steve Carter and Marie Shelton) Apter International.
JP asks MA for any books which may have influenced him over his career.
MA talks of the early influence of Bertrand Russell's scientific outlook, Arthur Koestler's Act of creation, Hans Eysenck's Uses and Abuses of Psychology.
JP asks MA whether anything inside of him may have helped him (or not) in his psychological career.
MA speaks of his tendance to generalism rather than specialism psychology journals, his public school education and British accents in America.
JP asks MA what he finds really good about being a psychologist
MA talks of his interest in human beings and conferences
JP asks MA if there are any areas of psychology, or being a psychologist he does not like
MA speaks of psychology journals, conference papers and specialisations before digressing to talk of his father's first appearance on BBC TV.
JP asks MA if he has any theories as to why psychology has grown so much over the years.
MA talks of the interest we have in ourselves and our understanding of what people do.
JP asks MA what may happen with psychology in the future
MA talks of his worries, a psychology split between biology and neurology, a push into post-cultural psychology, and the disappearance of old psychology into other subjects.
JP asks MA if he has any unfulfilled aspirations or regrets about his career
MA speaks of his aspirations, his future books, how he is writing three books at the moment (Human Paradox, Developing the Notion of Cognitive Synergy, Violence) and his plans to write a self-help book.
JP asks MA for his main contribution to psychology (besides Reversal Theory)
MA talks of being part of a group of people who developed cognitive psychology in the late 1960s.
JP asks MA if there were any ethical issues that might worry him concerning psychology or being a psychologist
MA talks of claims to know too much, different forms of psychotherapy, clinical psychology approaches, his own therapy experiences, bureaucracy in psychology and CPD.
JP asks MA for his most important publication
MA talks of 'The Experience of Motivation' on Reversal Theory (1982) then names 'Motivational Styles in Everyday Life' (2001)
JP asks MA if there is anything else to add and to recommend others for interview
Ends.
Running time: c 89 mins
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist. |
| RunTime | On one CDR disk, running time c 89 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 | PHO/001/01/13 |
| AccessConditions | Authorised Users. View by Appointment |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Location | 13: BPS History of Psychology Centre, London |
| Term | Behaviour |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 17/06/1936
Place of Birth: Stockton-on-Tees, UK
University and Professional Training:
Bristol University, (U.K.) Bachelor of Science (Hons) 1957 1960 Princeton University (U.S.A.) 1960 1961
Bristol University, (U.K.), Ph.D 1961 1965
Other Honours and Awards:
Elected a member of the Cosmos Club, Washington, D.C., 1997.
Northwestern University Faculty Honor Roll for Teaching Excellence, 1991, 1992
Life Fellow of the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies from 1985
SSHRC (Canada) Distinguished Visiting Scholar for 1985
Professional career:
Director, Apter International Inc. 1998-
University of Wales, University College Cardiff
Reader, Department of Psychology 1984 1988
Senior Lecturer, Department of Psychology 1973 1984
Lecturer, Department of Psychology 1967 1973
Teaching Programmes Ltd. Bristol
Head of Research and Validation Department 1964 1967
King's College London
Research Fellow 1963 1964
Bristol University
Junior Fellow 1962 1963
Princeton University
Research Assistant 1960 1961
Visiting Appointments and Positions:
University of Marseille Oct, 2003
France, Visiting Professor
University of Toulouse Le Mirail May, 2003
France, Visiting Professor
University of Toulouse Le Mirail April-May
France, Visiting Professor 2002
University of Toulouse Le Mirail
France, Visiting Professor March, 2001 University of Toulouse Le Mirail February-April,
France, Visiting Professor 2000
University of Kansas Medical Center
Adjunct Professor 1995-2001
Georgetown University
Visiting Researcher 1994-96,
1998-2001
Adjunct Professor January-May 1996,
Aug-December 1997
Visiting Professor 1996-1997
Yale University
Visiting Professor January-May 1994
Visiting Fellow July 1993-July 1994
University of Chicago
Visiting Professor 1991 1993
Northwestern University
Visiting Professor 1990 1993
Loyola University of Chicago
Visiting Professor January May 1993
Purdue University, Indiana
Visiting Full Professor 1988 1991
University of Chicago
Visiting Scholar May 1990 May 1991
University of Barcelona, Spain
Visiting Professor June 1990
Netherlands Institute of Advanced Studies (N.I.A.S.) September 1985
Fellow January 1986
York University, Ontario
SSHRC Distinguished Visiting Scholar April-August 1985
University of California at Berkeley
Visiting Scholar January April 1985
University of Bergen, Norway
Visiting Full Professor March April 1984
Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
Visiting Researcher, Psychology Department January April 1978
University of Louvain, Belgium
Nuffield Social Science Study Fellow,
Centre de Psychologie Experimentale et Comparee September
December 1977
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology July August 1977
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology July August 1975
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Visiting Professor, Department of Psychology July August 1974
Institute of Experimental Psychology, Oxford
Visiting Postgraduate Student January April 1962
Involvement with BPS and other institutions/societies::
Fellow BPS 1978
BPS Chartered Psychologist 1988
BPS Chartered Scientist, 2008-
Member of BPS Council, 1984-1987
Member of BPS Scientific Affairs Board, 1987-1988
Member of BPS President's Award Committee, 1987-1988
Member of the Psychologists panel of the Civil Service Selection Board, London 1974-1977
Senate, Council and Court of Governorws of University College Cardiff (now Cardiff University) (nd)
Proprietor of 'The Alexander Park' care home, 1979-1984 |
| 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. |