| Description | Audio cassette sound recording, converted to digital of an interview with Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, FBPsS, CPsychol., FBA, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge, Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge and Director of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was recorded at the Autism Research Centre, Cambridge and conducted by Roland Ackord 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:
Simon Baron-Cohen (SBC)
Roland Ackord (RA)
Topics covered:
Running order:
RA introduces SBC and begins the interview by asking SBC why he chose a scientific route
SBC speaks of how he studies Human Sciences at Oxford and how he sees himself as a scientist doing work beyond the sciences
RA asks SBC why he chose science rather than the arts
SBC talks of the importance of experiments and the delivery of answers to questions and how science allows one to disprove and discover things
RA asks SBC to talk of his major influences during the early years
SBC talks of his undergraduate days including Peter Bryant and Richard Dawkins' book 'The Selfish Gene'
RA asks SBC why he chose psychology as opposed to other sciences
SBC talks of reading Konrad Lorenz during his gap year and how he started his first year in psychology then switched to human sciences and then back to psychology for his PhD
RA asks SBC to talk about his early years in Oxford
SBC speaks of the attraction of developmental psychology and education
SBC moves on to talk of working as a teacher after graduating, autism, working at a small autism unit, his travels to India, concept of self and Bettelheim's book 'The Empty Fortress'
RA asks SBC what type of influence did concept of the self have at the time
SBC speaks of his time at a small autistic school, classroom recordings, family tree, working with Frances Tustin, psychoanalysis and lack of awareness amongst children
SBC then speaks of leaving teaching and taking his PhD at UCL supervised by Uta Frith
RA asks SBC if his ideas have shifted since the early days
SBC talks of his time at the MRC CDU taking his PhD and mentions John Morton, Annette Karmiloff-Smith, Alan Leslie, Uta Frith, his PHD focus on theory of mind, his move to a broader view, empathy, non-social information processing and the comprehensive approach
RA asks SBC how he would summarise the impact of his ideas on practitioners
SBC speaks of developing his book for teachers entitled 'Teaching Children with Autism to Mind-Read', precursors to theory of mind, screening instruments and practical products
RA asks SBC how he shares and disseminates his ideas with colleagues and the BPS
SBC talks of his involvement with the BPS on various committees, the profession and BPS conferences
RA asks SBC about a radio programme on sex differences and asks for his views
SBC speaks of university in the 1970s and 1980s, feminism, autism and boys, language disorders, male conditions, cognitive profiles in autism, social and cultural factors and sex differences, MRI data and male brain therapy
RA asks SBC of the impact of his ideas and his regard for critics
SBC talks of Cordelia Fine's book on sex differences, social psychology and his moderate position
RA asks SBC how important is language
SBC speaks of autism and language difficulties in children
SBC talks of Dyspraxia, DSM influence, Aspergers, diagnostic labels and subgroups within Aspergers
RA asks SBC if he sees a future for drugs in autism
SBC talks of medication and side effects, drug evaluation and oxytocin to social cognition
SBC talks of Neil O'Connor's early TV programme on savants, adults with Aspergers, creation of a clinic, diagnostic assessments, diagnostic instruments for autistic adults, AQ, quantifying the spectrum, his paper on 'The amygdala theory of autism' (2002)
RA asks SBC how he sees the future, his ideas and how the field can be taken forward
SBC talks of multiple levels of investigation, research, gentics study, hormonal study and the future of autism
RA thanks SBC for his time
SBC thanks the BPS for conducting the Oral History project.
Ends.
Total Running Time c 47mins
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist. |
| RunTime | On one D120 audio cassette, running time c 47 minutes |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 15/08/1958
University and Professional Training:
New College Oxford, BA (Hons) Human Sciences, 1978-1981
University College London, MRC CDU London PhD Psychology, 1982-1985
Institute of Psychiatry London, M.Phil in Clinical Psychology, 1985-1987
Professional career:
Lecturer in Psychology, University College London, 1987-1988
"New Blood" Lecturer in in Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, 1988-1991
Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, 1991-1994
Acting Head of Department, Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, 1991-1994
Joint Head of Autism Section, MRC Child Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, 1992-1994
Lecturer in Psychopathology, University of Cambridge, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry,1994-1999
Reader in Developmental Psychopathology, University of Cambridge, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, 1999-2001
Professor in Developmental Psychopathology, University of Cambridge, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, 2001-
Teaching Fellow in Experimental Psychology, Trinity College Cambridge, 1995-2007
Professorial Fellow, Trinity College Cambridge, 2007-
Co-Director, Cambridge Autism Research Centre (ARC), 1997-2002
Director, Cambridge Autism Research Centre (ARC), 2003-
Other Honours and Awards:
BPS Spearman Medal winner, 1990
The American Psychological Association (Division 7), McCandless Award, 1990
Fellowship to the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, 1992
BPS Clinical Psychology Section, May Davidson Award, 1993
Fellow of the BPS, 1996
BPS Chartered psychologist, (nd)
The British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA), Joseph Lister Lecturer, 1998
BAFTA Award nomination, Best DVD in off-line learning, 2002
Autism Award-Outstanding investigator, Philadelphia Autism Association/Princeton University, 2004
BPS President's Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychological Knowledge, 2006
The Tizard lecture, University of Kent, 2007
Fellow, British Academy, 2009
Distinguished Lecture, MIND Institute, Sacramento, 2009
Involvement with BPS and/or other societies and organisations (selected):
Presentations at several BPS conferences
Member of the BPS Fellowship Committee, 2002
Membership of BPS Developmental and Clinical Psychology Sections, (nd)
Membership of the Experimental Psychology Society, (nd)
Vice-President, National Autistic Society, 2004-
President of the Psychological Section of the British Association, 2007
Vice-President, International Society for Autism Research, 2009-2011 |