James Drever (1910-1991)

James Drever (1910-1991) was Edinburgh University's second Professor of Psychology, succeeding his father Sir James Drever (1873-1950) in the Chair in 1944.

Early Career

Drever was born in Edinburgh and educated at the Royal High School. He graduated from Edinburgh University with First Class Honours in Mental Psychology in 1932, and the following year won the Shaw Fellowship (the highest philosophical distinction offered by the Scottish universities). He pursued further studies at Cambridge University, where he took a first in Psychology in the Moral Science Tripos and the Newcome Prize. Returning to Edinburgh in 1934, he was appointed Assistant to Norman Kemp Smith (1872-1958), Professor of Logic and Metaphysics. In 1938, he moved to King's College, Newcastle, to take up a post as Lecturer in Philosophy and Psychology. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Navy. He was still under commission in 1944, when he was appointed to succeed his father as Professor of Psychology at Edinburgh University. He formally assumed the Chair upon the cessation of hostilities.

Edinburgh University

It was under Drever's leadership that an Honours School in Psychology was established at Edinburgh University. The department expanded considerably, key appointments being Halla Beloff (1930- ), John Beloff (1920-2006), and Margaret Donaldson (1926- ) who oversaw development of research in Developmental Psychology and Psycholinguistics. Drever also oversaw the move of the Department moved from its original premises in Old College to The Pleasance in 1963. His administrative abilities saw him appointed Dean of the Faculty of Arts in 1958.

Robbins Report

Drever's work on the theory, principles, and practice of further education led to his appointment to the UK Government's Committee on Higher Education in 1961. The committee's work led to the publication of the Robbins Report in 1963 which recommended a massive expansion of the university sector. Drever became well-known in Scotland in particular as a participant in the public discussion of the expansion of higher education.

Dundee University

An immediate consequence of the Robbins Report was the creation of a newly independent University of Dundee (previously Queen's College, Dundee in the University of St Andrews. Drever was an obvious choice to lead the new institution and in 1966 was appointed as Master of Queen's College to oversee its transition to status. When Dundee University was granted its charter in 1967, Drever was appointed Principal, the first psychologist to hold such a post in the United Kingdom. Drever served as Principal until 1978 and is credited with playing a vital role in establishing the new institution as a success.

Recognition

Drever was elected President of the British Psychological Society for 1960-1961 and served for many years as Editor of the British Journal of Psychology.

Sources

'Obituary: Emeritus Professor James Drever', Contact, 9.3 (1991), 1-2.
'University News', University of Edinburgh Journal, 13 (1944-1945), 6.
'University News', University of Edinburgh Journal, 19 (1958-1960), 4.