prof. dr. D. (Douwe) Draaisma

Douwe Draaisma (1953) graduated in psychology and philosophy at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He then moved on to the University of Utrecht, where he wrote a dissertation on the metaphorical nature of the language of memory (De Metaforenmachine, 1993, translated as Metaphors of Memory. A History of Ideas about the Mind, Cambridge University Press, 2000, see Books). After his return to the University of Groningen in 1993 he directed his attention to the history of the notion of precision in early experimental psychology (The Age of Precision: F. C. Donders and the Measurement of Mind, see books) and autobiographical memory (Why Life Speeds Up As You Get Older: How Memory Shapes Our Past, see books). His other main publications are on the Dutch psychologist-philosopher Heymans (1857-1930), William James, the history of time measurement, and history of neurology. The Van der Leeuw-Lecture 2002 by novelist Ian McEwan (link) was followed by a comment by Draaisma (link). In 1990 the Dutch Psychological Association awarded Draaisma the Heymans Award for his work on the history of psychology. The book on autobiographical memory won him several scientific and literary awards. Draaisma is professor in the history of psychology at the University of Groningen.