This research group was formed in 2017 to collectively explore and incorporate areas surrounding human movement science, exercise psychology, sport coaching, talent identification/development, and physical education pedagogy. The group is comprised of faculty members with expertise in each of the said areas. In addition, postgraduate students that are undertaking research surrounding these areas are invited to the group during their time of study.
The principle aims of the group are: (1) to allow members to share ideas and find common themes within each other’s work; (2) present their work (eg conference presentations, postgraduate viva voce preparation, etc) for peer review; (3) identify long-term research strategies; and (4) collaborate with external sporting bodies on applied research.
Current members include:
Dr Robin Owen (Group Lead)
Professor Caroline Wakefield
Dr Stefan Koehn
Dr Kaixiao Jiang
Dr Liam Owens
Mr Simon Kawycz
Mr Maxime Ansell
1. Movement Planning and Correction Effectiveness During Imagery
Current research within the group explores the functional equivalence between movement imagery (i.e. imagined actions) and execution (i.e. real actions). Specifically, it is currently not known whether imagined actions are capable in making mid-execution corrections as capably as real actions.
2. Talent Identification in Elite Sport
The present series of studies attempts to improve understanding of which performance factors in players lead to talent identification by sport governing bodies.
3. The Effect of Social Identity on Sport, Physical Activity, and Exercise
Identity is a powerful construct determining our world views and behaviors. However, its effect within sport is not yet fully understood. Various research studies within the group attempt to explicate the impact of social identity on attribution formation.
4. The Influence of Anxiety on Motor Performance
Anxiety is one of the primary factors separating between successful and unsuccessful competitive performance. Therefore it is surprising that despite its importance and years of research, little consensus exist regarding its performance-influencing mechanisms and effect on movement organisation processes. A number of current projects attempt to investigate this topic-area.
5. This could be you!
You are very welcome to get involved with this group if you are; an academic wishing to collaborate; a student studying at Liverpool Hope; a sporting organisation looking for scientifically-derived solutions to problems; or a high-level athlete looking for applied support.
Zhang, S., & Owen, R. (2023). Bridging attentional control and reinvestment: A test of the interactionist hypothesis in an E-sport context.New Ideas in Psychology,70, 101031.
Simmonds, P. J., Wakefield, C. J., Coyles, G., & Roberts, J. W. (2023). Enhanced expectancies benefit performance under distraction, but compromise it under stress: Exploring the OPTIMAL theory.Human Movement Science,89, 103085.
Owen, J., Owen, R., Hughes, J., Leach, J., Anderson, D., and Jones, E. (2022). Psychosocial and Physiological Factors Affecting Selection to Regional Age-Grade Rugby Union Squads: A Machine Learning Approach. Sports,10( 3), 35.
Gottwald, V. M., Owen, R., Lawrence, G. P., and McNevin, N. (2020). An internal focus of attention is optimal when congruent with afferent proprioceptive task information. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 47, 101634.
Smith, D., Romano-Smith, S., Wright, D. J., Deller-Rust, B., and Wakefield, C. J. (2020). The effects of combining PETTLEP imagery and action observation on bicep strength: a single-case design. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 32(4), 377-391.
Meggs, J., Chen, M. A., and Koehn, S. (2019). Relationships between flow, mental toughness, and subjective performance perception in various triathletes. Perceptual and motor skills, 126(2), 241-252.
Roberts, J. W., Welsh, T. N., and Wakefield, C. J. (2019). Examining the equivalence between imagery and execution - do imagined and executed movements code relative environmental features? Behavioural Brain Research, 370, 111951.
Romano Smith, S., Wood, G., Coyles, G., Roberts, J. W., and Wakefield, C. J. (2019). The effect of action observation and motor imagery combinations on upper limb kinematics and EMG during dart?throwing. Scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports, 29(12), 1917-1929.
Romano-Smith, S., Wood, G. Wright, D. J., and Wakefield, C. J. (2018). Simultaneous and alternate action observation and motor imagery combinations improve aiming performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 38, 100-106.
