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Dr Benjamin T. Sharpe

Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology, Programme Coordinator for the BSc Criminology and Forensic Psychology, and Academic Board Member

Benjamin Sharpe

About

Leads the Human Attention Laboratory (HAL) and is a member of the Functional Behavioural Science Lab, the Cognitive Ageing and Dementia Research Lab and the Lab for Self-Efficacy, Performance and Agency (LSPA)

Benjamin is a lecturer and a researcher in cognitive psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Business, and Human Sciences of the University of Chichester. Ben is currently a member of the Universities Academic Board and the Research and Innovation Committee, and staff CPD coordinator and technology officer within his institute. His PhD research, developed at the University of Chichester, in collaboration with Kings College London, the Royal Life Saving Society and Royal National Lifeboat Institute, focused on exploring psychological factors and neurocognitive processes involved in drown detection performance among lifeguards. His current research applies cognitive psychology to gain insights into the factors contributing to successful and sustained performance in various contexts (e.g., pressure, task monotony) across numerous domains (e.g., lifeguarding, military, esports). At present Ben is currently focusing on the components of human cognition that allow for the maintenance of attention during tasks of extended periods (vigilance), whilst collaborating on numerous projects across the University (e.g., topics including mental health assessment, psychometrics, vision impairment, and skill acquisition). Ben is currently looking for research opportunities to utilise high-density electrophysiological recording (i.e., ERP, EEG), optical imaging (i.e., fNIRS), and interventional (i.e., tDCS, TMS) techniques, in research exploring how sensory/motor signals influence human performance/behaviour.

Prior to joining as a full-time lecturer, Ben was working as the Psychology Laboratory Technician for the Institute of Sport, Nursing and Allied Health and Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences supporting and contributing to the overall functioning of the Psychology Laboratory. The role included providing specialist technical support to staff and students undertaking detailed scientific testing, demonstrating support and delivery of specialist equipment (i.e., EEG, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and eye tracking) and actively participating in the implementation of the Universities recruitment strategy. During this time Ben taught on a wide range of modules across BSc and MSc degrees including abnormal and forensic psychology, cognitive psychology, applications of psychology in sport and exercise, cognitive psychology for sports performance, motivating athletes, and biological psychology, and achieved the Fellow of the Higher Education Academy qualification.

Selected Publications

Sharpe, B. T., Obine, E. A. C., Birch. P. D. J., Pocock, C. & Moore, L. J. (2023). Performance Breakdown Under Pressure Among Esports Competitors. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology.

Sharpe, B. T., Besombes, N., Welsh, M. R., & Birch, P. D. (2023). Indexing Esport Performance. Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, 1(aop), 1-13.

Sharpe, B. T., Smith, M., Williams, S. C. R., Hampshire, A., Trender, W., Hellyer, P. J., Talbot, J. & Smith, J. (2023). Cognition and Lifeguard Detection Performance. Applied Cognitive Psychology.

Sharpe, B. T., Smith, M., Williams, S. C. R., Talbot, J., Runswick, O. & Smith, J. (2023). An Expert-novice Comparison of Lifeguard Specific Vigilance Performance. Journal of Safety Research.

Sharpe, B. T., Halls, M., & Gladwin, T. E. (2022). The Rise and Fall of the Dot-Probe Task: Opportunities for Metascientific Learning. Seeds of Science.

PhD Supervision

Ben is actively looking for motivated individuals to supervise for PhD programmes on topics related, but not limited to, cognition, sustained attention (vigilance), performance breakdowns under pressure, scene perception, drowning detection, esports. Please review the following link for fees [Link] and then contact Ben if interested [b.sharpe@chi.ac.uk].

Research Output

Articles

Sharpe, B. T. and Smith, J. (2024) Influence of vigilance performance on lifeguard gaze behaviour. Europe's journal of psychology. pp. 1-31. ISSN 1841-0413 (In Press)

Figgins, S. G., Slater, M. J., Smith, M. J., Miller, A. J., Sharpe, B. T., Pocock, C. and Maiden, J. (2024) Promote “we” to inspire me: examining the roles of group identification and trust in the association between identity leadership and follower inspiration. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. pp. 1-20. ISSN 1557-251X 10.1080/1612197X.2023.2300001

King, R., Surrell, I., Sharpe, B. T. and Pereira, A. (2023) An integrated approach to dementia support: Sage House. Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 19 (S20). p. 1. ISSN 1552-5260 10.1002/alz.075707

Sharpe, B. T., Obine, E., Birch, P. D. J., Pocock, C. and Moore, L. (2023) Performance breakdown under pressure among esports competitors. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. pp. 1-22. ISSN 2157-3905 10.1037/spy0000337

Runswick, O. R., Rawlinson, A., Allen, P. M., Sharpe, B. T., Pocock, C., Datson, N., Birch, P. D. J., Bruce, R. and Mann, D. L. (2023) The effects of simulated vision impairment on performance in football. Journal of Sports Sciences, 41 (14). pp. 1410-1422. ISSN 0264-0414 10.1080/02640414.2023.2273093

Sharpe, B. T., Smith, M. S., Williams, S. C. R., Hampshire, A., Balaet, M., Trender, W., Hellyer, P., Talbot, J. and Smith, J. (2023) Cognition and lifeguard detection performance. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 38 (1). pp. 1-15. ISSN 1099-0720 10.1002/acp.4139

Trotter, M. G., Obine, E. A. C. and Sharpe, B. T. (2023) Self-regulation, stress appraisal, and esport action performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. pp. 1-12. ISSN 1664-1078 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1265778

Sharpe, B. T., Smit, M. S., Williams, S. C. R., Talbot, J., Runswick, O. R. and Smith, J. (2023) An expert-novice comparison of lifeguard specific vigilance performance. Journal of Safety Research, 87. pp. 416-430. ISSN 0022-4375 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.08.014

Welsh, M. R., Mosley, E., Laborde, S., Day, M. C., Sharpe, B. T., Burkill, R. A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) The use of heart rate variability in esports: a systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 69. pp. 1-38. ISSN 1469-0292 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102495

Birch, P. D. J., Greenlees, L. and Sharpe, B. T. (2023) An Exploratory Investigation of Personality in CS:GO. Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. ISSN 2836-3523 (In Press) 10.1123/jege.2022-0027

Sharpe, B. T., Besombes, N., Welsh, M. R. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) Indexing Esport Performance. Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports. pp. 1-13. ISSN 2836-3523 (In Press) 10.1123/jege.2022-0017

Smith, M. J., Sharpe, B. T., Arumuham, A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) Examining the Predictors of Mental Ill Health in Esport Competitors. Healthcare, 10 (4). ISSN 2227-9032 10.3390/healthcare10040626

Ritchie, L. and Sharpe, B. T. (2021) Music Student’s Approach to the Forced Use of Remote Performance Assessments. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. ISSN 1664-1078 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.641667

Runswick, O. R., Jewiss, M., Sharpe, B. T. and North, J. S. (2021) Context Affects Quiet Eye Duration and Motor Performance Independent of Cognitive Effort. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 43 (2). pp. 191-197. ISSN 0895-2779 10.1123/jsep.2020-0026

Ritchie, L., Cervone, D. and Sharpe, B. T. (2021) Goals and Self-Efficacy Beliefs During the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown: A Mixed Methods Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. ISSN 1664-1078 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.559114

Conference or Workshop Items

Birch, P. D. J. and Sharpe, B. T. (2023) Mental (ill) health and performance. In: International Federation of Esports Coaches Summit, 6 - 7 September 2023, University of Northampton (online).

Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2023) Mental ill health in professional esports athletes: prevalence and relationships. In: Annual Research Conference 2023, University of Chichester, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.

Sharpe, B. T., Obine, E., Birch, P. D. J., Pocock, C. and Moore, L. (2023) Stress influences gaze behaviour, quiet eye durations, and esport action performance. In: Annual Research Conference 2023, University of Chichester, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.

Welsh, M. R., Mosley, E., Laborde, S., Day, M. C., Sharpe, B. T., Burkill, R. A. and Birch, P. D. J. (2023) The use of heart rate variability in esports: a systematic review. In: Annual Research Conference 2023, University of Chichester, 5 - 6 July 2023, Bognor Regis, England.

Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2022) Mental ill health in professional esports athletes: Prevalence and relationships. In: ERNC 22: Esports Research Network Conference, 21 - 23 November 2022, Jönköping,Sweden.

Birch, P. D. J., Sharpe, B. T., Ortiz de Gortari, A., Arumuham, A. and Smith, M. J. (2022) Mental ill health in professional esports athletes: Prevalence and relationships. In: FEPSAC 2022, Padova: 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 11 - 16 July 2022, Padova, Italy.

Sharpe, B. T., Besombes, N., Welsh, M. R. and Birch, P. D. J. (2022) Psychological index of individualised esports performance. In: FEPSAC 2022, Padova: 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 11 - 16 July 2022, Padova, Italy.

Other department members

Adrian Penrose
Coach Development Officer (Women & Girl's)
Alex Rawlinson
Psychology Laboratory Technician
Alison Hounsome
Programme Administrator

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