Dr Richard Buscombe
Senior Lecturer
Programme leader for sport and exercise science
Department of Bioscience and Sport , School Of Health, Sport And Bioscience
Richard works in the Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences subject area teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Richard is a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences accredited scientist and conducts research in the field of sport and exercise psychology. Richard has a keen interest in tennis, supporting players, writing articles and providing coach education in this sport.
Qualifications
- PhD
Areas Of Interest
- Expectancy effects in sport
- Social perception
- Stereotype threat
- Quantitative studies involving exercise and sport with cognitive and motor outcome measures
OVERVIEW
I joined UEL in May 2010 and since this time I have represented Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences on the Quality Committee, Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and I am a current member of the Research Degrees Sub-Committee.
During my time at UEL I have pursued a number of professional development opportunities gaining the ILM L3 leadership and management award, gaining BASES accredited practitioner status and achieving Senior Fellow status of the HEA.
I enjoy playing tennis and football and coach my son's rugby team at the weekend.
CURRENT RESEARCH
My PhD work was based on expectancy effects in tennis with specific focus on the role that body language plays in influencing the judgements perceivers make of a sports performer.
My psycho-social research projects include player development, stereotype threat effects and athlete well-being.
I am interested in a range of areas within the field of sport and exercise psychology as applied to tennis. These include being a tennis parent, expectancy effects in coaching and constructing performance environments
PUBLICATIONS
- Buscombe, R., Potton, A., Volskis, L., Papageorgiou, A and Greenlees, I. (2020). The influence of body language and expected competency on gaze behaviour while forming an impression of a tennis player. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2020.1739109
- Kite, R., Buscombe, R. and Bourne, N. (2020). Talent detection: maturation, sex and jumping performance. UKSCA Strength and Conditioning Journal.
- Jalali, S., Martin, S. E, Ghose, T., Buscombe, R. M., Solomon, J. A. and Yarrow, K. (2019). Information accrual from the period preceding racket-ball contact for tennis ground strokes: Inferences from stochastic masking. Frontiers in Psychology: Movement Science and Sport Psychology, 10, 1-11.
- Watkins, L., Wilson, M., McDermott, M., & Buscombe, R. (2016). An Empirical Evaluation of the Reversal Theory State Measure: Tracking Changes in the Experience of Three Running Brand Video Commercials. Journal Of Motivation, Emotion, And Personality, 5, 27-36.
- Andersson, H., Sinclair, J., Knight, A., Buscombe, R., Edmonds, C.J. & Bottoms, L. (2015). The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse on a 30-minute arm cranking performance. Comparative Exercise Physiology, 12(1), 41-47.
- Balcaite, E., Edwards, S. & Buscombe, R. (2015). Spirituality and basketball fanship: An interpretative phenomenological analysis and synthesis. Journal of Sporting Cultures and Identities, 6(3), 39-52.
- Edwards, D.J., Edwards, S.D., Buscombe, R.M., Beale, J.T. & Wilson, M. (2015). Effect of HeartMath workshop on physiological coherence, sense of coherence, zone, mood and resilience perceptions. African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 21(3), 890-900.
- Buscombe, R., Bottoms, L., Andersson, H., Smyth, A., Edwards, S. & Edwards, D. (2014). Neurophysiologic, psychological, sport and health dimensions of three meditation techniques. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 36(2), 15-32.
- Bottoms, L., Buscombe, R. & Nicholettos, A. (2014). The placebo and nocebo effects of a 'brand new sports drink' on peak minute power during incremental arm crank ergometry. European Journal of Sports Science, 14(4), 362-367.
- Edwards, D., Steyn, B., Buscombe, R., Edwards, S. & Denyer, P. (2014). Standardisation of a mental skills scale in South Africa and the United Kingdom. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 36(2), 79-89.
- Buscombe, R. & Greenlees, I. (2014). Expectancy effects in tennis: The impact of body language and playing record on impressions of a tennis player and ratings of performance. Journal of Medicine and Science in Tennis. 19(3), 50.
- Buscombe, R. & Inskip, H. (2013). Affective change and exercise intensity in a group aerobics session. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 11(1), 42-49.
- Solomon, G. S. & Buscombe, R. (2012). Expectancy effects in competitive sport. In the Routledge Handbook of Sports Coaching. Edited by Potrac, Gilbert and Denison. Routledge.
- Buscombe, R. & Greenlees, I. (2012). The role of time pressure and accountability in moderating the impact of expectancies on judgements of tennis performance. International Journal of Sport Psychology.43(4), 346-363.
- Edwards, S. & Buscombe, R. (2012). The one and the many: International evaluation of workshops on healing through multicultural counselling. African Journal of Physical Health Education, Recreation and Dance, 17(4) 903-916.
- Greenlees, I.A., Hall, B., Filby, W.C.D., Thelwell, R.C., Buscombe, R., & Smith, M.J. (2009). Warnings given to observers can eliminate order effects. Psychology of Sport & Exercise.10(2), 300-303.
- Rimmer, M., Greenlees, I.A., Graydon, J.K., Thelwell, R.T., & Buscombe, R. (2008). A qualitative examination of tennis players' experiences of the person perception process in tennis. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 39(4), 279.
- Buscombe, R., Shone, G., Preston, A. & Crespo, M. (2015). Coping with emotional labour in tennis coaching.;ITF Coaching and Sport Science Review, 67, 9-11.
- Buscombe, R. & Ward, J. (2014). Talent identification and development in tennis. TennisPro Magazine. The Official Publication of the United States Professional Tennis Registry. July, 22-26.
- Buscombe, R. (2012). Parenthood: Coaching the Tennis Parent. TennisPro Magazine. The Official Publication of the United States Professional Tennis Registry.
- Greenlees, I.A., Hall, B., Filby, W.C.D., Thelwell, R.C., Buscombe, R., & Smith, M.J. (2009). Warnings given to observers can eliminate order effects. Psychology of Sport & Exercise. 10(2), 300-303.
- Rimmer, M., Greenlees, I.A., Graydon, J.K., Thelwell, R.T., & Buscombe, R. (2008). A qualitative examination of tennis players' experiences of the person perception process in tennis. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 39(4), 279.
FUNDING
- Buscombe, R. and Lam, V. Play Education: A primary school recess intervention and toolkit to increase physical activity levels in children aged 4-11 Nuffield Foundation. (2019; unsuccessful)
- UCL, Bloomsbury and East London DTP Co-funded and Collaborative Studentship (with Water Babies PLC): Evaluation of water based exercise in infants aged 3-12 months.(Nov 2017; unsuccessful)
- Redbridge Active Together (with Redbridge County Council): Evaluation of a physical activity intervention delivered across four estates in Redbridge. (Sept 2016-2020) - Received.
- Lawn Tennis Association (LTA). Performance grant for delivery of UEL tennis programme. Liaison with internal and external partners to establish performance pathway and sports science support. (Sept 2013 to current).
TEACHING
I currently lead a L4 coaching , L5 research methods and L6 dissertation modules. In addition to this teaching, I supervise a range of MRes, MSc and PhD projects spanning my areas of expertise.
MODULES
Module leader:
- SE4103 Coaching Principles
- SE5102 Research Methods and Design
- SE6100 Project
Contributor:
- SE5108 Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Supervising Ph.D and MRes projects
Publications
The last four years of publications can be viewed below.
Full publications list
Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications
- Darts fast-learning reduces theta power but is not affected by Hf-tRNS: A behavioral and electrophysiological investigation Brain Research. 1846 (Art. 149249). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149249
- Athlete experiences of mental health disclosure and help seeking behaviour in amateur and professional basketball International Journal of Sport Psychology. 54 (4), pp. 305-318. https://doi.org/10.7352/IJSP.2023.54.305
- Examining the diversity of ultra-running motivations and experiences: A reversal theory perspective Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 63 (Art. 102271). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102271
- Racial and Ethnic Differences in Falls Among Older Adults: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 9, p. 2427–2440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-01179-1
- The influence of body language and expected competency on gaze behaviour while forming an impression of a tennis player International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 19 (4), pp. 551-563. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2020.1739109