Philip Hurst

Course Director of the Psychology (Sport & Exercise) degree and Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology.

I joined CCCU in 2018 as a psychologist in sport and exercise. I am Course Director of the Psychology (Sport & Exercise) degree and Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology. I am Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and deputy chair of the Science, Engineering and Social Sciences Ethics Panel.

My areas of expertise relate to sport performance and athlete behaviour. I examine the placebo effect on sport outcomes and how the mind can significantly influence the effectiveness of ergogenic aids used by athletes, such as dietary supplements, medications and doping substances. I also have strong interests in safeguarding and protecting athletes’ well-being from abuse and harassment in sport and have expertise with intellectual impairments. With a background in psychology, alongside strong interests in both physiology and neurobiology, I examine my research from an interdisciplinary perspective.

I teach across the suit of courses in the department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. I am the lead for research methods at Level 5 and teach Sport and Exercise Psychology across both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

I have been teaching for over 10 years, where I aim to use the research that I have conducted into the curriculum to help students refine their practice and challenge understanding of psychology in sport and exercise. I am external examiner at other higher education institutions and supervise doctoral, masters and undergraduate research project students.

I have a growing trajectory of recognised, high-quality research in sport performance and athlete well-being. I take an interdisciplinary approach to my research by considering the psychological physiological, sociological and political perspectives. My PhD focused on the development of a large-scale controlled design to examine the mediators and moderators of the placebo effect and its impact in preventing drug use.

I co-edited the book “Placebo Effects in Sport and Exercise”, which brings together world leading placebo effect researchers to provide critical understanding of research findings from within sports and exercise science as well as sport and exercise-related contributions. I have been commissioned to conduct research for international and national organisations, including the International Olympic Committee, ukactive & Sport England and Partnership in Clean Competition.

I am currently undertaking research commissioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to examine athletes with intellectual impairments understanding and experience of anti-doping in sport.

Research Projects

Athletes First: Building up the future of Safe Sport from research to practice. Researcher(s): Miss Alexia Tam. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Dr Laura Gubby, Professor Dikaia Chatziefstathiou. [Postgraduate Research Project]
Designing, implementing and evaluating the Safe Sport Regional Hub Initiative of the International Olympic Committee. Researcher(s): Miss Kirsty Burrows. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Dikaia Chatziefstathiou. [Postgraduate Research Project]
Isometric Exercise Training. Researcher(s): Mr Sean Machak. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Dr Jim Wiles. [Postgraduate Research Project]
Placebo effects and cycling performance in virtual-reality and laboratory environments. Researcher(s): Mr Gui Garcia Matta. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Andrew Edwards. [Postgraduate Research Project]
Safeguarding Sports: Respecting Differences in Conceptualising Safeguarding’s Legal Culture. Researcher(s): Mrs Yvette Kearns. Supervisor(s): Professor Dikaia Chatziefstathiou, Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Shane Blackman. [Postgraduate Research Project]
The influence of nocebo on sports performance - what drives nocebo effects and how to minimise them; a multi-study design. Researcher(s): Ms Janina Hanssen. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Dr Damian Coleman, Dr James Cane. [Postgraduate Research Project]
The Prevalence and Impacts of Physical Abuse on athletes during their pathway to elite: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Researcher(s): Mrs Michelle Murray. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Dikaia Chatziefstathiou. [Postgraduate Research Project]
Towards an International Safeguarding Policy. Athletes’ Human Rights and Safe Sport. Researcher(s): Mrs Catalina Melendro Blanco. Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Hurst, Professor Dikaia Chatziefstathiou. [Postgraduate Research Project]

‘At least you got to see people when you went out for a walk’: older adults’ lived, embodied experiences during COVID-19 times in the United Kingdom Paul, Robert, Wray, Rachel K., Stamp, Elizabeth, Allen-Collinson, J., Hurst, Philip, (23 Jul 2024, 23 Jul 2024): Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
A psychological intervention reduces doping likelihood in Italian Athletes: A replication and extension Kavussanu, M., Rubaltelli, E, Hurst, P., (05 Oct 2024): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Athletes from Great Britain report greater doping likelihood than Greek and Italian athletes: A cross-sectional survey of over 4,000 athletes Hurst, P., Kavussanu, M., Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M, Barkoukis, V, Lucidi, F, Rubaltelli, E, Hatzigeorgiadis, a, Ring, C: Elsevier. [Journal article]
Dietary supplement use is related to doping intention via doping attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control Hurst, P., Ng, P., Under, L., Fuggle, C., (19 Mar 2024, 28 May 2024): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Laboratory and field-based data collection (quantitative) Saunders, B., Marticorena, F., Hurst, P., Gough, L., (01 Mar 2024), Research Methods in Sport and Exercise Science. An Open-Access Primer.. [Book chapter]
Use of sport supplements and doping substances by athletes: Prevalence and relationships Hurst, P., Kavussanu, M., Davies, R, Dallaway, N, Ring, C, (25 Nov 2024): MDPI. [Journal article]
A national anti-doping education programme reduces doping susceptibility in British athletes Hurst, Philip, King, Ailish, Massey, Kelly, Ring, Christopher, Kavussanu, Maria, (18 Aug 2023): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Are dietary supplement users more likely to dope than non-users?: A systematic review and meta-analysis Hurst, P., Schiphof-Godart, L., Kavussanu, M, Barkoukis, V., Petróczi, A, Ring, C., (31 May 2023): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Are Dietary Supplements a Gateway to Doping? A Retrospective Survey of Athletes’ Substance Use Hurst, P., (16 Jan 2023): Informa UK Limited. [Journal article]
Assessing the need to use sport supplements: The mediating role of sports supplement beliefs Yuka Murofushi, Yujiro Kawata, Miyuki Nakamura, Shinji Yamaguchi, Saori Sunamoto, Hanako Fukamachi, Hiroshi Aono, Etsuko Kamihigashi, Yuji Takazawa, Hisashi Naito, Philip Hurst, (30 Nov 2023, Feb 2024): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Embedding physical activity guidance during pregnancy and in postpartum care: ‘This Mum Moves’ enhances professional practice of midwives and health visitors Taylor, K., De Vivo, Marlize, Mills, Hayley, Hurst, Phil, Draper, S., Foad, Abby, (24 Jul 2023): Wiley. [Journal article]
Placebo and nocebo effects in sport Hurst, P., (Mar 2023). [Journal article]
Placebo effects in sport and exercise, (05 Oct 2023): Routledge, Taylor and Francis. [Book]
Sodium Bicarbonate and Time-to-Exhaustion Cycling Performance: A Retrospective Analysis Exploring the Mediating Role of Expectation. Gurton, W., Matta, G., Gough, L., Ranchordas, M., King, D., Hurst, P., (31 Jul 2023): Springer Open. [Journal article]
Blood pressure and cardiac autonomic adaptations to isometric exercise training: A randomized sham-controlled study De Caux, A., Edwards, J., Swift, H., Hurst, P., Wiles, J., O'Driscoll, J., (27 Jan 2022): Wiley. [Journal article]
Efficacy of sodium bicarbonate ingestion strategies for protecting blinding Gurton, W., Garcia Matta, G., Gough, L., Hurst, P., (Sep 2022): Springer. [Journal article]
Moral values and moral identity moderate the indirect relationship between sport supplement use and doping use via sport supplement beliefs Hurst, P., Ring, Christopher, Kavussanu, Maria, (18 Mar 2022, 19 May 2022): Informa UK Limited. [Journal article]
Reproducibility of 20-min time-trial performance on a virtual cycling platform Garcia Matta, G., Edwards, A., Roelands, B., Hettinga, F., Hurst, P., (10 May 2022): Thieme. [Journal article]
The reproducibility of 20-min time-trial performance on a virtual cycling platform. Matta, G., Edwards, Andrew, Roelands, Bart, Hettinga, F., Hurst, P., (10 May 2022, 11 Aug 2022): Georg Thieme Verlag KG. [Journal article]
The role of moral identity and regret on cheating in sport Hurst, P., Kavussanu, M., Swain, J., Ring, C., (31 Mar 2022): Taylor and Francis Online. [Journal article]
A psychological intervention reduces doping likelihood in British and Greek athletes: A cluster randomized controlled trial Maria Kavussanu, Vassilis Barkoukis, Phil Hurst, Mariya Yukhymenko-Lescroart, Lida Skoufa, Andrea Chirico, Fabio Lucidi, Christopher Ring, (06 Dec 2021): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Ego orientation is related to doping likelihood via sport supplement use and sport supplement beliefs Hurst, P., Ring, Christopher, Kavussanu, Maria, (12 Nov 2021, 02 Nov 2022): Informa UK Limited. [Journal article]
Prefrontal cortex oxygenation during endurance performance: A systematic review of functional near-infrared spectroscopy studies. De Wachter, Jonas, Proost, Matthias, Habay, Jelle, Verstraelen, Matthias, Díaz-García, Jesús, Hurst, Philip, Meeusen, Romain, Van Cutsem, Jeroen, Roelands, B., (26 Oct 2021): Frontiers Media S.A.. [Journal article]
Targeting personal morality in anti-doping education Hurst, P., (01 Sep 2021): Human Enhancement Drug Network. [Journal article]
A moral intervention reduces doping likelihood in British and Greek athletes: evidence from a cluster randomized control trial Kavussanu, M., Hurst, P., (02 Dec 2020): Human Kinetics. [Journal article]
An evaluation of UK Athletics’ Clean Sport Programme in preventing doping in junior elite athletes Hurst, P., Ring, C, Kavussanu, M., (26 Dec 2019): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Athletes using ergogenic and medical sport supplements report more favourable attitudes to doping than non-users Hurst, P., Ring, C., Kavussanu, M., (22 Sep 2020): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Can taste be ergogenic? Best, R., McDonald, K., Hurst, P., Pickering, C., (16 May 2020): Springer. [Journal article]
Dual career: balancing success in sport and life Howland, L., Papadimitriou, A., Minoudis, V., Hurst, P., (14 Jul 2020), Routledge Handbook of the Olympic and Paralympic Games: Routledge. [Book chapter]
Emailed - Are Nike's Vaporfly trainers the emperor's new shoes? Hurst, P., (27 Feb 2020): Canterbury Christ Church University. [Journal article]
No differences between beetroot juice and placebo on competitive 5-km running performance: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Hurst, P., Saunders, S., Coleman, D., (29 May 2020): Human Kinetics. [Journal article]
The placebo effect in sport: How practitioners can inject words to improve performance Roelands, B., Hurst, P., (21 May 2020): Human Kinetics. [Journal article]
Who responds to a placebo? Factors associated with response to placebo during a double-blind randomised controlled trial Hurst, P., Saunders, S., Coleman, D.: Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
Improved 1000-m running performance and pacing strategy with caffeine and placebo effect: a balanced placebo design study Hurst, P., Schiphof-Godart, l., Hettinga, F., Roelands, B., Beedie, C., (09 Sep 2019): Human Kinetics. [Journal article]
Notes and tips on surveys Hurst, P., Bird, S., (04 Jan 2019), Research Methods in Physical Activity and Health. London and New York: Routledge. [Book chapter]
Psychological mechanisms underlying morality in sport Hurst, P., European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC). [Conference paper]
Questionnaires Hurst, P., Bird, S., (04 Jan 2019), Research Methods in Physical Activity and Health. London and New York: Routledge. [Book chapter]
Sport supplement use predicts doping attitudes and likelihood via sport supplement beliefs Hurst, P., Kavussanu, M., Boardley, I., Ring, C., (12 Mar 2019): Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
The placebo and nocebo effect on sports performance: a systematic review Hurst, P., Schiphof-Godart, l., Szabo, A., Raglin, J., Hettinga, F., Roelands, B., Lane, A., Foad, A., Coleman, D., Beedie, C., (15 Aug 2019): Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
An educational placebo effect intervention reduces the likelihood of athletes using performance enhancing drugs Hurst, P., Foad, A., Coleman, D., Beedie, C., Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS) conference on placebo studies. [Conference paper]
Consensus statement on placebo effects in sports and exercise: the need for conceptual clarity, methodological rigour, and the elucidation of neurobiological mechanisms. Beedie, C., Hurst, P., Coleman, D., Foad, A., Benedetti, F., Cohen, E., Davis, A., Elseworth-Edelsten, C., Flowers, E., Roelands, B., Hettinga, F., Raglin, J., Szabo, A., Camerone, E., Barbiani, D., Lane, A., Lindheimer, J., Schiphof-Godart, l., Harvey, S., (16 Aug 2018): Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
Could placebos be putting lives at risk? Hurst, P., Beedie, C., (14 Jun 2018). [Journal article]
Effects of personal and situational factors on self-referenced doping likelihood Ring, C., Kavussanu, M., Lucidi, S., Hurst, P., (07 Nov 2018): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Evaluating the effectiveness of the VIRTUES and HEROES projects: qualitative evidence Kavussanu, M., King, A., Hurst, P., Skloufa, L., Barkoukis, V., Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2018. [Conference paper]
Fear of failure predicts doping likelihood in competitive athletes Hurst, P., European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC). [Conference paper]
Preventing doping in sport: the HEROES project Kavussanu, M., Hurst, P., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Elbe, A., Ring, C., Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2018. [Conference paper]
Preventing doping in sport: the VIRTUES project Kavussanu, M., Hurst, P., Barkoukis, V., Skoufa, L., King, A., Ring, C., Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2018. [Conference paper]
Social cognitive predictors of doping intentions: a multi-national study Kavussanu, M., Skoufa, L., Barkoukis, V., Hurst, P., Chirico, A., Lucidi, F., Ring, C., Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2018. [Conference paper]
The effects of moral disengagement mechanisms on doping likelihood are mediated by guilt and moderated by moral traits Ring, C., Hurst, P., (11 Sep 2018): Elsevier. [Journal article]
The effects of moral disengagement on doping likelihood and guilt Kavussanu, M., Ring, C., Hurst, P., Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2018. [Conference paper]
The placebo and nocebo effect in sport: intentions, attitudes and beliefs towards sport supplements and banned performance enhancing substances Hurst, P.. [PhD Thesis]
Athletes intending to use sports supplements are more likely to respond to a placebo Hurst, P., Foad, A., Coleman, D., Beedie, C., (18 Apr 2017): American College of Sports Medicine. [Journal article]
Caution, this treatment is a placebo. It might work, but it might not”: why emerging mechanistic evidence for placebo effects does not legitimise complementary and alternative medicines in sport Beedie, C., Whyte, G., Coleman, D., Hurst, P., Cohen, E., Lane, A., Raglin, J., Foad, A., (31 Jul 2017): BMJ Publishing Group. [Journal article]
Is the intention to use sport supplements a predictor of placebo and nocebo responding among athletes? Hurst, P., Beedie, C., Coleman, D., Foad, A., Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS). [Speech]
Is there a role for implicit and explicit information about placebo and nocebo effects in reducing the use of drugs in sport? Hurst, P., Beedie, C., Coleman, D., Foad, A., Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS). [Speech]
Beliefs versus reality, or beliefs as reality? The placebo effect in sport and exercise Hurst, P., Foad, A., Beedie, C., (2016), Sport and Exercise Psychology. London: Routledge. [Book chapter]
Development and validation of the Sports Supplements Beliefs Scale Hurst, P., Foad, A., Coleman, D., Beedie, C., (10 Oct 2016): Elsevier. [Journal article]
Knowledge and experience of placebo effects modifies athletes’ intentions to use sport supplements Hurst, P., Beedie, C., Coleman, D., Foad, A., American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. [Lecture]
Placebo and nocebo effects during repeat sprint performance Hurst, P., Beedie, C., Coleman, D., Foad, A., American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. [Lecture]
Reliability of 5-km running performance in a competitive environment Hurst, P., Board, L., (28 Sep 2016): Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
Capitalizing on the placebo component of treatments Beedie, C., Foad, A., Hurst, P., (01 Jul 2015): American College of Sports Medicine. [Journal article]
Development and validation of the sports supplements beliefs scale [Conference paper abstract] Hurst, P., Foad, A., Coleman, D., (25 Nov 2015), British Association Sport and Exercise Science (BASES) conference: Taylor & Francis. [Journal article]
Influence of acute dietary nitrate supplementation over 5 km Hurst, P., Coleman, D., Saunders, S., (01 Oct 2015), The International Sport Science + Sports Medicine Conference: BMJ Publishing Group. [Journal article]
Expectations, caffeine and pacing strategy: how positive and negative expectations can influence running performance Hurst, P., (01 Jun 2014, 21 Oct 2014), the International Sports Science + Sports Medicine Conference: BMJ Publishing Group. [Journal article]
Expectancy effects on competitive 5 km time-trial performance Hurst, P., (24 Oct 2013, 01 Nov 2013), International Sports Science + Sports Medicine Conference: BMJ Publishing Group. [Journal article]
Reproducibility of outdoor 5 km running time-trial in a competitive environment Hurst, P., (01 Nov 2013, 24 Oct 2013), the International Sports Science + Sports Medicine Conference: BMJ Publishing Group. [Journal article]

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Dr Philip Hurst

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