Dr James Newman EdD, CPsychol., MSc, SEPiT, PGCE
Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
- Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre
- Health Research Institute
Summary
James is a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). His main research interests revolve around how professional and semi-professional sportspeople understand their social relationships and their resultant impact on mental health and sporting performance. James consults in relation to this. He has an extensive range of teaching experience both within sport and exercise, as well as mainstream psychology, gained at various Higher Education Institutions.
About
I have taught in Higher Education since 2005 and joined the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences in early 2017. This teaching experience has been gained at a variety of Higher Education Institutions including a 'Big Ten' university in the USA, teaching Higher Education in Further Education, and for a leading university in the UK. Since joining the College, I completed my Doctorate in Education (EdD) which focused on how professional footballers conceptualise bullying, banter, teasing and victimisation. My EdD thesis entitled ‘What happens in the changing room, stays in the changing room. Unearthing bullying, banter, teasing and victimisation in men's professional football’ was achieved without the need for any corrections, as a recognition of my work. Further to this thesis, my main research interests revolve around welfare, bullying and maltreatment and how these concepts are contextualised within elite sport. I am particularly interested in developing education and interventions which improve the mental health and wellbeing of elite stakeholders in sport. To this end, I welcome applications from PhD students who are interested in the topics of welfare, education, bullying and maltreatment within sport. From an applied perspective I am a Sport and Exercise Psychologist in Training (SEPiT) with BASES, working towards registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and I welcome the opportunity to disseminate and consult in relation to sport psychology. To date, I have completed radio interviews as well as educational workshops on the application of sports psychology. Finally, I am also experienced in the development of other degree programmes across the UK and have completed various external advisory, panel member and external examiner roles.
Specialist areas of interest
Bullying in Sport
Peer, Parent and Coach-Athlete relationships
Motivation in Sport.
Teaching
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Subject area
Science and Sport and Exercise Science
Courses taught
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology
BSc (HONS) Sport and Exercise Science
Modules taught
Foundations of Psychology in Sport and Exercise
MSc Research Methods
Developing Professional Practice in Sport and Exercise Psychology
Research
Safeguarding and welfare in elite sport
Maltreatment, abuse, bullying, and banter in elite sport
Relationships in sport
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Newman, J., Warburton, V.E., & Russell, K. (2022). Whistleblowing of bullying in professional football: to report or not to report? Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 61.
CONFERENCE PAPERS
Newman, J., Warburton, V., & Russell, K. (2019). 'The Dividing Line': Conceptualising bullying, banter and teasing in professional football. In The British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2019, 2019 - 2019.
Newman, J., Warburton, V., & Russell, K. (2018). What happens in the changing room stays in the changing room. Unearthing bullying, banter, teasing and victimisation in professional football. In The British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Annual Conference, 2018 - 2018.
Publications
Journal articles
Rhind, D.J.A., Hodson, E., Newman, J., & Rumbold, J. (2022). Transformational leadership: a qualitative analysis of effective leadership in women's soccer in England. Unisia: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 40 (2), 257-276. http://doi.org/10.20885/unisia.vol40.iss2.art1
Newman, J., Warburton, V.E., & Russell, K. (2022). Whistleblowing of bullying in professional football: to report or not to report? Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 61. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102177
Newman, J., Warburton, V.E., & Russell, K. (2022). It can be a “very fine line”: professional footballers’ perceptions of the conceptual divide between bullying and banter. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.838053
Higham, A., Newman, J., Stone, J., & Rumbold, J. (2021). Coaches’ Experiences of Morality in English Professional Football Environments: Recommendations for Creating a Moral Atmosphere. International Sport Coaching Journal. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2021-0026
Newman, J., Eccles, S., Rumbold, J., & Rhind, D. (2021). When it is no longer a bit of banter: Coaches’ perspectives of bullying in professional soccer. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2021.1987966
Newman, J., Warburton, V.E., & Russell, K. (2021). Conceptualizing bullying in adult professional football: A phenomenological exploration. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 101883. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101883
Rumbold, J., Newman, J., Foster, D., Rhind, D.J.A., Phoenix, J., & Hickey, L. (2021). Assessing Post-Game Emotions in Soccer Teams: The Role of Distinct Emotional Dynamics. European Journal of Sport Science. http://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1916079
Conference papers
Newman, J., Warburton, V., & Russell, K. (2019). 'The Dividing Line': conceptualising bullying, banter and teasing in professional football [abstract only]. In The British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology Annual Conference 2019, 2019 - 2019.
Newman, J., Warburton, V., & Russell, K. (2018). What happens in the changing room stays in the changing room. Unearthing bullying, banter, teasing and victimisation in professional football [abstract only]. In The British Psychological Society Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Annual Conference, 2018 - 2018.
Media
Newman, J. (2023). Featured psychologist James Newman in BPS social media videos focusing on the question “How can we let go of external validation?”. British Psychological Society
Newman, J., & Rumbold, J. (2022). James Newman and James Rumbold's article for the Conversation “Is Gareth Southgate a successful manager? Two sports psychologists weigh in.”. The Conversation
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman's featured interview with Stylist magazine discussing the psychology of “snow days. Stylist Magazine
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman's featured interview with Stylist magazine discussing “From The White Lotus to Succession: why we can’t look away from the uber-rich on TV”. Sylist Magazine
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman's feature interview with Stylist magazine discussing our obsession with tracking fitness and sharing it online. Stylist Magazine
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman's feature interview with SWNS Media Group discussing psychological preparation for the Qatar 2022 World Cup as well as the impact of human rights issues on players’ preparations. SWNS
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman's feature interview with Stylist magazine discussing emotional exhaustion in relation to health goals. Stylist Magazine
Newman, J. (2022). Feature interview with James Newman for BBC Radio Sheffield discussing 2022 summer of sport in the context of sport psychology. BBC Radio Sheffield
Newman, J. (2022). Interview with James Newman played across news bulletins on BBC Radio Sheffield discussing his published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. BBC Radio Sheffield
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman interviewed by ITV Calendar discussing his published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. ITV Calendar
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman featured in Yorkshire Post discussing his published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. Yorkshire Post
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman featuring within My Asian Marketplace article discussing my published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. My Asian Marketplace
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman featured in Public News Time discussing his published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. Public News Time
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman featured in The Big Issue discussing his published paper around the line between bullying and banter in professional football. The Big Issue
Newman, J. (2022). James Newman providing expert commentary with CIMSPA magazine discussing appropriate strategies for motivation in sport, physical activity, and exercise. CIMSPA
Newman, J. (2021). James Newman interviewed on BBC World Service about when does banter become bullying behaviour in elite sport. BBC World Service
Ingle, S. (2021). James Newman providing expert comment in the Guardian article “Blurred lines: when does a bit of banter slip into bullying in sport?”. The Guardian
Newman, J. (2021). James Newman interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield’s Drive Time show discussing banter in sport in relation to the Azeem Rafiq and Yorkshire County Cricket Club case. BBC Radio Sheffield
Newman, J. (2021). James Newman interviewed by BBC Radio 5 Live discussing mental health and wellbeing in relation to Ben Stokes’ return to the England Cricket Team. BBC Radio 5 Live
Newman, J. (2021). James Newman interviewed by Hallam FM Radio to discuss Simone Biles’ withdrawal from competition at Tokyo 2021 in relation to mental health in sport. Hallam FM
Newman, J. (2021). James Newman interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield’s Drive Time show to discuss Simone Biles’ withdrawal from competition at Tokyo 2021 in relation to mental health in sport. BBC Radio Sheffield
Newman, J. (2020). James Newman interviewed by BBC Radio Coventry around the importance and psychology behind pre-season football matches. BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire
Newman, J. (2020). 21st June 2020 – James Newman interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield discussing the psychological impact of fans not being present at Premier League and Championship games during the Covid-19 lockdown. BBC Radio Sheffield
Other activities
I am currently involved in the development of a consultancy programme to address bullying in elite sport, education and healthcare settings.
2016 - 2020 - FdSc Psychological Studies, External Examiner, University of Plymouth
2015 - FdA Teaching and Learning Support, External Panel Member, University of Chichester
2015 - BA (Hons) Coaching and School Sport, FdSc Exercise, Health and Fitness, FdSc Sport Science, FdA Sports Coaching, External Panel Member, Manchester Metropolitan University
2014 - 2015 - FdA Teaching and Learning Support, External Adviser, University of Chichester
Postgraduate supervision
I currently supervise Andrew Higham's PhD.