Dr Matt Hill

Dr. Mathew Hill is a Lecturer in Psychology at the School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, and an interdisciplinary researcher at the forefront of research on the psychology of balance and falls. His work interrogates the psychological and perceptual mechanisms that underpin balance, confidence, and independence, with a particular focus on the development and consequences of fear of falling.

Dr. Hill’s research seeks to unravel why fear of falling emerges, how it shapes behaviour, and the ways in which it contributes to preventable disability in later life. His programme integrates experimental, qualitative, survey-based, and population-level approaches to elucidate the psychological mechanisms driving fear of falling, from immediate emotional and behavioural responses to postural threat, through to broader cognitive beliefs, expectations, and self-perceptions that perpetuate ongoing concerns about falling.

By combining experimental psychophysiology, behavioural and biomechanical assessment, and longitudinal epidemiological data, Dr. Hill investigates how these psychological processes translate into real-world outcomes, including balance control, recovery following falls, activity restriction, and long-term independence. His work not only advances fundamental understanding of human movement and fear but also informs strategies to mitigate avoidable disability in aging populations.

Dr. Hill’s overarching mission is elegantly simple yet profoundly impactful: to help people stay on their feet, physically, psychologically, and socially, throughout the lifespan.

My research focuses on the psychological and perceptual mechanisms that shape fear of falling, balance behaviour, and mobility across the lifespan. Key areas of interest include:

• Beliefs and expectations: Investigating how prior beliefs and expectations influence emotional and behavioural responses to postural threat.

• Interoception and fear of falling: Exploring how the nervous system’s sensing and integration of internal bodily signals contributes to fear responses, and how these processes might be targeted to prevent maladaptive fear.

• Ageing mindsets: Examining how individuals’ beliefs and attitudes about ageing influence broader concerns about falling and fall-related behaviour.

Through experimental, behavioural, and population-level approaches, I aim to understand why fear of falling develops, how it shapes movement decisions and activity levels, and why it persists in some individuals, with the ultimate goal of supporting independence and reducing preventable disability in later life.

Despite my early-career status, I am an experienced PhD supervisor with a strong track record in guiding projects exploring the psychological factors that interact with balance, fall risk, and the occurrence and impact of falls. I am particularly interested in supervising projects that investigate how cognition, perception, and emotion shape fear of falling and related behaviours in older adults.

Current supervision topics include:

• Predictors and consequences of new-onset fear of falling: A longitudinal study of incident fallers.

• Interoceptive awareness of breathing and postural control: Investigating how bodily self-perception influences cortical regulation of balance.

• Psychological factors and interventions in fear of falling: A mixed-methods exploration of threat reappraisal, predictors, and personal experiences in older adults.

My supervision approach combines experimental, behavioural, and longitudinal methodologies, with the aim of supporting students to generate impactful, translational research that enhances understanding of fear of falling and promotes independence in later life.

I contribute to teaching at both undergraduate (BSc) and postgraduate (MSc) levels, with a focus on cognitive and clinical neuroscience, research methods, and the fundamentals of biological psychology. I also supervise undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, including MRes and DClinPsy students, across a broad range of experimental topics encompassing emotion, perception, and cognition. My approach to supervision emphasises rigorous experimental design, critical thinking, and the translation of research findings into real-world applications.

I would be happy to discuss topics relating to my core areas of expertise in fear of falling, balance and mobility, psychological and perceptual mechanisms influencing movement, and the impact of ageing mindsets on independence.

Editorial board member for BMC Sport Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation

Member of the British Geriatrics Society

Member of the International Society for Posture and Gait Research

Member of the European College of Sport Sciences

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my wife and children, including hiking, cycling, kayaking, and fishing, as well as travelling and exploring new places together.

The Conversation: Walking downhill increases risk of falls in older adults https://theconversation.com/walking-downhill-increases-risk-of-falls-in-older-adults-142861

Positive mindset about ageing in over-60s linked to better recovery after a fall https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/264333/positive-mindset-about-ageing-over-60s-linked/