Name: Corey E. Tatel

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal Meeting

Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Time: 3:00pm

Location: Microsoft Teams - click here

Meeting ID: ​281 450 494 697

Passcode: Pvp96b

​

Advisor:

Phillip L. Ackerman, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Dissertation Committee Members:

Ruth Kanfer, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Rick P. Thomas, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Christopher W. Wiese, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Margaret E. Beier, Ph.D. (Rice University)

Title: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of Procedural Skill Retention and Decay

Abstract: The extent to which skills decay over time when they are not consistently used is an issue that has significant ramifications for the safety and well-being of individuals and society. Various prior researchers have concluded that there is a general pattern of skill decay as a function of the length of retention interval. Several task-related and methodological factors have been suggested to influence the degree and rate of skill decay. However, previous evidence relies primarily on studies that leverage shorter retention intervals than are characteristic of real-world contexts (e.g., days or weeks). There has, however, been a recent influx of still retention studies published since the publication of the most recent meta-analysis on skill retention. Many of these studies were conducted in healthcare settings and include longer retention intervals than previous reviews describe (i.e., months or years rather than days or weeks). I therefore propose to conduct a new meta-analysis on procedural-skill retention. It is anticipated that the results of the meta-analysis will address the following research questions: (1) How long can people go without using their procedural skills before they should be retrained; (2) Which skills are more susceptible or resistant to decay; and (3) How do experiences during and after initial skill acquisition influence skill retention?