Moderators of Skill Retention Interval-Performance Decrement Relationships: Implications for Skill Maintenance

摘要

A robust finding in the literature on skill maintenance is that extended skill retention intervals lead to decreased task performance. We investigated three potential moderators of the skill retention interval (SRI) - task performance decrement relationship: (a) degree of initial skill learning, (b) performer aptitude, and (c) degree of task difficulty. Results in eight samples of enlisted U.S. Air Force personnel (total N = 1,544) strongly supported a negative SRI - task performance relationship, but support for moderator effects was mixed. Implications for skill maintenance in actual work settings are discussed.