Dr Ben Morrison operates the computer driving simulator

We all know the feeling of being ‘rusty’ after not doing a complex task for a while, but to what extent can that affect our ability to perform it?

A team from Macquarie University’s Performance and Expertise Research Centre, led by Professor of Organisational Psychology Mark Wiggins, is investigating the subject of cognitive-skill decay to understand how it can be detected and ultimately prevented.

The team is looking at whether reducing the frequency with which someone performs an important operational function like driving, flying, or managing an electricity network can result in the loss of important diagnostic skills used for troubleshooting and problem- solving.

“This study arose from the pandemic lockdowns, when pilots were grounded and we were all driving less, but it is particularly important at a time when AI is performing an increasing number of functions for us,” Professor Wiggins says.

“In an emergency, the knowledge, experience and skill of the human operator are vital in diagnosing the situation and deciding how to respond, for example, during a forced landing in a plane.

“We are working to the hypothesis that we’ll see a change in the person’s situational assessment skills, including a reduced capacity to see and respond to hazards.”

As part of the project, the team is recruiting drivers, pilots and electricity network operators to take part in studies at the University’s Simulation Hub.

Chief investigator Dr Ben Morrison is preparing to run the simulator studies, and says that for the driving component, they are looking for 200 people of all ages who are driving less now than they used to.

“That might be because they’ve been working from home more or they’ve been taking public transport more often,” he says.

“Participants will come into the lab three times, each time for about an hour. Testing will involve answering some questions about driving habits and spending 10 to 15 minutes going through different scenarios in our computer driving simulator.

“We think that skills decay happens quite quickly, but we need to know at what point people are likely to experience a significant drop-off in performance so that we can devise ways of helping them maintain those skills before they lose them.”

Participants need a full driver licence and will receive a $30 gift card after each visit.

If you would like to take part, or would like more information, please email Dr Morrison.