Presentation
The Crucial Role of Adaptability in Mitigating the Negative Impacts of Skill Decay in Astronaut Teams: A Systematic Review & Thematic Analysis
DescriptionAstronaut training predominantly consists of individual sessions, leaving minimal opportunity for cohesive team development. This presents a notable challenge in fostering the essential teamwork competencies required for effectively operating in a dynamic and extreme environment. Despite the multifaceted criteria used in astronaut selection procedures, there remains an overlooked significance of astronauts’ adaptability in ensuring success within these extreme contexts. Notably absent from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Spaceflight Resource Management (SFRM) Behavioral Elements model, adaptability has recently emerged as a crucial yet neglected aspect. Recent research has emphasized the pivotal role of adaptability at the team level, correlating it with key team outcomes such as resilience and effectiveness (Maynard et al., 2021).
Given the infrequency of pre-mission team training, astronaut teams are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of teamwork skill decay. While existing research has mentioned the necessity to address potential solutions to such decay, little effort has been made to develop effective solutions (Barshi & Dempsey, 2016). Defined as the ability to modify team procedures in response to a disturbance, catalyst, or trigger (Maynard et al., 2015), team adaptability can provide a promising avenue for addressing this challenge. Astronauts equipped with adept adaptability skills can navigate evolving situations and changing team dynamics more effectively, thereby potentially counteracting the negative impacts of team skill decay.
This proposal aims to first conduct a systematic review of the relevant articles published on the impact of adaptability on skill decay, followed by a thematic analysis regarding the important themes extracted from the relevant articles. These analyses will inform the development of concrete recommendations for promoting team adaptability to help reduce negative effects presented by teamwork skill decay in astronaut teams. By recognizing adaptability as a critical competency alongside technical competencies, space agencies can better prepare astronauts to navigate the uncertain challenges of spaceflight.
Given the infrequency of pre-mission team training, astronaut teams are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of teamwork skill decay. While existing research has mentioned the necessity to address potential solutions to such decay, little effort has been made to develop effective solutions (Barshi & Dempsey, 2016). Defined as the ability to modify team procedures in response to a disturbance, catalyst, or trigger (Maynard et al., 2015), team adaptability can provide a promising avenue for addressing this challenge. Astronauts equipped with adept adaptability skills can navigate evolving situations and changing team dynamics more effectively, thereby potentially counteracting the negative impacts of team skill decay.
This proposal aims to first conduct a systematic review of the relevant articles published on the impact of adaptability on skill decay, followed by a thematic analysis regarding the important themes extracted from the relevant articles. These analyses will inform the development of concrete recommendations for promoting team adaptability to help reduce negative effects presented by teamwork skill decay in astronaut teams. By recognizing adaptability as a critical competency alongside technical competencies, space agencies can better prepare astronauts to navigate the uncertain challenges of spaceflight.
Event Type
Lecture
TimeThursday, September 12th11:45am - 12:15pm MST
LocationFLW Salon C
Safety