Linking positive affect and motivation to transfer within training: a multilevel study

Motivation to transfer is a critical element for successful training transfer. Whereas recent research has shown that training‐related factors such as training design are related to motivation to transfer, participants’ affective experiences have been neglected. Based on the broaden‐and‐build theory of positive emotions, we conducted a multilevel study to investigate the relationship between positive affect and motivation to transfer at the individual and at the group level of analysis. A total of 867 training participants drawn from 78 three‐day training programmes were surveyed on the first day (T1) and the last day (T2) of the training. As expected, positive affect was found to be related to motivation to transfer at both T1 and T2. Furthermore, the relationship between positive affect at T1 and motivation to transfer at T2 was mediated by motivation to transfer at the individual and the group level at T1 and by positive affect at the individual level at T2.