Motivation to transfer revisited

Abstract

Should the construct 'motivation to transfer' used inhuman resource development and management research be also used in learning research? The current study revisited motivation to transfer on a sample of 128 participants of occupational health training Confirmatory factor analysis and partial least squaresbased path modeling were used to test the hypothesized dimensions and relationships among variables including social and affective cues on training transfer. Based on a combination of the theory of planned behavior, expectancy theory, and self-determination theory, we validated three dimensions of transfer motivation: autonomous motivation to transfer, controlled motivation to transfer, and intentions to transfer. Results indicate that autonomous motivation was affected by attitudes toward training content and utility reactions controlled motivation was affected by utility reactions, supervisory support, and social norms. Intentions to transfer mediated the effects of autonomous motivation on transfer three months after training. Implications of a multidisciplinary perspective combining learning sciences and human resource development are discussed.