Effects of trainer expressiveness, seductive details, and trainee goal orientation on training outcomes

Abstract

This study focuses on trainer expressiveness and trainee mastery orientation within the context of the seductive details effect. The seductive details effect refers to inclusion of "highly interesting and entertaining information that is only tangentially related to the topic" (Harp & Mayer, 1998, p. 1

A multilevel examination of the influence of trainee‐trainer gender dissimilarity and trainee‐classroom gender composition dissimilarity on trainee knowledge acquisition

“…For example, trainer organization and expressiveness have been related to trainee performance on a recall test and a problem-solving task, and there is also evidence that these trainer characteristics interact with attributes of the trainee (i.e., learning orientation; Holladay & Quiñones, 2005;Towler, 2009;Towler & Dipboye, 2001). Our research supports the importance of examining not only the role of the trainer on knowledge acquisition, but also how attributes of the trainer can interact with attributes of the trainee to influence knowledge acquisition.…”

“…The potential for characteristics of the trainee, trainer, and other trainees to interact and influence training outcomes is an important consideration, given that lecture and classroom-based training, in which the learning environment includes other individuals, continues to be a dominant mode of educating trainees (Towler, 2009;Goldstein & Ford, 2002). Further, the popularity of classroom-based training and the use of lectures to deliver training are likely to continue, given that lecturing is an effective training method (Arthur, Bennett, Edens, & Bell, 2003).…”

Rules of engagement: the joint influence of trainer expressiveness and trainee experiential learning style on engagement and training transfer

“…Yet related work in other domains, as well as notable exceptions in the training literature, do suggest that certain trainer characteristics have direct (e.g. Finn et al ., ; Towler, ; Towler & Dipboye, ) and conditional effects on important training outcomes (Harris et al ., , ), thus deserving more attention.…”

“…The current study informs the present body of research in several important ways. To begin, in addition to replicating the direct relationship between training expressiveness on transfer intentions (Towler, ; Towler & Dipboye, ), we clarify the process through which trainer expressiveness influences training transfer intentions. Specifically, we evaluate trainee engagement as a mediating mechanism (Orvis et al ., ), which is critical for understanding why expressiveness influences training transfer intentions and, thus, provides a more comprehensive and empirical demonstration of the process underlying transfer.…”

“…Towler & Dipboye, ). Trainer expressiveness , defined as the extent to which a trainer uses appropriate and enthusiastic vocal intonations and verbal fluency, represents a specific characteristic of a trainer's delivery style that has been shown to be of considerable importance for transfer (Towler, ; Towler & Dipboye, ). Research examining trainer delivery styles has demonstrated that trainers who are expressive and stimulating are perceived as more effective in facilitating training transfer (e.g.…”