The effects of personality, affectivity, and work commitment on motivation to improve work through learning

Abstract This study examined the degree to which the dimensions from the Five‐Factor Model of personality, affectivity, and work commitment (including work ethic, job involvement, affective commitment, and continuance commitment) influenced motivation to improve work through learning. Data were obtained from a nonrandom sample of 239 private‐sector employees who were participants of in‐house training programs. The hypothesized causal relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings indicated that these dispositional effects were significant antecedents of motivation to improve work through learning. Specifically, 57 percent of the variance in motivation to improve work through learning was explained by positive affectivity, work commitment, and extraversion.