How charismatic trainers inspire others to learn through positive affectivity

We focus on how charismatic trainer behaviors, such as visionary content, intellectual stimulation and individual attention, influence affective, cognitive and skill-based learning outcomes during computer-based training. Using an experimental design, 92 undergraduates were presented with an on-line Excel training program that contained narration that was either charismatic or non-charismatic. Path analysis results indicate that participants who viewed videos narrated by a charismatic trainer (as opposed to a non-charismatic trainer) had positive reactions to the trainer, which was related to positive affectivity. Trainee positive affectivity was subsequently related to recall one week after training, and this recall was related to skill transfer one week after training. The results confirmed that charismatic trainers influence skills acquisition through boosting positive affect.