Does gamified training improve training performance? A dual-pathway moderated mediation model

Although gamification has grown in popularity in organizational training, scientific evidence verifying the benefits of gamified training is mixed, and the underlying mechanisms of it on training outputs remain unclear. Drawing upon the technology-enhanced training effectiveness model and cognitive-affective personality system theory, this research constructs a dual-pathway moderated mediation model explaining how gamified training shapes training performance, including knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). Adopting a randomized field experiment, the results indicated that gamified training significantly promoted knowledge and attitudes via enhancing goal commitment and perceived enjoyment, but exerted no significant influence on skills. Moreover, need for achievement moderated the effect of gamified training on goal commitment and its indirect effect on KSAs via goal commitment. Furthermore, hedonic need moderated the effect of gamified training on perceived enjoyment and its indirect effect on knowledge and attitudes via perceived enjoyment. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.