Inspired to Serve: Exposure to Moral Models to Enhance Public Service Motivation

ABSTRACT Public service motivation (PSM) is widely recognized as a predictor of positive outcomes, yet relatively little is known about how it can be deliberately cultivated. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, the present research investigates whether and how exposure to moral exemplars embedded in public‐sector training enhances PSM. Employing a multi‐method design that combines a recall experiment with a field survey, we find that exposure to uncommon moral exemplars elicits moral elevation, which functions as a replenishment of psychological resources and, in turn, strengthens public employees' PSM. Moreover, this mediating mechanism is moderated by cognitive load, such that public employees experiencing greater cognitive demands derive stronger motivational benefits from moral elevation. By identifying moral elevation as a psychological resource mechanism and cognitive load as a boundary condition, this research opens the “black box” of PSM development. It highlights how training can serve as an institutional platform for delivering specific moral content that cultivates and sustains public employees' motivation to serve.