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University students' entrepreneurial intention (EI) is a key focus of entrepreneurship education and policy, especially in China's context of promoting innovation-driven development. This study explores how critical thinking disposition (CTD), positive psychological traits (PPT), and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) jointly influence EI. Using structural equation modeling and latent variable interaction analysis, Study 1 surveyed vocational college students and found that CTD significantly predicted EI, without PPT moderating this effect. Study 2, conducted with undergraduate students, introduced ESE as a mediator. Data analysis using bootstrapping procedures revealed that CTD predicted ESE, which in turn predicted EI. The interaction between CTD and PPT also significantly predicted ESE, supporting a moderated mediation model. This research contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by uncovering the synergistic cognitive-psychological mechanisms driving EI. The findings provide a novel theoretical framework and practical insights for entrepreneurship education, highlighting the necessity of simultaneously cultivating cognitive skills and psychological resources to enhance students' entrepreneurial potential.
Zhang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.