From childhood conditioning to entrepreneurial traits: The mediating role of psychological capital and moderating effects of socioeconomic mobility

Entrepreneurial personality does not emerge in adulthood alone—it is shaped by formative childhood experiences. This study introduces and validates the construct of entrepreneurial developmental stimuli (EDS), which captures key early life factors such as parental support, exposure to family business, gendered parenting roles, sibling influences, and creativity-building experiences. Drawing on developmental and psychological theories, the research explains how EDS indirectly shape core entrepreneurial traits— innovativeness, persistence, risk-taking, and achievement orientation—through the mediating roles of psychological capital and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. We also highlight how the effects of these early influences vary depending on one's socioeconomic mobility context—the extent to which individuals gained or lacked access to opportunities. The findings offer practical insights for policy makers, educators, and development agencies on how early exposure, family environments, and psychosocial resources can be leveraged to build entrepreneurial capacity across diverse social contexts. By moving beyond static trait models, this study supports the design of targeted entrepreneurship education and youth development policies that reflect the lifelong nature of entrepreneurial mindset formation.