Integrating PSI Theory into Entrepreneurial Life Design: A Self-Regulation-Based Approach to Enhancing Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is a pivotal psychological resource for navigating complex challenges within entrepreneurial contexts. This study investigates systematic methods to enhance self-efficacy within the Entrepreneurial Career & Life Design (ECLD) framework—an interdisciplinary approach integrating Life Design, Entrepreneurship Education, and Positive Psychology. The paper utilizes Julius Kuhl's Personality Systems Interactions (PSI) theory as a theoretical foundation for conceptualizing self-regulatory action competence in ECLD. Through conceptual analysis, the four psychological functional systems of PSI theory are integrated into the ECLD model, elucidating their significance in action capability, affect regulation, and decision-making processes. The study derives practice-oriented educational interventions to strengthen self-efficacy, including affect-regulative exercises, reflective formats, and embodiment techniques. Consequently, the paper offers dual insights: firstly, a theoretical substantiation of the self-efficacy concept within the ECLD context; secondly, concrete proposals for designing practical learning formats in entrepreneurship education. The paper concludes with a perspective on future empirical research questions.