Social entrepreneurship has emerged as a vital force for addressing societal challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. As global concerns around inequality, poverty, and environmental degradation intensify, understanding what drives college students to engage in social entrepreneurial activities has become increasingly important. Despite growing interest, limited research has explored the combined psychological and educational factors influencing social entrepreneurial intentions (SEIs) among college students in specific cultural contexts, such as Zhejiang Province, China. The current study addresses this gap by examining the role of entrepreneurial personality (EP), self-efficacy (SE), ability, and education in shaping students’ SEIs. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed to 430 college students. A purposive sampling technique was employed to target students with prior exposure to entrepreneurship education or activities, ensuring relevance and focus. Measurement scales were adapted from established studies. The analysis was conducted using SmartPLS 4.0, applying Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both the measurement and structural models. The results revealed that all four independent variables had a significant and positive influence on SEIs. The findings validate the proposed conceptual framework and emphasize the combined importance of internal traits and external learning experiences in fostering students’ intent to pursue socially driven entrepreneurial paths. This study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by integrating educational and psychological dimensions in the context of social entrepreneurship, offering practical guidance for educators and policymakers seeking to cultivate socially responsible entrepreneurial mindsets among college students.
Li et al. (2025) studied this question.