Planting the Seed of Epistemic Curiosity: The Role of the Satisfaction of the Needs for Autonomy and Competence

We posit that curiosity, an epistemic emotion, is an integral part of entrepreneurial education, entrepreneurial activities, and learning, which seek to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, a form of cognitive ability. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the influence of autonomy and competence satisfaction on epistemic curiosity and the influence of epistemic curiosity on epistemic satisfaction and performance on epistemic activities in entrepreneurial education. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires in three waves of data collection. Results showed a positive relationship between the satisfaction of the need for autonomy and competence in times 1 and 2. The satisfaction of the need for competence at times 1 and 2 then had a positive relationship with epistemic curiosity at times 1 and 2. Curiosity at time 2 had a positive relationship with epistemic satisfaction at time 3. Our results supported the idea that autonomy and competence satisfaction facilitated the experience of epistemic curiosity and epistemic satisfaction. The implications of developing an entrepreneurial mindset were discussed.