“Being Human in a Mechanized World”: The Mediating Role of Life Satisfaction in the Relationship Between Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurial Intention in the Entrepreneurial Process

This study examines the cognitive and psychological effects of digital transformation by analyzing the relationship between Industry 4.0 awareness and entrepreneurial intention, with life satisfaction as a mediator. Based on the view that digitalization represents not only a technical shift but also a socio-psychological process influencing life satisfaction and future-oriented behaviors, this study tests a model developed within an integrative theoretical framework. Data collected from university students in Türkiye were analyzed using SPSS 23 and AMOS 21. Scale validity and reliability were supported through confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling results indicated that Industry 4.0 awareness significantly increased life satisfaction (β=.201, p