Benefits of Negative Emotions in Entrepreneurship Education
Keywords: entrepreneurship, learning, critical events, emotions, thematic analysis
Objectives
Instead of regarding negative emotions in action-based entrepreneurship education as a major
problem, this paper studies them as a potential learning opportunity for the students. Action-based
learning typically causes various conflicts and critical incidents, generating high levels of emotions,
which in turn can have important impacts on learning and identity building processes (Jarvis, 2006).
The aim of the paper is to gain increased understanding of the most important critical events in action
based entrepreneurship education that are causing high levels of emotions, both negative and
positive, those possibly resulting to learning and personality development.
Prior work
Recent studies within the field of entrepreneurship education and beyond (Pekrun, 2005; Mezirow,
1985, 1990, 1991, 2003, and 2006; Jarvis, 2006; Biggs, 1996; Vygotsky, 1987; Cope, 2003, 2005 and
2010; Pittaway and Cope, 2007, Kyrö, 2005, and many others) imply that emotions have a major
impact on motivation, learning, self-efficacy and identity building. Both positive and negative emotions
seem to play important roles. Until today studying critical incidents that aim to increase an
understanding of cognitive, affective and behavioural elements from the individual’s perspective has
been conducted primarily outside of enterprise and entrepreneurship education (Chell, 1998).
Approach
Current qualitative study is using the thematic analysis from semi-structured interviews of higher
education students taking part in action-based entrepreneurship programs and courses in Estonia
(N=48, and N=16), Finland (N=18) and Namibia (N=13). Focus of the study being the students’
reflections of the events that were sources of high levels of negative (for example: anxiety, anger, fear,
frustration) and positive (for example: joy, satisfaction, happiness, euphoria) emotions and that
appeared during the learning processes.
Results
Our data analysis showed that most frequent sources of negative emotions are team-work issues,
challenging tasks and overcoming traditional learning environment into socio-constructivist (for socioconstructivist view to learning see Duffy et al., 1993; Tynjälä, 1999). These aspects that caused a
great variety of emotions seemed to result in improved ability to cope with uncertainty for those
participating in the study.
Our findings indicate that the deeper the students experienced the negative emotions; followed by the
support and reflection, the deeper they experienced learning.
Implications
The findings could have important implications for the teachers designing learning environments in
action-based entrepreneurship education as well as in other domains of higher education. Further
research on the role of emotions in entrepreneurship education is recommended.
Value
Kyrö et al (2008) call for more research on affective constructs in education due to their potential to
empower entrepreneurial and enterprising learning. Cope (2003) raises the need for more research on
the relation between emotional intensity of an event and its impact on reflection and learning. This
paper represents one step in this proposed direction within the area of action-based entrepreneurship
education, and might inspire future related contributions to research and practice on both conceptual
and pedagogical levels.