Proruralism Values and Migration Behavior

• Published in: Population and environment Vol. 6; no. 3; pp. 166 - 178
• Main Authors: Christenson, James A., Garkovich, Lorraine E., Taylor, Gregory S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Human Sciences Press 01-10-1983
• Subjects: Animal migration behavior; Behavior/Behavioral; Cities; Economic value; Employment; Employment opportunity; Human migration; Migrant communities; Migration; Rural (see also Ru/Ur); Socioeconomics; Towns; Value/Values/Valuation/ Valuations; Voter registration
• ISSN: 0199-0039; 1573-7810
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01258958

The article looks more closely at migration to small cities and towns by studying the relative influence of proruralism value orientations on migration behavior vis á vis employment opportunities, size of city of origin, and select socioeconomic characteristics of migrants. Findings from a statewide survey indicate employment opportunities, proruralism values, and city size of origin have a significant and independent effect on city size of destination. However, after adjustment for the independent and socioeconomic variable, the influence of the size of the city of origin on the size of the city destination is insignificant. While migrants moving for job-related reasons tend to move to larger cities, when they for non-job-related reasons, they tend to move to large or small cities depending on adherence on proruralism value orientations. Specifically, if they live in a large city and have strong proruralism values, they will move to a smaller city; or, if they live in a small town and have proruralism values, they will move to another small town. This research builds on earlier studies of "antiurbanism" that are based on negative feelings toward large cities by providing a proruralism value scale associated with a desired moral order. It also suggests the importance of value expectancy in the study of migration behavior.