Theoretical Considerations for Studying Socio-Psychological Factors in Migration

Although the existing literature in social sciences providesconsiderable factual information about migration which has been gatheredthrough refined techniques and research tools, it is often claimed thatthe information on migration is still mostly in unstructured statebecause of the lack of a general theory on the migration phenomena.Social scientists, like Hauser [6, pp.70-85], Lee [8, pp.47-57], Vance[15, pp.88-94] and Wilber [16, pp.52-61J have |expressed similar viewsand emphasized the need for the development of a general theory in orderto integrate the existing diverse findings regarding the migrationprocess, and also to provide guidelines for future research on thesubject. Beijer [I, pp.12-21] is among the few who maintain thatmigration pheno¬mena cannot be explained and understood withoutunderstanding the economic, social, and demographic forces. He stronglystresses that migration studies formulating theoretical statements musttake these forces into consideration. Heberle [7, pp.65-70] andPeterson [10, pp.256-266] are among others who also realized this needand set up typologies of migration based on migratory selec¬tive factorssuch as age, sex, occupation and family status. The main purpose ofthese typologies was to offer, by an ordering of conceptual types, abasis for the possible development of theory. In spite of the fact thatthese scholars felt the shared concern and came forward to set uptypologies of migration, not much attention has been given to typologiesas conceptual tools. Attempts at model building by sociologists such asFolger [5, pp.155-164] and Taft [12, pp.141-156] also indicate asimilar concern for theoretical guidelines for the study ofmigration.