British emigrants to Australia. A study of some psycho-social differences between emigrant and non-emigrant skilled manual workers

Abstract

In the past the method used in most migration studies has been to examine the census material relating to a particular population movement and to record some of the sociological characteristics such as age, sex or occupation with the aim of relating these 'selective' characteristics to their economic, political or social causes. The aim of the present study has been to investigate some of the psycho-social characteristics of a limited category of emigrants who are intending to leave Britain for Australia under the Assisted Passage Scheme. In this way it has been possible to gain some understanding of the process by which certain individuals ultimately decide to emigrate whilst others do not. The method employed has been to comeare an emigrant sample (N = 80) with a non-emigrant sample (N = 80) on a variety of psycho-social variables having matched both samples on relevant background variables.Possible differences between the two samples have been conceptualised as taking place in the three areas of 'Disorganization' 'Opportunity' and 'Personality' and the empirical findings are analysed within this framework.The results suggest that at the present time skilled manual workers who are leaving Britain for Australia under the assisted passage scheme have experienced slightly more 'disorganisation' thanthe matched group of non-emigrants. In terms of 'opportunity' therewas little to suggest that emigrants have fewer ties than non-emigrants but some factors were found that had helped to make the emigrants more aware of the 'opportunity' that exists in Australia. In the field which has been broadly designated as 'personality' it was found that more emigrants than non-emigrants knew more about Australia, and that emigrants axe more likely to have extravert temperaments than non-emigrants. The motives which emigrants give to account for their own decision to emigrate almost always emphasize some positive aspect of Australia - particularly the opportunities that exist for themselves and their children. It is apparent that they tend to have very high expectations with regard to their future in Australia but that these expectations are often mixed with some anxiety. In conclusion some suggestions for further research have been made and the need for theoretical developments in the social psychology of migration is discussed.