The intentionality of human behaviour : a study of the multidimensional farming goals of Major Creek fruit and vegetable growers

Abstract

The main research problem of this study is to assess the extent to which the differing farming intentions of an agricultural population are reflected in the farmers' differing cropping and marketing behaviours, and in the spatial patterns that result from these acts of intention. The intentionality of human spatial behaviour is conceptualized as an attempt to achieve the broad goal of 'satisfaction', defined by each farmer in terms of a simplified pay-off function between a wide range of multidimensional farming goals. Utilizing the CLUSTAN 1C 'cluster analysis' program, the study population is classified into three 'groups of common intentionaltiy' on the basis of their measured goal priorities. Associations are sought between the clusteral differences in the farming goals of the study population and the clusteral differences in the farmers' economic aspiration levels, their socio-economic characteristics, and their cropping and marketing behaviours. The findings suggest that differences in the spatial behaviour of economic decision-makers reflect differences in the relative priority they give to the direct economic goal dimension. However, this association appears to be valid only insofar as this variable is related to the farmers' economic aspiration levels and their capital status. The study lends support to the fertility of the present research of behavioural geographers, but warns them not to underestimate the explanatory power of 'capital status' in accounting for spatial variation in human economic decision behaviour. Show more