Dispositional traits and internal migration: Personality as a predictor of migration in Australia

Abstract

This study analyses a large longitudinal panel dataset (HILDA, or the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) to assess the extent to which personality traits predict four constructs pertaining to the migration decision: intention to migrate, certainty around intention, migration outcomes, and the strength of association between migration intention and subsequent migration outcomes. Results show small but significant effects of Extraversion and Openness on both migration and intention to migrate. Openness negatively predicted certainty around intention, and Conscientiousness related to the extent to which migration intentions align with outcomes for those who did migrate, while Extraversion predicted migration events among those without a prior intention to migrate. Show more