Towards an explanation and prediction of residential movement: An examination of the concept of sectoral movement, Adams restricted image causal hypothesis, and the initial development of a predictive statistical model of restricted lateral movement
Adams (1969) argues that movers possess a restricted sectoral image of the city based upon their home sector. This image operates to restrict a household’s movement to its home sector. This research examines that particular causal hypothesis in terms of its theoretical basis and tests its explanatory role for patterns of movement of mover households to ownership property in Hamilton, New Zealand. On both counts Adams’ causal hypothesis is strongly criticized, as is the usage of the sectoral form in the measurement of restricted lateral movement. Instead a corridor from of measurement is proposed and used. From a study of variables related to the personal characteristics of the mover and the relocation decision process it is argued that mover households who move within their home corridor do so because they hold locational attachments to their home area. Locational attachments are seen to develop as a function of the mover household’s age and/or previous ownership of property in that area. Non-corridor movers lack locational attachments due to their youth and/or first time ownership. For Hamilton a statistical model based upon locational attachments, personal characteristics, and relocation decision process variables is developed, which attempts to explain corridor and non-corridor movement.
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