Key factors of the willingness of rural populations settling in cities (RPSC) from a Lacanian psychoanalysis theory perspective.

Zhiheng Yang,Nengneng Shen,Chenxi Li

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0243775

Zhiheng Yang, Nengneng Shen + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243775

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Abstract

The migration of populations from rural to urban areas is a typical phenomenon of urbanization in developing countries. Based on Lacanian psychoanalysis theory, this study analyzes the decision-making mechanism of the willingness of rural populations settling in cities (RPSC), and analyzes the key factors that affect the willingness of RPSC by using the binary Logit regression method based on survey data in Changyi, China. The results show that the willingness of RPSC is a realistic choice under the joint action of the ‘mirrored’ incarnation and the ‘non-mirrored’ order. Among the factors, ‘age’, ‘ethnic groups’, ‘educational attainment’, and ‘social intercourse’, representing the ‘mirrored’ incarnation, and ‘communities’ safety gap’, ‘healthcare services policy’, ‘public housing policy’ and ‘employment insurance gap’, representing the ‘non-mirrored’ order, are significant in affecting the willingness of RPSC. These findings validate the adaptability of psychoanalysis to analyze the willingness of RPSC, and increases the understanding of individual willingness and behavioral choice in the context of a specific social background, which can provide decision-making reference for urban and rural planning and public policy makers.

Highlights

Population migration is an important phenomenon in the development of human society, especially in developing countries
The migration of populations is closely linked to the transformation of the economic and social structure in these countries, which is mainly reflected in rural-to-urban population migration driven by the promotion of urbanization, that is, rural populations settling in cities (RPSC) [1,2,3,4]
We introduce the concept and method of psychoanalysis to analyze the rational logic of the formation of RPSC willingness in small and medium-sized cities, explore the decision-making mechanism of the willingness of RPSC, analyze the influencing factors of the willingness of RPSC in Changyi, and provide a useful reference for decision makers of RPSC to better design and choose policies

Summary

Introduction

Population migration is an important phenomenon in the development of human society, especially in developing countries. The migration of populations is closely linked to the transformation of the economic and social structure in these countries, which is mainly reflected in rural-to-urban population migration driven by the promotion of urbanization, that is, rural populations settling in cities (RPSC) [1,2,3,4]. In China, which is one of the most populous countries in the world, the phenomenon of RPSC is typical. Household registration (‘hukou’) is used to divide the population of China into two categories: rural and urban households. The RPSC refers to the permanent settlement of the rural population in cities, including the full integration of the rural population into the urban economic and sociocultural environment, known as ‘citizenization’ [5, 6].

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