An absorption for the study of population migration

Abstract

The aim is to determine whether the light absorption equation employed in physics may be adopted as an analogy for the study of population migration, the empirical data for the evaluation consisting of figures for internal migration within Finland in the direction of Helsinki. The paper takes the form of a sequential analysis, in which a number of hypotheses are formulated and tested until the model which expresses best the real nature of the absorption phenomenon in migration is arrived at. This is the 'hierarchical absorption model' which takes account of the hier­archical organization of the population centres as well as their populations. It is difficult to reach any conclusions on the general applicability of the model on the basis of this one series of experiments, but the work may be seen as providing a starting point for its further elaboration.