Chapter 3 Spatial Interaction & Spatial Behavior

Spatial interaction & behavior common characteristics of spatial behavior that affect and unify all people and social systems “ground rules” of spatial interaction physical and behavioral constraints

Spatial interaction the movement of peoples, ideas, and commodities within and between areas

Commodity flows points of supply to locals of demand factors in the structure of trade: 1. awareness of supplies or markets 2. presence or absence of transportation connections 3. costs of movements 4. ability to pay for things wanted & needed

3 Controlling principles Edward Ullman (( ) 1. Complementarity –for two places to interact one must have a supply of an item for which there is an effective demand in the other by desire to purchase purchasing power means to transport it –Or exchange – developing countries

International crude oil & complementarity

Controlling principles 2. Transferability –Spatial interaction can only occur when there are acceptable costs of an exchange: time & cost Characteristics & value of product Distance measured in time & $$$ penalties Commodity must be able to bear the costs of movement –Dynamic – relationships can & do change

Controlling principles 3. Intervening opportunity –Serves to reduce supply/demand interactions that otherwise might develop between distant complementary areas –Dynamic – reflecting changeable structure of apparent opportunity

Intervening opportunity

Measuring interaction General principles/patterns –Friction of distance Distance has retarding effect/ time & cost penalties –Distance decay Near destinations have disproportionate pull over more distant locations Varies with activity –Linear distance Only one aspect of transferability –`

Shape of distance decay

Gravity Model (Henry Carey ) Observations based on Newton’s law of universal gravitation: –1. Interaction between urban centers can be calculated by size & distance –2. Large cities have greater drawing power for individuals than do small ones

leading to Reilly’s law Breaking Point: –Two cities will attract trade from intermediate locales in direct proportion to their size and distance

Human spatial behavior Mobility describes all types of human territorial movement 2 types: –1. Circulation a) daily or temporal b) longer periods, such as vacations –2. Migration Permanent move, relocation

Circulation

Individual areas of activity 1. Territoriality –Emotional attachment to, and the defense of home ground 2. Personal space –The zone of privacy/separation from other our culture or our physical circumstances require or permit

Activity space Extended home range Variables: –Stage of life –Mobility –Opportunities

Space & time Daily activities consume time & space Space-Time Prism Space-Time Path

Critical distance Short trips are more frequent Distance decay

Information age Time & space are different for information flows due to modern telecommunications Time & space convergence = the obliteration of space Changing constraints, determinations on human activities, lifestyles

Migration – permanent relocation Unmistakable, recurring, near- universal theme Complementarity, transferability, intervening opportunity, barriers, all play a role Often occurs in a series of steps, or chain, like links

Decision factors Cultural, socio/economic Distance Responses to poverty, population growth, environmental deterioration, war, famine Micro – macro moves

Distance of migration Intercontinental 16 th to 17 th centuries, very little 19 th to 20 th, huge movements Involve movements between countries or counties Intracontinental International Interregional

Rural to urban migration Due to Industrial Revolution 18 th to 19 th centuries in U.S. & Europe 20 th centuries, worldwide phonomenon Today more prevalent than international moves More difficult to move internationally

Types of migration 1. Forced migration –Historic & recent, million West Africans Caribbean, Central, South, & North America –British convicts to Australia, after 1780

Forced migration

Types of migration 2. Reluctant relocation –1969, 8 million Indonesians moved by government to less densely populated islands –2000, 14 million international war refugees Both internal or external movements

Types of migration 3. Voluntary migration - largest –Push of: Poverty, overcrowding, war, famine, environmental degradation, loss of job –Pull of: Perceived economic opportunity, safety, food, better climate, cleaner/safer environment, family

Voluntary migration

Additional effects 1. “Brain drain” 2. Guest workers 3. Time - contract

Counter migration Always occurs – some migrants return to place of origin U.S., from 1900 – 1980, out of 80 million migrants, 10 million returned to their motherland

Voluntary migration observations E.G. Ravenstein ( ) 1. Most migrants go only a short distance 2. Longer distance migration favors large cities 3. Most migration proceeds step by step

4. Most migration is rural to urban 5. Each migration flow produces a counter-flow 6. Most migrants are adults; family moves are less likely to be international 7. Most international migrants are young males

Migration patterns

Characteristics today Most migrants are young males, not a cross section of ages –U.S. – peaks in late 20’s –West Africa – ages 15 to 39 New trend: young females increasingly migrate –Domestic service jobs –“Entertainment” industry

Find your deep migration history m/