AP Human Geography Flashcards: Causes of Migration
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What is the fundamental model used to explain the causes of migration?
Migration is commonly explained by the push/pull model, where push factors encourage people to leave a location and pull factors attract them to another.
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What is the fundamental model used to explain the causes of migration?
Migration is commonly explained by the push/pull model, where push factors encourage people to leave a location and pull factors attract them to another.
Define 'pull factors' in the context of migration.
Pull factors are causal factors, such as positive environmental or cultural attributes, that attract a person to a new location.
How do intervening opportunities/obstacles affect the push/pull model of migration?
They add complexity to the model by showing that a migrant's journey from origin to destination is not always direct and can be altered by factors encountered along the way.
Into what five categories can push/pull factors and intervening opportunities/obstacles be classified?
These migration factors can be classified as cultural, demographic, economic, environmental, or political.
What is an 'intervening opportunity' in migration?
An intervening opportunity is a positive factor or attractive alternative that causes a migrant to settle in a place other than their original destination.
Define 'push factors' in the context of migration.
Push factors are causal factors, such as negative economic or political conditions, that encourage a person to leave a particular place.
A tech company opens a new headquarters, creating thousands of high-paying jobs. What type of migration factor is this?
This is an economic pull factor, as a positive economic opportunity is attracting people to that new location.
A war breaks out in a country, causing many citizens to flee. Is this primarily a push or a pull factor, and what is its category?
This is a political push factor, as a negative political event is encouraging people to migrate away from their home country.
What is an 'intervening obstacle' in migration?
An intervening obstacle is an environmental, political, or cultural feature that hinders or complicates the process of migration.
A family leaving a polluted city for better air quality in a rural area is responding to what category of migration factor?
The family is responding to an environmental push factor (pollution) and an environmental pull factor (better air quality).