Problems and Potentialities of the Behavioural Approach to Agricultural Location

ABSTRACT

An evaluation is made of the contribution of the behavioural approach in agricultural geography, paying particular attention to the concepts of game theory and satisficing behaviour. Despite the obvious attraction of this approach it appears to have contributed less to our understanding than might have been anticipated. A major reason for this is suggested as being the lack of complementary methodologies between behavioural and classical economic explanations of agricultural location. A methodological framework involving the use of conditional probabilities and incorporating aspects of both of these methodologies is outlined as a possible basis for future agricultural location studies. This involves the treatment of farm and farmer characteristics as decision-making indicators and it is exemplified with figures from a study in Eastern England, in which behavioural factors were of particular significance. Finally, some of the problems of the behavioural approach are underlined and areas requiring specific attention are identified.