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Abstract
This paper explores migrants’ motivations to remit from a new, behavioural (cognitive) perspective, based on Structural Equation Modelling. We supplement the mainstream economic analyses of migrants’ observed characteristics by analysing remitting behaviour based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). With this behavioural lens, we show that non-tangible, cognitive constructs are highly relevant in explaining the intention to remit. Results underline the fact that migrants’ attitudes and norms, the latter in particular driven by the family, are decisive for remitting. Classical socioeconomic variables also show significant results, but contribute comparatively little to explaining the intention to remit.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge very useful comments from the anonymous referees and from Tom Dufhues. We acknowledge in particular the substantial input and ideas on which we base this paper, coming from the PhD thesis of Wiebke Meyer.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. An earlier version of the model we present in this paper was published by Meyer (Citation2012).
2. The TPB is an enhancement of the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen, Citation1991; Fishbein, Citation1967; Fishbein & Ajzen, Citation2010).
3. The overall sample contains 240 observations, but was reduced due to a number of non-matching interviews of migrants and households, missing values, and outliers.
4. Contrary to this finding, when directly asked for the expected consequences of the global financial crisis, more than half of the respondents stated that they expect to remit less.