Abstract
Migration is a fundamental aspect of the human condition with more than 1 billion people living as migrants. Migration encapsulates those who migrate internally within a nation or across international borders. It also includes those who voluntarily migrate and those who are forced to migrate because of dangerous conditions in their homelands. As societies are transformed through climatic and technological changes and conflict, large populations will have to grapple with the prospect of migrating. Although migration brings clear benefits, it is also disruptive for everyone involved: Migrants, the communities individuals migrate into, and the places they leave. In the present chapter, we examine the importance of the need for significance in migration. We review findings and theories from migration studies through the lens of social psychology and motivation science, as well as present empirical findings on the significance need with samples of refugees. We specifically focus on significance as a driver of migration, the role of significance in migration-related conflict, and the impact of emigration on those that are left behind by migration. The chapter ends with recommendations.
