Media Influence and Mental Migration

This article examined the conceptual construct of media influence in migration decision-making. The term mental migration is used to refer to the intentions-behaviour relationship in migration decision-making (Gordon 1994). Migration denoted as any movement by humans from one locality to another, often over long distances in large groups. Pojman (1999), stressed that perception is the first faculty of the mind exercised about ideas; it is the first and simplest that reflection, and is by some called thinking in general. Consequently, perception influences our decisionmaking and action to be taken everyday. The rational of influence can be said as media is built from our culture, and our perception as an integral and structural part of the rationalist. There is a positive use of media in framing the relationship in migration (Merican 2005). Individual undergoes mass communication process in gaining information and knowledge through mass media. Therefore, the understanding of communication process is essential in determining the way of media in influencing decision-making. The conceptual construct of media influence and metal migration in this article is discussed with considerations of political, economic, social and cultural factors.