Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography Practice Exam

What are push factors in migration?

1. Opportunities for employment

2. Incentives for improvement

3. Factors such as war, high crime, or overcrowding

4. Cultural attractions in a new region

The correct answer is: Factors such as war, high crime, or overcrowding

Push factors in migration refer to conditions that drive individuals to leave their current residence. These factors are typically negative aspects of a person's home environment that compel them to seek a better situation elsewhere. This can include situations of conflict, such as war or civil unrest, as well as societal issues like high crime rates, economic instability, or even environmental factors such as overcrowding. When examining the correct choice, the mention of war, high crime, and overcrowding encapsulates these negative circumstances that force people to leave their homes in search of safety, security, and better living conditions. Other options, while relevant to the broader context of migration, do not accurately describe push factors. Opportunities for employment and cultural attractions represent aspects that may attract individuals to a new place (often known as pull factors), which is the opposite of what push factors represent. Incentives for improvement may suggest motivational aspects for relocation but do not capture the compelling, negative reasons that push individuals away from their current location.