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Research on Social Integration Structure and Path of Floating Population Based on Structural Equation Model: Evidence from China

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Abstract

The social integration of the floating population is related to the quality of urbanization. Based on the China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2017, a five-dimensional index system of physiological adaptation, economic integration, social adaptation, identity, and psychological integration is constructed to explore the floating population's social integration structure and path. The results show a close relationship between the floating population's five dimensions of social integration. Physical integration is the basis of survival, psychological integration is the highest level of integration, and economic integration is necessary for social integration. Economic integration can directly affect psychological integration and indirectly through social adaptation or identity path. In addition, economic integration first through a social adaptation intermediary and then through an identity intermediary to influence psychological integration remotely; by comparing the social integration status of the floating population and local residents, it is found that there is no significant difference between floating population and local residents only in physiological adaptation; in the high-level social integration dimension, there is a significant difference between floating population and local residents, and the floating population is not fully integrated into the local area, The phenomenon of “pseudo integration” exists in the social integration of floating population. The direction of urbanization development should be changed from quantity target to quality target.

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Notes

  1. Thanks to the National Health Commission for providing the data of China’s floating population dynamic monitoring (CMDS).

  2. To identify the model, the parameter of an observation variable and its corresponding potential variable is usually fixed as 1. In this paper, the coefficients of X1, X7, X16, X20, and X21 are selected as 1.

  3. The questionnaire framework of the local residents and the floating population is the same. This section discusses the above four dimensions. This section mainly compares the objective facts of the floating and registered populations, and the dimension of psychological integration involves subjective feelings, so it is not discussed

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Statistics and Mathematics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, 430073, China

    Hanlei Shen

  2. Hubei Center for Date and Analysis, Hubei University of Economics, Wuhan, 430205, China

    Lun **a

  3. School of Statistics and Mathematics, Hubei University of Economics, Wuhan, 430205, China

    Lun **a

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  1. Hanlei Shen
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  2. Lun **a
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Correspondence to Lun **a.

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Shen, H., **a, L. Research on Social Integration Structure and Path of Floating Population Based on Structural Equation Model: Evidence from China. Soc Indic Res 165, 607–632 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-022-03031-3

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