Aspiring to Success: The Influence of Reference Group Choice on Economic Reintegration of Return Rural Migrants in China

This study explores the social-psychological dimension beyond socioeconomic factors traditionally used to explain the economic reintegration of return rural migrants in China, with particular focus on the role of reference group choice. Studying reintegration is important given its influence on the well-being of the huge number of return migrants and their families and the economic development of their rural home communities. Using logistic and ordinary least squares regression to analyze 2018 data from the Chinese Household Income Project, I find that return rural migrants who compare themselves with urban residents are less likely to work in agriculture, more likely to be self-employed, and more likely to work longer hours. By aligning themselves with urban residents, return rural migrants are inspired toward higher achievement. These findings contribute to our understanding of the economic reintegration of return rural migrants in China and have strong implications for economic development in rural China.