Prepare for the MCAT Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Immigration is defined as the influx of new people to a specific area. This process involves individuals moving into a country or region from another country or region, often seeking better opportunities, such as employment, education, or refuge from adverse conditions. The term specifically highlights the arrival and settlement of new immigrants in a given place, thereby contributing to its demographic composition.

In this context, understanding immigration involves distinguishing it from related concepts like emigration, which refers to individuals leaving their original area, and internal migration, which is movement within one country. Each term has distinct implications for population dynamics and cultural integration, but immigration specifically emphasizes the aspect of new population arrivals. This is crucial for analyzing trends in population growth, cultural diversity, and social changes in societies experiencing immigration.