Modifiable Areal Unit Problem

Abstract

Coined by geographers during the 1970s, the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) is one of the most stubborn problems in spatial analysis when spatially aggregated data are used. Data tabulated for different spatial scale levels or according to different zonal systems for the same region will not provide consistent analysis results. Since spatially aggregated data are often used not just in geographical research, but also in other social science and physical science disciplines, the MAUP has broad impacts. The MAUP effects are functions of the underlying spatial distribution of the data, and their spatial relationships to the spatial scale hierarchy and zonal systems. Several general approaches have been suggested to handle the MAUP. They include simply acknowledging its presence and possibly conducting multiscale and multizonal systems analyses to show the range of possible results. The other extreme is to develop scale-independent or insensitive analytical techniques, but it has little success. One potential direction is to develop a general framework to address the underlying processes of the MAUP. Based upon this framework, specific solutions may be developed.