The Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP)

The Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP) is a potential source of error that can affect spatial studies which utilize aggregate data sources. Spatial data is aggregated to present the results of a study in useful contexts, and to keep requirements of confidentiality (such as with census data). The process of aggregation removes variation from a dataset, reducing the amount of numbers to work with. A direct result of this is that values of statistics, such as the mean, variance, correlation, and regression parameters, will change when fewer number of larger units resolution are aggregated. The problem with aggregated data comes not with the data themselves or any conclusions drawn from them, but from attempts to extend the conclusions to another level of spatial resolution (usually finer, as with individual households or people). (Reynolds, 1998).

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