On the sensitivities to the modifiable areal unit problem

The impacts of the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) on the analysis results have long been documented in empirical studies of many disciplines, in particular, the diversified appearance and degrees of sensitivities of geographical variables and observations. Despite diligent efforts, there remains epistemological insufficiency in expressing sensitivities to the MAUP in a unified and consistent manner, compromising the clarity and reliability of the analysis results. To address this issue, a conceptual and methodological framework has been proposed to systematically define and quantify the sensitivities of a geographical observation to different aspects of the MAUP in a probability-based approach, exemplified by demographic, socio-economic, and environmental datasets. The proposed framework aims to provide a theoretically grounded foundation for unambiguous communication and more in-depth investigations of MAUP-related sensitivity analyses, promoting more rigorous and replicable geographical research involving spatially aggregated data.