Spatial Structure, Spatial Interaction, and Their Integration: A Review of Alternative Models

Models of spatial structure, spatial interaction, and integrated location-interaction models are reviewed and the nature of their contribution to the geographer's understanding of patterns and change is explored. The main discussion focuses first on spatial structure and then on spatial interaction. Integrated models are explored in relation to six categories employed by Zeeman, the first of these being concerned with pattern, the rest with increasingly complicated aspects of dynamics. The categories are: equilibrium, ‘fast’ dynamics, ‘slow’ dynamics, feedbacks, noise, and diffusion. The argument is illustrated by examples at each stage.