Paper Info
Title
How GIS can help address the uncertain geographic context problem in social science research.
Abstract
The uncertain geographic context problem (UGCoP), first articulated by Kwan (2012; The uncertain geographic context problem. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 102 (5), 958-968), refers to the problem that findings about the effects of area-based contextual variables on individual behaviors or outcomes may be affected by how contextual units (e.g., neighborhoods) are geographically delineated and the extent to which these areal units deviate from the true geographic context. It is a significant methodological problem because it means that analytical results can differ for different delineations of contextual units even if everything else is the same. Drawing upon Kwan (2012) and recent social science studies (especially environmental health and neighborhood effects research), this article further elaborates on the nature of the UGCoP and explores how recent advances in geographical information system (GIS) and geospatial technologies can help address the problem. It discusses possible means for mitigating the UGCoP, especially with regard to the collection of detailed individual space-time data with global positioning systems, construction of individual activity spaces, and the use of qualitative and web-based GIS to capture people's activity locations and everyday experiences. It also discusses the challenges for future research that seeks to address the UGCoP. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Year
DOI
Venue
2012
10.1080/19475683.2012.727867
Annals of GIS
Keywords
Field
DocType
environmental health,geographic context,neighborhood effects,ugcop,uncertain geographic context problem
Information system,Social science,Geospatial analysis,Data mining,Annals,Geography,GIS and public health
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
18
4
19475691
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
14
1.99
4
Authors
1
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Mei-Po Kwan133645.13