Modifiable temporal unit problem

Flowchart illustrating selected units of time. The graphic also shows the three celestial objects that are related to the units of time.

The Modified Temporal Unit Problem (MTUP) is a source of statistical bias that occurs in time series and spatial analysis when using temporal data that has been aggregated into temporal units.[1][2] In such cases, choosing a temporal unit (e.g., days, months, years) can affect the analysis results and lead to inconsistencies or errors in statistical hypothesis testing.[3]

  1. ^ Cheng, Tao; Adepeju, Monsuru; Preis, Tobias (27 June 2014). "Modifiable Temporal Unit Problem (MTUP) and Its Effect on Space-Time Cluster Detection". PLOS ONE. 9 (6): e100465. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100465. PMC 4074055. PMID 24971885.
  2. ^ Jong, R. de; Bruin, S. de (5 January 2012). "Linear trends in seasonal vegetation time series and the modifiable temporal unit problem". Biogeosciences. 9: 71–77. doi:10.5194/bg-9-71-2012.
  3. ^ Deckard, Mica; Schnell, Cory (22 October 2022). "The Temporal (In)Stability of Violent Crime Hot Spots Between Months and The Modifiable Temporal Unit Problem". Crime & Delinquency. 69 (6–7): 1312–1335. doi:10.1177/00111287221128483.