What analysis method connects data based only on spatial relationships, ignoring attribute data?

The chosen analysis method, Spatial Joins, focuses on connecting or combining data based solely on spatial relationships rather than considering the attributes associated with those data points. This approach allows for the analysis and aggregation of geographic features that are near one another or have a defined spatial relationship, such as overlapping or being contained within one another.

Spatial Joins are particularly useful in geographic information systems (GIS) because they enable the interpretation and understanding of spatial patterns without the influence of qualitative or quantitative attribute data. For example, a Spatial Join might involve identifying all parks that are within a certain distance of schools, giving insight into spatial relationships and proximity that could facilitate planning or resource allocation.

In contrast, the other options suggest methods that integrate or analyze data based on attribute information or network properties, which does not align with the specification of the question. For instance, Network Analysis is concerned with the connections and flow between networked data points (like roads), while Attribute Join explicitly merges datasets based on common attribute values. Overlay Analysis involves layering spatial data to examine the relationships between them, often integrating both spatial and attribute data. Therefore, Spatial Joins stand out as the method that strictly adheres to the criterion of relying solely on spatial relationships.