AP Human Geography - Unit 3 Cultural Patterns and Processes (2019 CED)

culture

all of a group's learned behaviors, actions, beliefs, and objects

cultural traits

building blocks of a culture

cultural hearth

area in which a unique culture or specific trait develops in a culture

sense of place

shared cultural traits bring homogeneity to the culture and also gives inhabitants a tie to the area where they live and gives them a sense of ownership

cultural landscape

the boundaries of a region reflect the human imprint on the environment

ethnic enclaves

clusters of people of the same culture, but surrounded by people of a culture that is dominant in the region

acculturation

an ethnic or immigrant group moving to a new area adopts the values and practices of the larger group that has received them, while still maintaining major elements of their own culture

assimilation

an ethnic group can no longer be distinguished from the receiving group

multiculturalism

coexistence of several cultures in one society

lingua franca

a common language used by people who do not share the same native language for the purpose of trade.

pidgin language

a simplified mixture of two languages

creole language

a pidgin language that has developed a more formal structure and vocabulary that has mixed two or more separate language

ethnic religions

belief traditions that emphasize strong cultural characteristics among their followers; members are born or adopted into it and they rarely recruit new members

universal religions

religions that have spread far from their original hearths because existing members feel a mandate to spread their beliefs to others

placelessness

loss of uniqueness of place in the cultural landscape so that one place looks like the next

cultural relativism

not judging a culture but trying to understand it on its own terms

ethnocentrism

evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture.

sequential occupancy

several different cultural groups have occupied that territory so you will see different layers in modern culture

traditional architecture

buildings use building materials available and reflect social/environmental customs of the people (i.e. log cabins)

postmodern architecture

a reaction in architectural design to the feeling of sterile alienation that many people get from modern architecture. Postmodernism uses older, historical styles and a sense of lightheartedness and eclecticism. Buildings combine pleasant-looking forms and playful colors to convey new ideas and to create spaces that are more people-friendly than their modernist predecessors.

ethnicity

identity with a group of people who share the cultural traditions of a particular homeland or hearth such as customs, cultural characteristics, language, and common history.

gender

the socially constructed roles and characteristics by which a culture defines male and female

ethnic neighborhood

a neighborhood, typically situated in a larger metropolitan city and constructed by or comprised of a local culture, in which a local culture can practice its customs

colonialism

the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.

imperialism

domination by one country of the political, economic, or cultural life of another country or region

indigenous community

people who are the original inhabitants of a country e.g. American Indians in USA, Maoris in New Zealand, Welsh, Scots in Britain, Anglo-Saxon in England

placemaking

the process of creating a physical environment that is comfortable and reflects one's values, experiences, and tastes. Physical environment is part of relational culture, which is the nucleus of intimacy.

centripetal force

an attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state

centrifugal force

a force that divides people and countries

syncretism

the blending traits from two different cultures to form a new trait.

toponym

the name by which a geographical place is known

globalization

the expansion of economic, political, and cultural processes to the point that they become global in scale and impact.

time-space convergence

rate at which places move closer together in travel or communication time or costs

cultural convergence

the tendency for cultures to become more alike as they increasingly share technology and organizational structures in a modern world united by improved transportation and communication.

cultural divergence

the result of the restriction of a culture from the outside cultural influences; the tendency for cultures to become increasingly dissimilar with time.

language family

a collection of languages related to each other through a common ancestor long before recorded history.

language dialect

variations of the same language used by groups of people from specific geographic areas, social groups, or ethnic backgrounds

Taboo

A restriction on behavior imposed by social custom.

Nativist

A person who favors those born in his country and is opposed to immigrants

architecture

the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.

linguistics

the scientific study of the structure, sounds, and meaning of language

urbanization

Movement of people from rural areas to cities; growth of cities

relocation diffusion

The spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another

expansion diffusion

The spread of an innovation or an idea through a population in an area in such a way that the number of those influenced grows continuously larger, resulting in an expanding area of dissemination.

contagious diffusion

The distance-controlled spreading of an idea, innovation, or some other item through a local population by contact from person to person.

hierachical diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority or power to other persons or places

stimulus diffusion

A form of diffusion in which a cultural adaptation is created as a result of the introduction of a cultural trait from another place