APHuG Unit 1 Vocabulary Terms

Absolute Direction

Compass direction such as north, south, east, or west.

Absolute Distance

Exact measurement of the physical space between two places.

Absolute Location

Exact position of a place on Earth using coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude).

Arithmetic Density

Total number of people divided by the total land area.

Cartogram

Map distorted to show size of areas based on a specific statistic.

Cartography

The science and practice of making maps.

Choropleth Map

Thematic map using colors or shading to represent data in predefined areas.

Clustered (Agglomerated)

Settlement pattern where buildings are close together, surrounded by fields.

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid, widespread spread of a feature through direct person-to-person contact.

Cultural Landscape

Human modifications to the environment that reflect cultural beliefs and practices.

Diffusion

Process of a feature or idea spreading from one place to another over time.

Dispersed (Scattered)

Settlement pattern with buildings spread out over a large area.

Distance Decay

Decline in importance of a phenomenon as distance from its origin increases.

Distribution

Arrangement of features or phenomena across Earth's surface.

Dot Map

Map where dots represent occurrences of a variable.

Environmental Determinism

Theory that the environment shapes human behavior and activities.

Expansion Diffusion

Spread of an idea in a snowball effect, without people moving.

Formal Region (Uniform Region)

Area where everyone shares one or more distinct characteristics.

Functional Region (Nodal Region)

Area organized around a central node or focal point.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

Computer system for capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographic data.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

System using satellites to determine precise location on Earth.

Globalization

Process of something becoming worldwide in scope and impact.

Hearth

Place where an idea or innovation originates.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread from important people or large areas to others.

Isoline Map

Map using lines to connect points of equal value.

Maps

Tools to represent and communicate information about Earth's surface.

Map Projection

Method of showing Earth's curved surface on a flat map.

Mental Map (Cognitive Map)

A person's internal representation of places and spatial relationships.

Pattern (Linear, Centralized, Random)

Arrangement of objects in space.

Perceptual Region (Vernacular Region)

Region defined by people's cultural perceptions and identities.

Physiological Density

Number of people per unit of arable (farmable) land.

Possibilism

Theory that humans can adjust and choose actions despite environmental limits.

Proportional Symbol Map (Graduated Symbol)

Map where symbol size reflects the amount of the mapped variable.

Reference Map

Map showing general information about locations.

Region

Area defined by unique trends or features (formal, functional, or perceptual).

Relative Direction

Directions based on perception (left, right, forward, backward).

Relative Distance

Approximate measurement of space between two places.

Relative Location

Position of a place relative to other locations.

Relocation Diffusion

Spread of a feature through physical movement of people.

Remote Sensing

Gathering Earth's data from satellites or aircraft.

Scale

Level of analysis (local, regional, national, global).

Sequent Occupance

Successive habitation over time, leaving cultural layers.

Site

Physical characteristics of a place.

Situation

Location of a place relative to other places and features.

Spatial

Related to space or location on Earth's surface.

Spatial Interaction

Movement of people, goods, or information between places.

Stimulus

Diffusion Spread of an idea's underlying principle, even if specific traits are rejected.

Sustainability

Using resources in ways that meet current needs without harming the future.

Thematic Map

Map focusing on one theme or variable (dot, isoline, choropleth, proportional symbol).

Time-Space Compression

Reduction in time for something to spread due to improved transportation and communication.

Toponym (Place Name)

Name given to a location on Earth.