Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes

Social norms

Group-held beliefs about how members should behave in a given context

Cultural traits

Behaviors passed from one generation to another, including customs, language, religion, and skills

Cultural complex

A group of people sharing a unique combination of cultural traits

Cultural system

A group of cultural complexes which share common traits

Cultural region

An area in which people share the same culture, which usually means the same history, beliefs, and languages

Cultural realm

The combination of several cultural regions

Vernacular region

A region determined by people's mental images, or perceptions, of places

Formal region

A formal region is an area whose defining characteristic, such as climate or the nationality of people who live there, is found throughout the region

Functional region

A region that is linked by a particular activity or function, such as a transportation system or an economic activity, and organized around a central point, or node, which is connected to places within the region

Node

A central point or focal area that serves as a hub for activities, interactions, and connections within a functional or nodal region

Folkways

Stories, oral histories, or other writings that reflect the values of a particular culture

Material culture

The physical objects that a culture creates, such as buildings, tools, and goods

Nonmaterial culture

The abstract human creations of society (such as attitudes, beliefs, and values) that help define a culture