Geographic Thinking & Analysis Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering Unit 1 geographic concepts, types of maps, data collection, spatial analysis, HEI theories, scales of analysis, and regional types.

Reference Maps

Maps that show general geographic information, such as political, physical, or road maps.

Thematic Maps

Maps designed to show specific data or spatial patterns.

Choropleth Map

A thematic map that uses colors or shading to show data values across regions.

Dot Distribution Map

A thematic map that uses dots to show the location or quantity of a phenomenon.

Graduated/Proportional Symbol Map

A thematic map that uses symbols of different sizes to represent varying quantities of data.

Isoline Map

A thematic map that uses connecting lines to show areas of equal value.

Absolute Location

An exact spot on Earth measured using latitude and longitude (e.g., New York City at 40.7°N, 74.0°W).

Relative Location

The position of a place in comparison to other places (e.g., NYC is 'between Boston and Philadelphia').

Map Scale

The ratio between the size of an area on a map and its actual size in the real world.

Large Scale Map

A map that shows a smaller area with a large amount of detail (e.g., a map of a school campus).

Small Scale Map

A map that shows a larger area with a small amount of detail (e.g., a map of the entire United States).

Mercator Projection

A map projection that preserves true direction well, but distorts the size and location of landmasses.

Peters Projection

A map projection that focuses more on true landmass size, but distorts shape and direction.

Robinson Projection

A compromise map projection between Mercator and Peters that features small amounts of distortion across all properties rather than one major distortion.

Quantitative Geographic Data

Objective geographic information represented by numerical values, such as population counts.

Qualitative Geographic Data

Subjective geographic information represented by descriptive data, such as interviews.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A system that combines and analyzes different layers of geographic data (e.g., roads, buildings, weather patterns, population density, terrain).

Space

The physical characteristics of a geographic location measured mathematically.

Place

The human meaning and emotional attachment given to a specific location.

Site

The internal physical and spatial characteristics of a specific place.

Situation

The external relationships and relative position of a place in connection to surrounding areas.

Toponym

The name given to a specific place on Earth.

Placelessness

A condition in which a location lacks individual identity, distinctiveness, or uniqueness.

Distance Decay

The concept that spatial interaction and connection between two locations decrease as distance between them increases.

Time-Space Compression

The perception that the world is smaller due to increased speed of communication and transportation technology.

Sustainability

The effort to use and preserve natural resources in a way that ensures their availability for future generations.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the natural landscape (the built environment).

Environmental Determinism

An outdated theoretical viewpoint asserting that natural environmental conditions strictly dictate and shape human culture and behavior.

Possibilism

The modern viewpoint that while the natural environment can limit or guide human actions, humans have the ability to adapt and modify their environment.

Scale of Analysis

The spatial scale or coverage level of a dataset being analyzed, categorized as global, regional, national, or local.

Data Aggregation

The method by which data is organized and grouped at different scales of analysis.

Formal Region

A geographic area characterized by uniform, shared traits (such as language or religion) with distinct boundaries; also known as a uniform or homogeneous region.

Functional Region

A region organized around a central node or focal point, defined by a specific activity across the area (e.g., a pizza delivery area); also known as a nodal region.

Perceptual Region

A region based on people's shared mental beliefs, attitudes, and feelings about an area with vague boundaries (e.g., 'The South'); also known as a vernacular region.