Human Geo- Unit 3

Ch. 6-8

Culture-

The beliefs, values and practices shared by a group of people.

Some examples could be norms and values which change completely depending on your culture.

Cultural trait-

A shared physical object or cultural practice.

One example could be an iphone. It is a worldwide well known physical thing changing culture forever.

Artifacts-

A visible item or technology with high cultural value.

One example would be the terracotta army in China which is a big piece of culture for China.

Sociofacts-

A factor or structure that influences large scale social behavior.

One example of a sociofact can be the school system in the US which brings millions of students together each year to learn.

Mentifacts-

A central enduring element of culture that reflects shared ideas and values.

One example is the concept in time where in western culture is a linear resource while in indigenous it is fluid or relationship driven.

Popular culture-

The widespread behaviors and beliefs of normal people.

One example could be the MCU because it has shaped how cinemas work and billions of fans.

Traditional culture-

The long established cultural behaviors and beliefs passed down for generations.

One example could be the Japanese tea ceremony, a highly structured and choreographed making and drinking of green tea.

Cultural norms-

A shared norm or pattern that guides the behavior of a group of people.

One example could be turning to face the door in an elevator. You might not notice it but everyone faces the door.

Ethnocentrism-

The tendency for ethnic groups to evaluate either based on their own beliefs.

One example could be driving on the “wrong” side of the road because everyone is biased towards their own way.

Cultural relativism-

The evaluation of a culture based on its own standards.

One example is eating insects it is very normal in places like Mexico but thought of as unhygienic by our culture

Cultural landscapes-

A landscape that has been modified by humans to match their values and or beliefs.

One example is central park in New York completely man made to make New York seem a little more natural.

Sequent occupance-

The notion that the more successful a country is the more of an impact it makes on the landscape.

One example is Mexico city which has layers from toltechs, aztecs and spanish settlers.

Ethnicity-

The state belongs to a certain group of people based on cultural characteristics.

One example is if you have European ancestry some ethnic groups you could be a part of are Italian, German and English.

Ethnic neighborhoods-

A cultural landscape within a community of people outside their area of origin

One example could be Chinatown San Francisco which was the first Chinatown in North America with its historical architecture and trade markets.

Traditional architecture-

Long established behaviors and beliefs passed down through generations.

One example can be the parthenon in Greece built thousands of years ago.

Postmodern architecture-

A building style that emerged from “modern” designs.

One example is the Portland building in Portland Oregon which still looks modern to this day even after being built 40 years ago.

Religion-

A system of spiritual beliefs that influences cultural perceptions, values and beliefs.

One example is christianity which is a universal religion following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Pilgrimage-

A journey to a holy place for spiritual reasons.

One example of a pilgrimage is

Language-

A distinct form of communication between humans.

One example of a language is Spanish, the 3rd most spoken language globally.

Toponyms-

A places name

An example is “Castle View High School” simple as that.