Human Geography

Week 1

4 W’s of Geography

Why, How, What, Where

“What’s Where, Why there, and Why care”

Space

Aerial extent of something, absolute and relative

Absolute: Measured in units

Relative: Measured by perception, experience, knowledge, and differs between observers

Scale

Territorial extent of analysis

Location

A point in space, absolute, relative, and nominal

Absolute: Same between observers

Relative: Varies between observers, usually in reference to another location

Nominal: Identity according to commonly known names

Note Site and Situation

Place

A location which has acquired meaning or significance, note sense of place

Sense of Place: A place that elicits a communal sense of attachment

Region

An area containing shared characteristics, physical or cultural. 3 types:

Regionalization: Process of classifying or differentiating regions

Formal Region: Every location or person exhibits a common characteristic

Functional Region: Organized around a focal point, characteristics decrease as distance from focal point increases

Vernacular (Perceptual) Region: A region defined by cultural identity

Distance

The space between two entities; basis for describing diversity within an area. Both Absolute and Relative

Absolute Distance: Measured in units

Relative Distance: Measured through experience. Relative distance is affected by time, money, and state of mind.

Distance affects our interactions with places

3 Key Concepts of Spatial Organization

Interaction, Communication, and Movement

How to describe the Concepts of Spatial Organization

Distribution, Diffusion, Spatial Interaction

Distribution

Patterns identified through varying distances between objects. Understood through Density, Concentration, and Pattern

Density: Frequency of phenomenon within area

Concentration: How phenomena are spread through the area (clustered or dispersed)

Pattern: Geographic arrangement of phenomena in space

Diffusion

The process of geographic phenomena spreading over time. One of two ways to understand connections between people and places

Cultural Diffusion + Types

The spread of an idea or innovation from its source (hearth) outward. There are two forms:

Relocation Diffusion: Geographic phenomena are physically moved to a new location (migration, trade)

Expansion Diffusion: Spread of ideas or innovations without the movement of people

Expansion Diffusion + Types

Spread of ideas or innovation without the movement of people. There are two forms:

Contagios Diffusion (Nearest Neighbor): Spreading of an innovation or idea through contact from person to person

Heirarchical Diffusion: Spreading of an idea or innovation top-down from influential people

Interaction

The movement and flow of people, goods, information or services between places, driven by functional relationships between places.

Can be affected by Distance and Site-specific qualities like Accessibility and Connectivity

Tobler’s First Law of Geography

Everything is related to each other, but closer things are more related than distant things

Distance Decay

The effect of distance on spatial interactions; interactions decrease as distance increases.

Friction of Distance

Ideas and people have more difficulty spreading as distance increases

Accessibility

Relative ease of interaction + communication

Connectivity

Direct or indirect linkages between two or more locations (telephone wires, roads, trails)

Maps

Representations of the earth’s surface and its geographic features

Also subject to bias as the map maker can leave out place names, or it can be distorted by the culture that makes it

Global Grid

Two imaginary arc systems to create a grid in absolute space

Latitude: Distance from the equator is measured in angles. Sun’s relative position sets the equator (horizontal)

Longitude: Political decisions set the prime meridian and date line (vertical)

Map Scale

Relates map distance to absolute distance