HUMAN GEOGRAPHY VOCAB

Linguistics

The scientific study of language, including its structure, usage, and development over time.

Sequent Occupance

A concept that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape.

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the physical environment.

Ethnic Neighborhoods

Urban areas where people of a specific ethnicity cluster together, forming communities that reflect their cultural heritage.

Indigenous Communities

Culturally distinct groups of people who are the original inhabitants of a region.

Centripetal Cultural Forces

Forces that unify a society and promote stability, such as a shared language or national identity.

Centrifugal Cultural Forces

Forces that divide a society and create conflict or instability.

Cultural Hearth

The origin or birthplace of a cultural trait, idea, or practice that spreads to other regions.

Cultural Relativism

The principle of understanding and evaluating cultural practices within their own context.

Cultural Imperialism

The dominance of one culture over another, leading to the diminishing of local culture.

Acculturation

The process through which individuals adopt aspects of a different culture while retaining elements of their original culture.

Assimilation

The process through which individuals fully adopt the culture of another society.

Mental Map

A person's internalized representation of the world based on knowledge and experiences.

Formal Region

An area defined by measurable traits, such as climate or political boundaries.

Functional Region

An area organized around a central node or focal point.

Perceptual Region

A region defined by people's perceptions or cultural identity.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size an environment can sustain without degrading its resources.

Demographic Transition Model

A model that describes the stages of population growth and decline as societies develop.

Neomalthusian

A perspective emphasizing the need to address population growth and resource strain.

Pronatalist

Policies that encourage higher birth rates.

Antinatalist

Policies aimed at reducing birth rates.

Push Factors

Negative conditions that drive people to leave a place.

Pull Factors

Positive conditions that attract people to a new place.

Absolute Location

The precise geographic coordinates of a place.

Relative Location

A place's location in relation to other landmarks.

Sustainability

The practice of meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.

Thematic Maps

Maps that focus on specific topics or themes.

Social Revolution

A significant shift in societal structures or norms.

Arable Land

Land that is fertile and suitable for agriculture.

Industrial Revolution

A period of rapid industrialization marked by technological innovation.

Diffusion

The process by which cultural elements spread from one place to another.

Spatial

Relating to the arrangement of places or phenomena on the Earth's surface.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of a cultural trait through the physical movement of people.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea from nodes of authority to others.

Contagious Diffusion

The rapid spread of a cultural trait through a population.

Environmental Determinism

The theory that the physical environment shapes human behavior and culture.

Possibilism

The belief that human culture can overcome environmental challenges.

Doubling Time

The amount of time it takes for a population to double in size.

Demography

The scientific study of population characteristics.

Cartography

The art and science of creating maps.

Rural

Areas characterized by low population density and agriculture.

Urban

Areas with high population density and development.

Urbanization

The process by which rural areas transform into urban areas.

Overpopulation

A situation where population exceeds environmental capacity.

Physiologic Density

The number of people per unit of arable land.

Arithmetic Density

Total number of people divided by total land area.

Bosnywash

A term referring to the urbanized corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C.

Megalopolis

A large urban area formed by merging several metropolitan areas.

Refugee

A person forced to flee their country due to safety threats.

Bioengineering

The application of engineering to biological systems.

Pesticides

Chemicals used to eliminate pests.

Herbicides

Chemicals used to kill unwanted plants.