AP Human Geography - Unit 3: Lessons 6-8 Vocabulary

Vocabulary for Unit 3 of the textbook, Human Geography- A spatial Perspective (AP Edition)

Culture

Beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and technology shared by a society and passed down from generation to generation

Cultural Trait

Activities that most people in a culture do

Artifacts

Visible objects and technologies

Sociofacts

Structures and organizations that influence social behavior

Mentifacts

The central, enduring elements of a culture that reflect its shared ideas, values, knowledge, and beliefs—are the slowest to change

Popular Culture

The widespread behaviors, beliefs, and practices of ordinary people in society at a given point in time

Traditional Culture

long-established behaviors, beliefs, and practices passed down from generation to generation

Cultural Norms

shared standards and patterns that guide the behavior of a group of people

Ethnocentrism

The tendency of ethnic groups to evaluate other groups' accord

Cultural Relativism

The evaluation of a culture solely by its unique standards

Cultural Landscape

A natural landscape that has been modified by humans reflecting their cultural beliefs and values

Identity

Show humans make sense of themselves and how they wish to be viewed by others

Sequent Occupance

The notion that successive societies leave behind their cultural imprint, a collection of evidence about human character and experiences within a geographic region, which shapes the cultural landscape

Ethnicity

State of belonging to a group of people who share common cultural characteristics

Ethnic Neighborhoods

Cultural landscapes within communities of people outside of their areas of origin

Traditional Architecture

Established building styles of different cultures, religions, and places

Postmodern Architecture

A style of building design that emerged in the mid-to-late 20th century as a reaction against the simplicity and functionalism of modern architecture.

Religion

A system of spiritual beliefs that helps form cultural perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and values

Pilgrimage

A journey to a holy place for spiritual reasons

Language

Carrier of human thoughts and cultural identities

Toponyms

Place names - define what is unique about a place

Gendered Spaces

Spaces designed and deliberately incorporated into the landscape to accommodate gender roles

Gender Identity

One's innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both, or neither

Safe Spaces

Spaces of acceptance for people such as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who are sometimes marginalized by society

Gentrification

Renovations and improvements conforming to middle-class preferences

Third Place

Communal spaces that are separate from home (first place) or work (second place)

Sense of Place

The feeling or perception of a location, shaped by a combination of its physical, social, and emotional characteristics, and how people interact

Placemaking

Community-driven process in which people collaborate to create a place where they can live, work, play, and learn.

Dialects

Variation of a standard language specific to a general area (NOT AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE)

Adherents

People who are loyal to a belief, religion, or organization

Denominations

Separate organizations that unite a number of local congregations

Sect

A relatively small group that has separated from an established denomination

Centrifugal Force

A force that divides groups of people

Centripetal Force

A force that unites a group of people

Chapter 7

Diffusion

The process by which a cultural trait spreads from one place to another over time

Cultural Hearth

The place where a trait originates and initially diffuses from

Expansion Diffusion

When an aspect of culture spreads outward from where it originated

Contagious Diffusion

Occurs when an idea or cultural trait spreads adjacently

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread of an idea or trait from a person or place of authority to other people or places

Stimulus Diffusion

Occurs when the fundamental idea behind a cultural trait stimulates a new innovation

Lingua Franca

Common language used among speakers of different languages

Creolization

Interactions between cultures can result in two or more cultural elements blending

Cultural Convergence

As cultures interact with one another, they become more similar, sharing and adopting one another's ideas, innovations, and other cultural traits

Cultural Divergence

Conflicting beliefs or other barriers can cause two cultures to become less similar

Acculturation

Where people within one culture adopt some of the traits of another while still retaining their own distinct culture

Assimilation

The category of acculturation in which the interaction of two cultures results in one culture adopting almost all of the customs, traditions, language, and other cultural traits of the other. **negative connotation

Syncretism

Traits from two or more cultures blend together to form a new custom, idea, value, or practice.

Multiculturalism

Coexistence of multiple cultural groups in a society, where each culture is acknowledged, preserved, and often celebrated.

Cultural Appropriation

The act of adopting elements of another culture

Collectivist Cultures

Where people are expected to conform to collective responsibility within the family and to be obedient to and respectful of elder family members.