AP HUGE Unit 3 Cultural Patterns and Processes

acculturation

The adoption of cultural traits, such as language, by one group under the influence of another.

adherents

believers, followers

artifacts

objects created by and used by humans

assimilation

the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another

Buddhism

Belief system that started in India in the 500s BC. Happiness can be achieved through removal of one's desires. Believers seek enlightenment and the overcoming of suffering.

Centrifugal Force

a force that divides people and countries

Centripetal Force

An attitude that tends to unify people and enhance support for a state

Christianity

A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

Collectivist Cultures

societies that prize social harmony, obedience, and close family connectedness over individual achievement

Contagious Diffusion

rapid spread of of ideas or cultural traits among all social classes and levels of a population

Creolization

the blending of two or more languages that may not include the features of either original language

cultural appropriation

the adoption of cultural elements from another culture

cultural convergence

the contact and interaction of one culture with another

Cultural Hearth

a center where cultures developed and from which ideas and traditions spread outward

cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape/environment

cultural norms

behavior patterns that are typical of specific groups

cultural relativism

the practice of judging a culture by its own standards

cultural trait

an idea or way of doing things that is common in a certain culture

culture

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next

denominations

big groups of congregations that share the same faith and are governed under one administrative umbrella

dialiect

A version of a language that reflects speech changes related to class, region, or other cultural changes

diffusion

The process of spread of a feature or trend from one place to another over time

ethnic neighborhoods

an area within a city containing members of the same ethnic background

ethnic religions

Religions found among people of one ethnic group and that generally have not spread into other cultures

ethnicity

Identity with a group of people that share distinct physical and mental traits as a product of common heredity and cultural traditions.

ethnocentrism

belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of an innovation or an idea through a population in an area in such a way that the number of those influenced grows continuously larger, resulting in an expanding area of dissemination.

gender identity

one's sense of being male or female

gendered spaces

places that are considered male or female, or even gender neutral.
Example: Restrooms, Retail Spaces and Stores, Gyms, Kitchens, Boardrooms, Workspaces, and Private Clubs

gentrification

The rehabilitation of deteriorated, often abandoned, housing of low-income inner-city residents.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places

Hinduism

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms

identity

the ways in which humans make sense of themselves and how they wish to be viewed by others

Islam

A religion based on the teachings of the prophet Mohammed which stresses belief in one god (Allah), Paradise and Hell, and a body of law written in the Quran. Followers are called Muslims.

Isolate

to separate from others

Judaism

A religion with a belief in one god. It originated with Abraham and the Hebrew people. Yahweh was responsible for the world and everything within it. They preserved their early history in the Old Testament.

language

A system of communication through the use of speech, a collection of sounds understood by a group of people to have the same meaning.

language branch

A collection of languages related through a common ancestor that existed several thousand years ago. Differences are not as extensive or as old as with language families, and archaeological evidence can confirm that the branches derived from the same family.

language family

A collection of languages related to each other through a common ancestor long before recorded history.

language groups

A collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in the relatively recent past and display relatively few differences in grammar and vocabulary.

Lingua Franca

a language used among speakers of different languages for the purposes of trade and commerce

mentifacts

The ideas and beliefs of a society (religious beliefs, attitudes)

Multiculturalism

The practice of valuing and respecting differences in culture.

pilgrimage

A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes.

placemaking

The deliberate shaping of an environment to facilitate social interaction and improve a community's quality of life.

popular culture

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

Postmodern Architecture

a building style that emerged as a reaction to "modern" designs, and values diversity in design

religion

the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

safe spaces

a space of acceptance for people who are sometimes marginalized by society

sect

a subgroup of a major religious group

secularized

focused on worldly rather than spiritual concerns

sense of place

State of mind derived through the infusion of a place with meaning and emotion by remembering important events that occurred in that place or by labeling a place with a certain character.

sequent occupance

the notion that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape

Sikhism

a monotheistic religion founded in Punjab in the 15th century by Guru Nanak.

sociofacts

The institutions and links between individuals and groups that unite a culture, including family structure and political, educational and religious institutions

stimulus diffusion

the process by which a cultural trait or idea spreads to another culture or region but is modified to adapt to the new culture

syncretism

a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith

third place

any informal public place where people come together regularly for conversation and camaraderie when not at work or at home

toponyms

place names

traditional architecture

traditional building styles of different cultures, religions, and places

traditional culture

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

Universalizing Religion

A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular location.