AP Human Geography: Culture, Diffusion, and Religion Key Concepts

Culture

The shared beliefs, behaviors, and material traits of a group of people; Example: American culture includes fast food, baseball, and English language

Folklore

Traditional stories, myths, and beliefs passed down through generations; Example: Fairy tales or local legends

Cultural Trait

A single attribute of a culture, such as a practice, belief, or object; Example: Wearing a sari in India

Pop Culture

Culture found in large, heterogeneous societies that share habits despite differences; Example: Global pop music

Folk Culture

Culture traditionally practiced by a small, homogeneous group; Example: Amish communities

Ethnocentrism

Belief in the superiority of one's own culture; Example: Believing one's customs are better than others

Cultural Relativism

Evaluating a culture based on its own standards rather than comparing it to another culture; Example: Understanding why some cultures eat insects

Cultural Landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape; Example: Skyscrapers, roads, religious buildings

Place

A specific point on Earth distinguished by particular characteristics; Example: Paris

Human Characteristics

Traits of a place created by humans; Example: Language, religion, architecture

Physical Characteristics

Natural features of a place; Example: Mountains, rivers

Sense of Place

The feelings and meaning people attach to a place; Example: Feeling of home in one's neighborhood

Centripetal Forces

Forces that unify people and enhance support for a state; Example: National holidays

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that divide people and weaken support for a state; Example: Ethnic conflicts

Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits from one place to another; Example: Sushi becoming popular worldwide

Cultural Hearth

The origin or starting point of a cultural trait; Example: New York City as a hearth for hip-hop

Relocation Diffusion

Spread of culture through the physical movement of people; Example: Spanish brought to the Americas by colonists

Expansion Diffusion

Spread of a culture outward from a hearth while remaining strong at origin; Example: Christianity spreading across Europe

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread of culture from leaders or nodes of authority to other people; Example: Fashion trends from Paris designers spreading globally

Stimulus Diffusion

Spread of an underlying idea even if the original trait is rejected; Example: McDonald's menu adapting to local tastes

Lingua Franca

A language used as a common means of communication between speakers of different languages; Example: English in international business

Pidgin Language

Simplified language developed as a means of communication between speakers of different languages; Example: Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea

Creole Language

A language that evolves from a pidgin and becomes a native language; Example: Haitian Creole

Official Languages

Languages given legal status in a country; Example: French in Canada

Indo-European Language Family

A large language family including most languages of Europe, Iran, and northern India; Example: English, Spanish, Hindi

Toponym

The name given to a place on Earth; Example: New York, Mount Everest

Romance Languages

Languages derived from Latin; Example: Spanish, French, Italian

Dialect

A regional variation of a language; Example: Southern American English

Universalizing Religion

Religion that seeks to appeal to all people; Example: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism

Ethnic Religion

Religion primarily associated with a particular ethnic group; Example: Hinduism, Judaism

Monotheism

Belief in one god; Example: Islam, Christianity

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods; Example: Hinduism, Ancient Greek religion

Syncretism

Blending of two or more cultural or religious practices; Example: Voodoo combining African and Catholic traditions

Diaspora

Scattering of a population from its original homeland; Example: Jewish diaspora

Creolization

Blending of two or more cultural elements into a new cultural form; Example: Creole cuisine

Cultural Divergence

When cultures become increasingly different from each other; Example: North Korea restricting Western media

Cultural Convergence

When cultures become more alike due to interaction; Example: Western brands appearing worldwide

Taboo

A restriction on behavior imposed by social custom; Example: Prohibition of eating pork in Islam and Judaism

Imperialism

Policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization or military force; Example: British Empire in India

Indigenous Culture

Culture native to a particular region; Example: Native American tribes in the U.S.

Local Culture

A small group of people in a specific area who share customs and traditions; Example: Amish communities

Globalization

The process of increased interaction and integration of people, companies, and governments worldwide; Example: Spread of smartphones and social media

Material Culture

The physical objects, resources, and spaces people use to define their culture; Example: Clothing, buildings, and tools

Non-Material Culture

The ideas, beliefs, values, and norms that shape a society; Example: Religion, language, and etiquette

Placelessness

Loss of uniqueness in the cultural landscape; Example: Similar chain stores appearing in different countries

Genocide

Systematic killing of a group of people based on ethnicity, religion, or nationality; Example: The Holocaust

Small-Scale Processes

Cultural interactions or phenomena that occur at a local or community level; Example: Local festivals

Time-Space Convergence

The idea that the world feels smaller due to faster travel and communication; Example: Video calls connecting people globally

Cultural Regions

Areas where people share common cultural traits; Example: Latin America

Sequent Occupancy

The idea that successive societies leave cultural imprints on a landscape; Example: Rome's ancient, medieval, and modern architecture

Traditional Architecture

Buildings constructed using local materials and customs; Example: Japanese wooden houses

Modern Architecture

Buildings constructed using contemporary materials and designs; Example: Skyscrapers

Ethnicity

Identity with a group sharing cultural traditions or ancestry; Example: Hispanic, Han Chinese

Race

Classification of people based on physical traits or ancestry; Example: Black, White, Asian

Ethnic Enclaves

Neighborhoods dominated by a single ethnic group; Example: Chinatown in San Francisco

Multiculturalism

Coexistence of multiple cultures in a society; Example: Canada promoting cultural diversity

Ethnic Cleansing

Forcible removal of an ethnic group from a territory; Example: Bosnia in the 1990s

Assimilation

Process by which a minority group adopts the customs of the dominant culture; Example: Immigrants adopting English language

Hinduism

Ethnic religion originating in India; Polytheistic; worship in temples; Example: Vedas and caste system

Buddhism

Universalizing religion originating in India; Non-theistic; worship in temples; Example: Siddhartha Gautama

Sikhism

Universalizing religion originating in India; Monotheistic; worship in gurdwaras; Example: Guru Nanak

Judaism

Ethnic religion; Monotheistic; worship in synagogues; Example: Torah

Christianity (Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant)

Universalizing religion; Monotheistic; worship in churches; Example: Jesus Christ

Islam (Sunni and Shia)

Universalizing religion; Monotheistic; worship in mosques; Example: Prophet Muhammad