Unit 1 - Thinking Geographically

Formal Region

Area defined by one or more specific characteristics uniform in the entire area.

Functional Region

Area organized around a single purpose/node

Perceptual Region (Vernacular)

Mental ideas making up a region based on ppl’s own understanding and impressions.

Culture

Learned way of life of a group of ppl, including their beliefs, traditions, behaviors…

Culture Trait

A single attribute of culture. Ex: A southern accent

Culture Complex

Combination of culture traits that work together as a complex

Cultural Hearth

Area from which cultural traits develop and from where they diffuse

Time-Distance Decay

The farther away a place is from a cultural hearth, the less likely it is to adopt an innovation or cultural traits from there.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits through a hierarchy, from larger more influential places to smaller ones.

Contagious Diffusion

Rapid spread of cultural traits to all adjacent individuals and places like a contagious disease spreading from person to person

Stimulus Diffusion

Idea/Innovation is modified to fit into local cultural conditions.

Absolute Location

Exact, precise location using latitude and longitude.

Relative Location

In relationship with another place. Ex: next to my house.

Absolute Distance

Exact and precise in terms of distance. Ex: Beverley Hills is 14.3 miles away from my house.

Relative Distance

Distance in terms of time, effort, cost, or diffs in income, rich/poor

Distance Decay

Interaction b/w 2 places decline as their distance increases.

Time-Space Compression

Increasing sense of accessibility and connectivity, being used to technologies like cellphones due to globalization.

Absolute Direction

Exact, precise, in terms of direction. NSEW

Relative Direction

Relative-relationships, like turn left at the Target.

Environmental Determinism

Belief that climate and landforms are the most powerful forces shaping human societal/cultural development.

Possibilism

Physical environment may limit some human actions but ppl have the ability to adjust to their environment.

Distortion

Shape, Area, Distance and Direction won’t be perfectly accurate on a map, and so all maps have some level of distortion.

Spatial Models

Showing density distribution

Non-spatial Models

Graphs, charts, words

Mercator

Used for navigation, but it’s poor for comparing actual land area because of distortion at poles and land.

Peters Projection

Land masses are more accurate, but distortion at poles.

Robinson

Only slight distortion with an oval shape. Good to show global data like population and climate, because of the projection’s size.

Homolosine

Interrupted projection by cutting out water to reduce distortion. It’s not used for navigation as rather it’s the most natural representation.

Smaller-Scale

More land area in less detail. Used to show global patterns.

Larger-Scale

Less land area in more detail. Used on local maps.

Cartographic Scale

Ratio of size b/w phenomenon in real world vs size reflected on maps.

Map Scale

HOW you measure (“1 inch = 10 miles”)

Analysis Scale

WHAT you study (“Studying countries vs studying neighborhoods”)

Reference Maps

Show location and help with Navi/travel. Where things are: physical features; mnts, rivers, canyons and political features; highways, cities, capitals.

Thematic Maps

Taking measurable numbers or grouped categories and displaying them to reveal geographic patterns.

Isoline Type

Usually topographic, closer the lines, the more drastic the change. Lines connect points of equal value

Dot Density

Distribution of data, each dot represents specific quantity.

Choropeth Map

Uses colors/shades/patterns to show geospatial data, shows quantified data (data that can be measured w numbers), and categorizes that into distinct groups/classes.

Cartogram

Uses size of data scale, colors/shades to show quantity of data. Usually single data set, so it focuses on one specific variable or data set.

Economic Elements

Unemployment Rates, Trade, Financial status… trade and interaction of goods and service.

Social Elements

Conditions in which ppl live in or what they might or may not have access to in a society. Access to education, healthcare, privilege… scale is mostly going to be society/country.

Environmental Elements

Regarding nature and physical geography, usually prompts include some sort of pollution of air, water, soil, noise, and light. Examples of environmental elements are climate, landforms, and human environmental interactions.

Demographic Elements

Pop. + Mig. Birth and death rates, fertility rate, carrying capacity of a society, life expectancy…

Cultural Elements

Beliefs and values of a group of ppl. Religion, race, language, sex/gender views, similar to social element.

Gender Elements

Treatment and conditions in which gender is adressed and treated. Usually in women, includes roles and expectations, equality, education..