Unit 1 / Introduction to Geography / Modules 3-6

border zone

A region where cultural markers overlap and blend into a recognizable border culture

contagious diffusion

The wavelike spread of ideas in the manner of a contagious disease or forest fire, moving throughout space without regard for hierarchy

contested boundaries

Boundaries that are disputed for religious, political, or cultural reasons

cultural landscape

The built forms that cultural groups create in inhabiting Earth — farm fields, cities, houses, and so on — and the meaning, values, representations, and experiences associated with those forms

diffusion

The pattern by which a phenomenon such as the movement of people, or their ideas, technologies, or preferences, spreads from a particular location through space and time

ecosystem

A territorially bounded system consisting of the interaction between humans and the environment

environmental determinism

The belief that the physical environment is the dominant force shaping cultures and that humanity is a passive product of its physical surroundings

expansion diffusion

Occurs when ideas or practices spread throughout a population, from area to area, in a snowballing process, so that the total number of knowers or users and the areas of occurrence increase

formal (uniform) region

A geographical area inhabited by people who have one or more traits in common

friction of distance

The inhibiting effect of distance on the intensity and volume of most forms of human interaction; time-space compression diminishes friction of distance

functional (nodal) region

A geographic area that has been organized to function politically, socially, culturally, or economically as one unit

global scale analysis

Geographic scale that looks at geographic phenomena across the entire world

greenhouse effect

The global warming trend caused by rising levels of carbon dioxide

greenhouse gases

Compounds in the atmosphere from fossil-fuel combustion, such as carbon dioxide, that absorb and trap heat energy close to Earth's surface

hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from one important person, community, or city to another, bypassing other persons, communities, or rural areas

interdependence

The ties established between regions and countries that over time collectively create a global economic system that is not necessarily based on equality

local scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a state or province, a city or town, or a neighborhood

mental map

A personal representation of a portion of Earth's surface

metropolitan area

An area composed of a heavily populated urban core and its less populated surrounding areas

national scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a specific country

natural resources

Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain

nodes

Central points where the functions of a functional region are coordinated and directed

nonrenewable resources

Natural resources that are available on Earth in finite quantities and will eventually be used up

perceptual / vernacular region

A geographic area that is perceived to exist by its inhabitants, based on the widespread acceptance and use of a unique regional name

place

How we modify space based on who we are as a group of people

possibilism

The belief that any physical environment offers a number of possible ways for a society to develop and that humans can find ways to overcome environmental challenges

region

A geographical unit based on one or more common characteristics or functions

regional analysis

The process of examining patterns and processes within and between regions at multiple geographic scales (local, national, regional, and global)

regional identity

The awareness of belonging to a group of people within a region

regional scale analysis

Geographic scale that identifies and analyzes geographic phenomena within a particular region

relative location

The position of one place (or person) in relation to the position of another place (or person)

relocation diffusion

Occurs when individuals or groups with a particular idea or practice migrate from one location to another, thereby bringing the idea or practice to their new homeland

renewable resources

Natural resources that Earth will naturally replenish over time

reverse hierarchical diffusion

Occurs when ideas leapfrog from a lower level of a hierarchy to a higher level

sense of place

How a person feels about a particular place and why it is important to them

space

The areas we occupy as humans; it has no value until the people who occupy it make it their own

stimulus diffusion

Occurs when a specific trait is rejected, but the underlying idea is accepted

time-space compression

The decreasing distance between places, as measured by travel time or cost; often summarized by the phrase "the world is shrinking"