AP Human Geography: Unit 3 Chapter 6 - Vocabulary (Concepts of Culture)

Culture

The beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and technologies shared by a society and passed down from generation to generation.

Culture trait

A shared object or cultural practice.

Acculturation

The process by which people within one culture adopt some of the traits of another while still retaining their own distinct culture.

Assimilation

A 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.

Cultural Ecology

The study of how human cultures adapt to and interact with their environment, emphasizing the relationship between cultural practices and the natural world.

Cultural Landscape

A natural landscape modified by humans, reflecting their cultural beliefs and values.

Cultural Relativism

The evaluation of a culture by its own standards.

Ethnocentrism

The tendency of ethnic groups to evaluate other groups according to preconceived ideas originating from their own culture.

Sequent Occupancy

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

The state of belonging to a group of people who share common cultural characteristics.

Ethnic neighborhood

A cultural landscape within a community of people outside of their areas of origin.