AP HUG Unit 3 (Cultural Patterns and Processes)

Three primary cultural traits and characteristics

Architecture, Land Use, Food Preferences

long-lot settlement pattern

a linear settlement pattern in which each farm stead is situated at one end of a long, narrow rectangular lot; each lot has access to a major linear resource, usually a river or a major road

material culture

the physical, visible objects made and used by members of cultural group; includes buildings, furniture, clothing, food, artwork, and musical instruments

nonmaterial culture

intangible elements of culture including a wide range of beliefs, value, myths, and symbolic meanings passed from generation to generation within a given society

cultural trait

a single aspect of a given culture or society

local culture

rural, ethnically homogenous culture that is deeply connected to the land

folk/indigenous culture

a local culture that is no longer the dominant ethnic group within its traditional homeland because of migration, colonization, or political marginalization

popular culture

heterogenous culture that is more influenced by key urban areas and quick to adopt new technologies

cultural attitudes

concepts and ideas in a society that are shaped by cultural opinions, beliefs, and perspectives

language

a mutually agreed-upon system of symbolic communication

polyglot

a person who is fluent in more than two languages

religion

a structured set of beliefs and practices through which people seek mental and physical harmony with the powers of the universe

ethnic group

a people of common ancestry and cultural tradition; characterized by a strong feeling of group identity

race

historically defined by the physical characteristics of a group, especially skin color

ethnic geography

the study of the spatial aspects of ethnicity

multiculturalism

a set of policies that promote the active participation and inclusion of minority groups in national histories, national politics, and cultural institutions with the goal of embracing difference within society

ethnocentric approach

an approach to understanding other cultures that evaluates them from the perspective of the observer's culture

cultural relativism

An approach to understanding other cultures that seeks to understand individuals and cultures from a wider perspective of cultural logic