AP Human Geo Unit 3

Term

Definition

Cultural Trait

"A single element of normal practice in a culture

Cultural Relativism

"The idea that a culture should be understood based on that culture’s own values and beliefs

Ethnocentrism

"The tendency to judge other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture

Cultural Landscape

"The visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape

Traditional Architecture

"Building styles that reflect the cultural heritage

Postmodern Architecture

"A style that emerged in the late 20th century emphasizing creativity

Linguistic

Related to language; often used in geography to describe patterns of language use or distribution.

Ethnic Neighborhood

"An area within a city that retains cultural distinction from the larger surrounding society

Ethnicity

"A group’s shared cultural identity

Land Use Patterns

"The spatial arrangement and organization of land for various purposes like agriculture

Indigenous Communities

Groups of people native to a region who maintain cultural traditions and connections to their ancestral lands.

Place

A specific location that has particular meaning or significance to individuals or groups.

Placemaking

The process of creating or enhancing public spaces to reflect community identity and foster social interaction.

Centripetal Force

"A factor that unifies people and enhances support for a state

Centrifugal Force

"A factor that divides people and weakens a state’s unity

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of an idea or innovation through the physical movement of people from one place to another.

Diffusion

The process by which a cultural element or innovation spreads across space and over time.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of ideas from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places.

Stimulus Diffusion

"The spread of an underlying idea

Contagious Diffusion

"The rapid

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of an idea or innovation through a population in a way that the number of those influenced grows continuously.

Lingua Franca

A common language used among speakers of different native languages for trade or communication.

Creolization

"The process in which two or more cultural elements blend to form a new

Urbanization

The growth and expansion of cities and the movement of people from rural areas to urban centers.

Colonialism

The control or governing influence of one nation over a dependent territory or people.

Imperialism

"A policy of extending a country’s power and influence through diplomacy

Globalization

"The increasing interconnectedness of people

Time-Space Convergence

The idea that distance between places is shrinking as technology enables faster travel and communication.

Cultural Convergence

"The process by which cultures become more alike as they share technology

Cultural Divergence

The process by which cultures become increasingly dissimilar due to isolation or resistance to outside influences.

Language Family

A group of related languages derived from a common ancestral language.

Dialect

"A regional variation of a language distinguished by vocabulary

Ethnic Culture

"The culture associated with a specific ethnic group

Cultural Hearth

"The geographic origin of a cultural trait

Gender Roles

Socially constructed roles and expectations for men and women within a society.

Indo-European Language Family

"The world’s most widely spoken language family

Toponyms

"Place names that reflect cultural

Universalizing Religion

"A religion that seeks to appeal to all people globally

Ethnic Religion

"A religion closely tied to a specific ethnic group and place

Acculturation

The process by which one cultural group adopts some traits of another while retaining aspects of its own culture.

Assimilation

"The process by which a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the dominant culture

Syncretism

"The blending of elements from different religions or cultures into a new

Multiculturalism

"A policy or practice that promotes the coexistence of diverse cultures within a society