Cultural Patterns and Processes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to cultural patterns and processes that are essential for understanding the concepts discussed in the lecture.

Culture

The shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors transmitted by a society.

Cultural Traits

Individual elements of culture, such as food preferences, architecture, and land use.

Cultural Relativism

The practice of evaluating a culture by its own standards.

Ethnocentrism

The practice of judging another culture by the standards of one’s own culture.

Cultural Landscape

The environment that reflects the human imprint, visible reflection of a culture, or built environment.

Sequent Occupance

Visible elements on the landscape from different cultural histories.

Centripetal Forces

Cultural forces that unite people.

Centrifugal Forces

Cultural forces that separate people.

Taboo

Behaviors heavily discouraged by culture.

Cultural Hearth

Area in which a unique culture or trait developed.

Placelessness

Places that don’t inspire strong emotional ties in people.

Cultural Diffusion

Spreading of information, ideas, behaviors, and other aspects of culture.

Relocation Diffusion

Spreading of a trait by migration.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of culture from the most interconnected places or important centers to others.

Stimulus Diffusion

Trait spreads but the idea or process is changed as it moves.

Cultural Complex

When one artifact represents many different values, beliefs, and traditions.