Unit 3 Vocabulary

Culture

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

Cultural Trait

a shared object or cultural practice

Artifacts

a visible object or technology that a culture creates

Sociofacts

a structure or organization of a culture that influences social behavior

Mentifacts

a central, enduring element of a culture that reflects its shared ideas, values, knowledge, and beliefs

Popular Culture or Universalizing Culture

the widespread culture of a society at a given point in time

Traditional Culture or Indigenous Culture

the long-established behaviors, beliefs, and practices passed down from generation to generation

Cultural Norms

a shared standard or pattern that guides the behavior of a group of people

Ethnocentrism

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

Cultural Relativism

the evaluation of a culture by its own standards

Cultural Landscape

a natural landscape that has been modified by humans, reflecting their cultural beliefs and values

Sequent Occupance

the concept that successive societies leave behind their cultural imprint, evidence about human character and experiences within a region, which shapes the cultural landscape

Ethnicity

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

Ethnic Neighborhoods (Enclaves)

a cultural landscape within a community of people outside of their area of origin

Traditional Architecture

an established building style of different cultures, religions, and places

Postmodern Architecture

a building style that emerged as a reaction to modern designs and values diversity in design

Religion

a system of spiritual beliefs that helps form cultural perceptions and values

Pilgrimage

a journey to a holy place for religious reasons

Language

a distinct system of communication that is the carrier of human thoughts and cultural identities

Gendered Spaces

a space designed and deliberately incorporated into the landscape to accommodate gender roles

Gender Identity

an individual’s innermost concept of their gender

Safe Spaces

a space of acceptance for people who are sometimes marginalized by society

Third Place

a communal space that is separate from home (first place) or work (second place)

Sense of Place

the subjective feelings and memories people associate with a geographic location

Dialect

a variation of a standard language specific to a general area, with differences in pronunciation, degree of rapidity in speech, word choice, and spelling

Adherent

a person who is loyal to a belief, religion, or organization

Religious Branch

a large fundamental division within a religion

Denomination

a separate church organization that unites local congregations

Sect

a relatively small group that has separated from an established denomination

Centripetal Forces

a force that unites a group of people

Centrifugal Forces

a force that divides a group of people