Copy of Unit 3--Culture Review Material

AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes

Topic 3.1 Introduction to Culture

• Material Culture: Refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture.

• Non-Material Culture: Encompasses the ideas, beliefs, values, and norms that shape a society's cultural identity.

• Modern/Pop Culture: Culture that is prevalent in contemporary society; often mass-produced and accessible to a wide audience.

• Subculture: A cultural group within a larger culture that has its own distinct values and behaviors.

• Folk Culture: Traditional culture that is often rural and passed down through generations, characterized by its homogeneity.

• Indigenous Culture: Cultures of original inhabitants of a region, often with a deep connection to land and tradition.

• Cultural Relativism: The practice of assessing a culture by its own standards rather than viewing it through the lens of another culture.

• Ethnocentrism: The belief that one’s own culture is superior to others and the tendency to use one’s own cultural norms to judge other cultures.

Topic 3.2 Cultural Landscapes

• Sequent Occupance: The idea that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape.

• Cultural Landscape: The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape, which includes buildings, roads, and agricultural practices.

• Photo Analysis: A method used to study and analyze cultural landscapes through photographs, revealing insights into cultural practices and changes.

Topic 3.3 Cultural Patterns

• Centripetal Forces: Forces that unite or bring people together within a culture or nation.

• Centrifugal Forces: Forces that divide or push people apart within a culture or nation.

• Characteristics of a Place: Unique features and attributes of geographic locations, including cultural aspects, which define identity.

• Cultural Landscape & Sense of Place: The relationship between cultural landscapes and the emotional or symbolic meanings associated with specific locations.

Topic 3.4 Types of Diffusion

• Relocation Diffusion: The spread of cultural traits through the physical movement of people from one location to another.

• Expansion Diffusion: The spread of cultural traits through a population in an area without the movement of people.

  • Stimulus Diffusion: The adaptation of an idea or trait in a new context, often leading to cultural innovation.

  • Hierarchical Diffusion: The spread of culture from larger to smaller centers of influence (e.g., from urban to rural areas).

  • Contagious Diffusion: The rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population.

• Barriers to Diffusion: Factors that inhibit the spread of cultural traits, including physical, social, and political obstacles.

Topic 3.5 Historical Causes of Diffusion

• Colonialism: The practice of domination where one country exerts political and economic control over another, impacting cultural diffusion.

• Imperialism: A broader concept involving the extension of a nation’s authority over other nations through conquest or economic domination, affecting culture.

• Lingua Franca: A common language used to facilitate communication between speakers of different native languages.

• Acculturation: The process of cultural change that occurs when two cultures meet, leading to adoption of certain traits from one culture to another.

• Assimilation: The process where a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture.

• Diaspora: The dispersion of any people from their original homeland, leading to cultural change.

• Creolization: The blending of two or more distinct cultural influences to form a new, distinct culture.

Topic 3.6 Contemporary Causes of Diffusion

• Time-Space Convergence: The phenomenon where distances between places become shorter due to advancements in technology and transportation.

• Distance Decay: A principle that describes a decrease in interaction between two places as the distance between them increases.

• Modern Day Diffusion: The proliferation of cultural traits facilitated by globalization and technology.

• Cultural Resistance: The pushback against external cultural influences, often leading to the preservation of traditional values and practices.

Topic 3.7 Diffusion of Religion and Language

• Language Families & Groups: Categories of languages based on their common ancestry or historical roots.

• Dialect: Regional variations in language that include differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

• Isogloss: A geographic boundary that separates regions with different languages or dialects.

• Diffusion of Language & Religion: The processes through which languages and religious beliefs spread across different cultures and geographic areas.

• Universalizing Religions: Religions that seek to convert people and are practiced worldwide; e.g., Christianity, Islam.

• Ethnic Religions: Religions that are more closely tied to a specific ethnic group or culture; e.g., Hinduism.

Topic 3.8 Effects of Diffusion

• Syncretism: The blending of different religious and cultural traditions, resulting in new practices.

• Multiculturalism: The coexistence of diverse cultures in a single society, promoting acceptance and understanding.

• Acculturation & Assimilation: Processes through which cultural exchanges occur, leading to changes in social identity and cultural practices.