AP Human Geography Unit 3 Study Notes

Unit 3 Review: Culture in AP Human Geography

Introduction

• Focus on culture: its definition, characteristics, and impact on human environments.

• Importance of understanding cultural elements for success in AP Human Geography.

What is Culture?

• Definition: Culture refers to shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors passed down by a society.

  • Example: Language as a cultural marker (A8e.

• Cultural Iceberg: Concept to understand visible and hidden aspects of culture.

  • Above Water: Observable cultural traits such as language, clothing, and behaviors.

  • Below Water: Deeper elements like thought patterns, values, and cultural rules.

Cultural Traits

• Definition of Cultural Traits: Obvious attributes of a culture observable to the eye.

• Three Categories of Cultural Traits:

  1. Food Preferences: Example: Singapore's food influenced by Southern Chinese cuisine.

  2. Architecture: Example: Homogeneous suburbs in the U.S. vs. unique regional styles (e.g., Adobe houses in the Southwest).

  3. Land Use: Example: Nevada's grass lawns despite being a desert, reflecting cultural heritage from East Coast settlers.

Cultural Attitudes

• Cultural Relativism: Evaluation of cultures by their own standards. Emphasizes understanding and embracing cultural differences.

• Ethnocentrism: Evaluation of another culture based on one's own cultural standards; often leads to xenophobia.

Cultural Landscapes

• Cultural Landscape: How a culture modifies its physical environment. Five categories influence cultural landscapes:

  1. Agricultural Practices: Types of farming reflect cultural values (e.g., cornfields in the Midwest).

  2. Industrial Practices: Patterns of economic activity shape environments (e.g., row houses in Baltimore).

  3. Religion: Sacred spaces constructed reflect beliefs (e.g., churches, mosques, etc.).

  4. Linguistic Characteristics: Language use in public signage indicates cultural demographics (e.g., New York City's Chinatown).

  5. Sequent Occupance: Cultural imprints left by different groups over time (e.g., Dome of the Rock's historical context).

Ethnic and Gender Influence

• Attitudes Toward Ethnicity: Cultural traits are often tied to ethnicity, reflected in food and festivities.

• Gender Attitudes: Differences in gender roles affect cultural landscapes (e.g., property rights in Kenya).

• Ethnic Neighborhoods: Areas where concentrated ethnic groups impact landscape (e.g., New York City's Little Italy).

Sense of Place

• Definition: Geographical representation of the meaning and importance people assign to a location.

• Contributors to Sense of Place:

  1. Language: Influence of dialects on regional identity.

  2. Religion: Architectural markers and community structures indicating religious practices.

  3. Ethnicity: Influence of immigrant culture on local landscapes.

Forces Affecting Culture

• Centripetal Forces: Factors that unify a group (e.g., common religions).

• Centrifugal Forces: Factors that divide (e.g., language debates in the U.S. regarding official language).

Cultural Diffusion

• Cultural Diffusion Defined: Process by which cultural traits spread from one location to another.

• Types of Diffusion:

  1. Relocation Diffusion: Spread of cultural traits through migration (e.g., Catholicism in Latin America).

  2. Expansion Diffusion: Cultural traits spread while the population remains stationary; includes:

  • Contagious Diffusion: Rapid spread regardless of social class (e.g., popular slang).

  • Hierarchical Diffusion: Spread from larger entities to smaller ones (e.g., hip-hop from urban to suburban areas).

  • Stimulus Diffusion: Original traits inspire new innovations (e.g., McDonald's adapting menu items to local tastes).

Historical Causes of Diffusion

• Colonialism vs. Imperialism:

  • Colonialism: Settlement in another region for economic gain.

  • Imperialism: Policies to extend power or influence.

• Examples of Historical Diffusion:

  • Languages spoken as a result of British, Portuguese, and Spanish imperialism.

  • African cultural contributions to the Americas post-slave trade.

Contemporary Causes of Diffusion

• Globalization: Increased interdependence of global citizens due to economic, political, and social ties.

• Urbanization: People move to cities, exposing them to diverse cultures.

• Media Influence: Global dissemination of cultural ideas through films and the internet.

• Technological Change: Instant access to global cultural exchanges via technology.

Effects of Cultural Diffusion

• Cultural Convergence: Cultures become more similar through interaction; influenced by time-space compression.

• Cultural Divergence: Cultures become distinct despite interaction, often through tradition preservation.

Language and Religion Diffusion

• Language Classification:

  1. Language Family: Largest categorization; e.g., Indo-European family.

  2. Language Branch: Subcategories (e.g., Romance languages).

  3. Dialect: Variations within a single language (e.g., differences in Spanish dialects).

• Religion Diffusion: Universalizing vs. ethnic religions; how major religions like Christianity and Islam originated and spread.

Outcomes of Cultural Exchange

• Acculturation: Adoption of traits while retaining original culture.

• Assimilation: Full adoption of surrounding cultural traits. Two kinds:

  • Forced Assimilation: Coercive cultural integration.

  • Voluntary Assimilation: Willing cultural integration.

• Syncretism: Blending of two cultures to form new traits.

• Multiculturalism: Co-existence of multiple cultures without full assimilation.

Conclusion

• Review all discussed topics and concepts for exam preparedness.

• Consider revisiting the video and related resources for further study.

• Utilize available study guides to ensure comprehensive understanding and exam success.