Chapter 1 and 2 Test Review Flashcards
space-time compression
describes the reduction in time it takes for something to reach another place
technology has accelerated the process of cultural diffusion
cartogram
a map in which some thematic mapping variable – such as travel time, population, or Gross National Product – is substituted for land area or distance
Mercator projection
scale is true at the equator or at two standard parallels equidistant from the equator: used for navigation; distorts the poles; direction is consistent, map is rectangular
map distortion
a change in shape, size, or position of a place when it’s shown on a map
Robinson projection
scale is true only on the central meridian and the parallels;
used in countries with larger north-south than east-west;
distances measured from center are true;
distortion increases away from center point
indigenous
culture group that constitutes original inhabitants of a territory, distinct from the dominant culture which is often derived from colonial occupation
place
another word for location; used to connote the subjective, ideographic, humanistic, culturally oriented type of geography that seeks to understand the unique character of individual regions
space
term used to connote the objective, theoretical, model-based economics-oriented geography that seeks to understand spatial systems
Prime Meridian
the meridian that passes through Greenwich, England; is the meridian at 0 degrees
scale
refers to the relationship of a feature size on a map to the actual size on Earth
longitude
number system used to determine the location of each meridian
globalization
increasing interconnection of all regions in the world through politics, communication, transportation, marketing, manufacturing, and social and cultural processes
placelessness
spatial standardization;
no special relationship to particular location;
examples: roadside strip shopping malls, gas/petrol stations and convenience stores, fast food chains, and chain department stores
possibilism
school of thought based on the belief that humans are the primary active force; humans decide what to do
mechanistic view of nature
view that humans are not integrated with nature
environmental perception
belief that culture depends on what people perceive; the environment is colored by culture
latitude
number system to indicate the location of a parallel on Earth
environmental determinism
belief that cultures are directly or indirectly shaped by the physical environment
time-distance decay
the decrease in acceptance of a cultural innovation with increasing time and distance from its origin
density
the frequency with which something occurs in space
dispersion
the movement of people, ideas, or things from one location to other locations
independent innovation
cultural innovation that is developed in two or more locations by individuals or groups working independently
indigenous technical knowledge
the knowledge that a particular community acquired from their personal experience which they gain from ancestors over a long period of time;
place based and developed through trial and error
absorbing barrier
barrier that complete halts diffusion of innovations and blocks the spread of cultural elements
permeable barrier
barrier that permits some aspects of an innovation to diffuse through it or weakens or retards the spread of innovation
material culture
all physical, tangible objects made and used by members of a cultural group; includes clothes, buildings, tools, utensils, instruments, furniture, artwork
nonmaterial culture
the wide range of tales, songs, lore, beliefs, values and customs that pass from generation to generation as part of an oral or written tradition
popular culture
dynamic culture based on large, heterogeneous society permitting individualism, innovation and change;
relationships more numerous but less personal;
mass media shapes popular culture
folk culture
distinguish traditional ways of life in rural spaces;
small, cohesive, stable, isolated self-sufficient group that is homogenous in custom and race;
characterized by a strong family or clan structure;
order maintained through sanctions based in the religion or family;
interpersonal relations are strong
nodes
a central point in a culture or region where functions are coordinated and directed
vernacular region
cultural region perceived to exist by its inhabitants;
often have language or customs native to a region.
examples: “Dixie” and “Midwest”
formal region
a region with a defined, predetermined boundary.
example:school district, a country, a city zoning district, a no-fly-zone
functional region
areas served by business and economic activities
example: the local cable or power company
convergence hypothesis
cultures are converging;
evidence includes the geographic distribution of names
folk landscape
the study of special patterns and ecology of traditional groups
relocation diffusion
spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another;
caused when people migrate from place to place and bring their culture with them;
examples: spread of languages, spread of AIDS
expansion diffusion
ideas or innovation that spreads outward from the hearth
hierarchical diffusion
spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or place;
usually starts in a populated area and slowly diffuses to less and less populated areas
examples: architecture, hip-hop music
stimulus diffusion
spread of underlying principle even though characteristic itself fails to diffuse;
idea or innovation sparked by an idea that diffused in from another culture;
example: McDonalds in India
