Chapter 1 Definitions Malinowski and Kaplan Flashcards
Absolute distance
Absolute location dictates where each place exists on a reference system.
Absolute location
Dictates where each place exists on a reference system (map).
Accessibility
Indicates ease of movement between places.
Activity space
A functional region in which individual activities occur.
Aggregate characteristic
An aggregate characteristic is the dominant characteristic found within a place.
Boundary
A line that distinguishes the area within the region from the area outside the region.
Choropleth Map
A type of map that shows the quantity or type of phenomena by area. These can be maps of different categories, such as languages, religions or vegetation. Or they can be maps of different amounts or quantities, such as per capita income. The shading or color of each areal unit depicts the quantity or category of data. Any choropleth map beings with a base map, which is then divided into subunits.
Class intervals
Part of a choropleth map, each class interval is assigned a shade (often colors are used). This map allows us to indicate those counties that have a major problem with homicide compared to those where homicide is not as great an issue.
Clustered
A distribution in which data show distinct pockets of concentration.
Cognate
Political science is considered a cognate discipline to geography because the disciplines share the study of a particular set of phenomena.
Cognitive distance
A measure of distance based on perceived distance, rather than physical distance.
Continuous data
Isoline maps can be helpful in handling continuous data, data that occur everywhere but where we have only a few observations.
Covariation
The relationship between the spatial distributions of two or more phenomena.
Criteria
An established set of conditions that helps categorize and compare information.
Density
The density of a distribution is best explored in a choropleth map. The density shows the number of some phenomena divided by some sort of control group.
Deterministic
Processes in geography do not always have to result in a particular pattern.
Dispersed
Point pattern maps make it easier to show whether a distribution is dispersed or clustered.
Distance
A factor that heavily influences spatial interactions and can be measured in several ways.
Distance decay
The idea that, all else being equal, as the distance between two places increases, the volume of interaction spatial interactions and can be measured in several ways.
Distribution
A precise way of describing a pattern.
Euclidean distance
A method of distance measurement using the straight line mileage between two places.
Euclidean space
Also known as absolute space, which operates as an arena within which activities take place.
Flow map
A type of map that is often used to depict the interaction between places.
Formal regions
Places that have one or more characteristics in common.
Friction of distance
The amount of time it takes to get from one place to another.
Functional regions
Regions constructed out of places that interact.
Geographical coordinate system
The most basic absolute location, which gives each place a unique value based on its latitude and longitude.
Geographical grid
A geographical grid is a spreadsheet that reveals characteristics or attributes shown in columns or rows of cases or places.
Geographical location
? A geographic location is a specific location on a geographical grid or literal location.
Globalization
Globalization is often defined as the broader integration of more places around the world, has a lot to do with the interaction of economies at various scales.
Graticule
A network of lines representing meridians and parallels, on which a map or plan can be represented.
Iconic landscapes
A class of distinctive landscape types that bring to mind images and symbols essential to identify.
Interior landscapes
Landscapes found inside a building, house or other structure.
International Date Line
A line of longitude that is the other side of the Prime Meridian and is found at 180 degrees.
Isoline map
Maps that consist of lines that connect points of equal value. Isoline maps do a good job of showing the peaks and valleys of a particular distribution.
Landscape
An area that is less defined than a region and is described in an abstract manner.
Latitude
A measured distance north or south of the Equator, with the North and South Poles as key reference points.
Longitude
A measured distance east and west of the Prime Meridian.
Multiscalar
Processes that take place at different spatial scales.
Multivariate
When processes are multivariate, they often involved several different factors and it can be hard to untangle the relative significance of each.
Ordinary landscape
A landscape that people encounter in their daily experiences.
Pattern
If you look at a map of the world, you are seeing a spatial pattern of different phenomena at any one point in time and how they can change over time.
Period
A way to slice up time. It is essential to historical understanding.
Phenomenon
This term includes all sorts of attributes that can be considered geographically.
Place
Geographers are concerned with where and where is often defined in terms of a specific place. This seemingly ordinary term is one of geography?s key concepts. Geography looks at things as they exist on the ground and explores the spatial perspective and its basic unit is one or more specific places. A place in geography is quite similar to a date in history. It is a fundamental building block in the development of larger spaces, interactions and flows, regions, landscapes and lots of other concepts. Place exists in almost everything that geographers do. Place has very different connotations, depending on how it is used. A place can be something that is quite objective, representing a series of attributes found at a fixed location. This kind of place is usually named.
Place interaction
A wide variety of activities that occur between places.
Place similarity
One or more attributes that places have in common.
Point pattern
Also known as a point distribution map, point pattern shows particular distribution, which can be key to understanding how this distribution occurs. An example of a point pattern map would be population density.
Prime Meridian
The key reference line for longitude that is zero degrees; an arbitrary line that crosses through Greenwich, England, and connects the poles.
Probabilistic
Processes that are not deterministic are more probabilistic, meaning they tend to result in a pattern, but they may result in other patterns, as well.
Process
An action that brings about a particular pattern.
Pure characteristic
An example of a pure characteristic would be how each country is marked by a particular political system that applies to the entire country. This can also be used on a geographical grid.
Random distribution
A phenomenon that is neither clustered nor dispersed.
Region
A way of subdividing space into categorizable geographic units.
