U1 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS Flashcards
Physical Geography
The study of spatial and material characteristics of the PHYSICAL environment
5 themes of geography
- Location
- Place
- Human/ Environment Interactions
- Movement
- Regions
Cartography
The art and science of making maps, including data compilation, layout, and design
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
A collection of computer hardware and software that permits spatial data to be collected, recorded, stored, retrieved, manipulated, analyzed and displayed to the user
Global Positioning System (GPS)
A satellite- based system for determining the absolute location of places or geographics
Remote sensing
A method of collecting data or information through the use of instruments (ex. satellites) that are physically distant from area or object of study
Fieldwork
The study of phenomena by visiting places and observing how people interact with and thereby change those places
Environmental Determinism
Theory that the social and cultural development of human behavior is determined by the physical environment itself; example would be that tropical climates give u a relaxed attitude or big cities keeps you frequently stressed
Possibilism
Theory that states that environment can limit the possibilities of a culture but it DOES NOT control culture; technology is one huge factor to supporting this statement
Types of map projections (just name them)
- Robinson (oval map)
- Mercator (cylinder)
- Azimuthal (planar)
- Goode’s Homolosine
- Mollweide Equal Area
- Gall- Peters
Map projections
Distortions of latitude and longitude, needed to take something like a globe and represent it as a flat image
Robinson: distortions, advantages, disadvantages
D: poles are shrunken
A: least distortion
D: poles are hard to see
Mercator (cylinder): distortions, advantages, disadvantages
D: areas near the poles are stretched
A: shows true direction, shown by ships
D: areas that are by the poles are bigger than how they really are
Azimuthal (planar): distortions, advantages, disadvantages
D: land gets bigger further away from poles
A: used by airline pilots (for guidance)
D: can only see one hemisphere at a time
Goode’s Homolosine: distortions, advantages, disadvantages
D: oceans are not exactly all connected (interrupted)
A: stresses land masses
D: shape of planet distorted
Gall- Peters: distortions, advantages, disadvantages
D: countries look longer (stretched)
A: S hemisphere had accurate proportion
D: countries look longer, especially by the equator
Properties of maps
Distance
Direction
Shape
Scale
Reference maps
Show info for a certain place/ area
Political maps
Show countries, cities, borders, and capitals
Physical maps
Show landforms
Mental maps
Maps in oneself’s mind that are highly subject to change depending on your personal perception of a particular place/ area
Thematic/ special purposes maps
Designed to show a certain theme
Types of thematic maps (just name them)
- choropleth
- dot density
- proportional circle
- isoline map
- cartogram
Chloropleth
Areas are SHADED to show how strongly they represent a certain theme
Dot density
Uses a dot to represent one unit of something; clusters of dots -> more accurate understanding/ conclusion of any situation for the geographers
Proportional Circle
Size of circle represents strength of theme is in an area
Isoline
Connects points of equal pattern (usually will relate to weather)
Cartogram
Shows strength of an idea by distorting the size of the place
Scale
Relationship between the portion of the Earth being studied and the earth as a whole
Absolute location
Being the exact location or something, mostly relate to latitude and longitude
Relative location
Describing where the location is by referencing the other things that it’s by
3 types of spatial distributions
- density
- concentration
- pattern
Distribution
An arrangement of features in the space provided
Density
of variable per unit area
Concentration
Spread of something of a given area: clustered or diapered
Pattern
The geometric arrangement of objects in space
Centrality
A place where the location is between major points of influence; its situated well or has a good location
Culture
The sum total knowledge, attitudes, and habitual behavior shared and transmitted by the members of society
How does cultures affect human to environment relationship?
They see themselves as connected to others, define themselves in terms of relationship with others, and see their characteristics as more likely to change across different contexts (human behavior)e
Human Geography
Study of humans and their ideas and cultures and its impact on the environment
Culture trait
Something that makes up a part of a culture (ex. tacos in Latino culture LOL)
Culture complex
A certain trait that may have multiple meanings (ex. turbans used in Middle East to stay cool, in Africa it’s part of some sort of tradition)
Culture hearth
Starting point of a trait (or ending) [ex. Islam started in the S.W Asia/ N. Africa area]
Major Diffusions (just name)
- Expansion
- Hierarchical
- Contagious
- Stimulus
- Relocation
Expansion diffusion
Spread of innovation or ideas through a POPULATION in an area
Hierarchical
Spread of innovation or ideas spreads by passing among the major connected places or peoples (ex. big cities or celebrities)
Contagious
Distance- controlled spreading of an idea, innovation or some other item through a local population by contact from person to person
Stimulus
Spread of innovation or ideas which a cultural adaption is created as a result of the intros of a cultural trait from another place
Relocation
Spread of innovation or ideas which the “items” gone in one area would be transferred to a different area in the world
Syncretism
A union of a mix of different religions, cultures, or philosophies (ex being Halloween which has both Christian and pagan roots)
Culture barrier
being influenced by the attitudes, customs and practices of the people around you (mostly facing obstacles)
Types of regions
Formal
Functional
Perpetual
Formal region
An area in which everyone shares in one or more distinctive characteristics (ex. N. Africa/ S.W Asia)
Functional region
Defined by the particular set of activities or interactions that occur within it or being surrounded by q central location (ex. Chicago metro)
Perceptual Region
Reflecting on human feelings and attitudes about areas (typically stereotypical areas)
Globalization
The act of spreading of products, ideas, cultures, etc (trading) at a global level
Impact of globalization on cultures
It’s bad. By the big corporation having predominance, local shoes are almost pathetic
