AP Human Geography Unit 3 Review: Culture

Introduction

• Focus on culture: its definition, impact on human environments, and diffusion.
• Culture: shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors passed down by society.
  • Obvious aspects: language, clothing, behavior.
  • Subtle aspects: thought patterns, cultural rules.

The Cultural Iceberg

• Above water: observable culture (language, clothing, behavior).
• Below water: deeper cultural values (norms, beliefs).

Key Concepts

Cultural Traits

• Obvious elements of culture (baldness, beard, etc.).
• Categories:
  • Food Preferences: Reflect society’s culture (e.g., Southern Chinese influence in Singapore).
  • Architecture: Reveals cultural values (e.g., Adobe homes in the American Southwest).
  • Land Use: Cultural preferences (e.g., grass in the Nevada desert).

Attitudes Towards Cultural Differences

• Cultural Relativism: Evaluates cultures by their standards.
• Ethnocentrism: Evaluates cultures by one’s own cultural standards.
• Xenophobia: Fear or dislike of foreigners.

Cultural Landscapes

• Modified physical landscapes reflecting cultural values.
• Categories:
  • Agricultural & Industrial Practices: Cornfields, terrace rice paddies, American suburbs.
  • Religion: Sacred structures like churches, mosques, temples.
  • Linguistic Characteristics: Signs in multiple languages.
  • Sequent Occupant: Layers of cultural influence over time.
  • Architecture: Traditional (local materials) vs. Post-modern (culturally expressive).

Cultural Influence on Space

• Ethnicity: Ethnic neighborhoods and cultural enclaves.
• Gender: Gender roles affecting land ownership and public spaces.
• Placemaking: Creating places with cultural significance.
• Sense of Place: Cultural meaning infused in locations (language, religion, ethnicity).

Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces

• Centripetal Forces: Unite people (e.g., religion in India, language in Central America).
• Centrifugal Forces: Divide people (e.g., religious sects in Islam, language debates in the US).

Cultural Diffusion

• Relocation Diffusion: Cultural traits spread through migration.
• Expansion Diffusion: Cultural traits spread without people moving.
  • Contagious Diffusion: Rapid, widespread diffusion.
  • Hierarchical Diffusion: From powerful to less powerful.
  • Stimulus Diffusion: Inspiration for new traits.

Historical Causes of Diffusion

• Colonialism & Imperialism: Spread of language and religion through conquest.
• Trade Routes: Spread of cultural ideas along trade networks (e.g., Silk Roads).
• Lingua Franca & Creolization: Development of new languages.

Contemporary Causes of Diffusion

• Globalization: Interconnectedness, facilitated by digital technology.
• Urbanization: Cultural interaction in urban settings.

Effects of Diffusion

• Cultural Convergence: Cultures becoming more similar.
• Cultural Divergence: Cultures maintaining distinct identities.

Language and Religion Diffusion

• Language Categorization: Language family, branch, and dialects.
• Religion Diffusion: Universalizing vs. Ethnic religions.

Outcomes of Cultural Interaction

• Acculturation: Adoption of some traits while maintaining original culture.
• Assimilation: Complete integration into another culture.
• Syncretism: Blending of cultural traits.
• Multiculturalism: Coexistence of diverse cultural identities.

Conclusion

• Understanding culture in geography offers insight into human behavior and societal organization.
• Study materials and guides are recommended for further review and preparation.