AP Human Geography UNIT 3: Culture
AP FRQ technique/method
- Use PEE when the question asks for a paragraph response — “Explain”
- No need for PEE when question is define or describe (short response)
(Week 8)
6.1 Introduction to culture
Diffusion = spread of an idea/characteristic — out of the heart
Hearth (in real life = fireplace) = In AP Geo, it means the beginning of something, the
heart/center of something from where things spread.
Culture = product + process (it is changing) = refers to the beliefs, values, practices,
behaviors, and technologies shared by a society and passed down from generation to
generation.
- Popular = widespread behaviors, beliefs, and practices of ordinary people in
society at a given point in time. → small changes
- Traditional = long-established behaviors, beliefs, and practices passed down
from generation to generation. → fundamental
Cultural traits = characteristics combined to make a culture.
- Artifacts = physical cultural objects → cultural objects
- Mentifacts = ideas, beliefs and values of the culture (could be a religion) →
cultural objects and cultural practices
- Sociofacts = the ways the culture organizes society (could be religion) →
cultural practices
- NB: mentifacts and sociofacts can influence each other
Local VS Popular cultures Architecture Land-use
Folk/Local cultures = materials from physical agricultural
small, homogenous groups environment (ex: snow, distinctiveness: unique
of people, often living in mud, stone, bricks, wood, attributes to a specific
rural areas (isolated), grass) location = people and place
unlikely to change inspire cultural influences
and feelings
Popular/Global cultures = manufactured materials urban and suburban
large heterogeneous (from factories) → placelessness: loss of
1
, AP Human Geography UNIT 3
groups of people, often mechanization uniqueness in a place =
living in urban areas (ex: glass, steel, cement) does not inspire strong
(interconnected through cultural or emotional ties.
globalization (internet)) - uniform landscape
Cultural norms = shared standards and patterns that guide the behavior of a group of
people
Cultural relativism = unbiased way of viewing another culture. goal: promote
understanding of the cultural practices that are not typically part of one's own culture.
leads to the view that no culture is superior than another
≠
Ethnocentrism = judging other cultures in comparison to one’s own culture. leads to the
view that one’s own ethnic/cultural group is superior than others.
Taboos = behaviors heavily discouraged by a culture (ex: taboos about eating certain
foods)
Top part: these are the way that they are because of the bottom part (hidden aspects
of culture) → remember a few examples from the bottom part.
Atoll: top of the crater of an underwater volcano which is visible above water
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller vincent10. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.38. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.