AP Human Geography: Cultural Patterns & Processes

Main Ideas and Concepts:

• Cultural Traits and Hearth:
  • Cultural traits are individual aspects of culture.
  • A "hearth" refers to the origin of cultural elements like ideas, languages, or religions, likened to a fireplace where families gather.
• Cultural Perspectives:
  • Cultural Relativism: Understanding beliefs and practices based on one's own culture without judgment.
  • Ethnocentrism: Viewing other cultures through the biased lens of one’s own culture, often leading to the belief that one's culture is superior.
• Habits vs. Customs:
  • Habit: A repetitive act by an individual.
  • Custom: A repetitive act by a group that becomes part of their culture.
• Material vs. Non-Material Culture:
  • Material Culture: Tangible items like clothing, food, and housing.
  • Non-Material Culture: Intangible aspects like beliefs, ideas, and language.
• Pop Culture vs. Folk Culture:
  • Pop Culture: Large, heterogeneous, and often originates from a specific time and place.
  • Folk Culture: Small, homogeneous, and often anonymous in origin.
• Forces that Shape Cultural Patterns:
  • Centripetal Forces: Unifying forces that bring people together (e.g., shared religion or language).
  • Centrifugal Forces: Divisive forces that create conflict (e.g., persecution).
• Diffusion of Culture:
  • Types of Diffusion:
    • Expansion Diffusion: Spreads on its own, can be broken down into:
      • Hierarchical Diffusion: Spread through an established structure (e.g., trends from major cities).
      • Contagious Diffusion: Spreads equally among individuals regardless of status (e.g., viral trends).
      • Stimulus Diffusion: An idea spreads but is modified (e.g., adaptations of a product in different cultures).
    • Relocation Diffusion: Occurs when people move and bring their cultural traits with them.

Methodology/Instructions:

To understand cultural diffusion, remember the following:

• Expansion Diffusion includes hierarchical, contagious, and stimulus diffusion.
• Relocation Diffusion involves the movement of people taking cultural traits with them.
• Use mnemonic devices to remember terms:
  • "P for Peace" (centripetal forces) and "F for Fight" (centrifugal forces).
  • Hierarchical diffusion involves "people of power," while contagious diffusion spreads "equally."

Speakers/Sources Featured:

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