Cultural Concepts
Define “material culture” and give one classroom example
physical objects/artifacts; example: school mascot logo or textbooks
What is the “cultural landscape”
Visible human modifications of the environment (buildings, farmland, roads).
What is “diffusion” in cultural geography?
spread of cultural traits/ideas from one place to another.
What is a “universalizing religion”? Give one example.
Universalizing = seeks converts worldwide (e.g., Christianity)
What is “assimilation” in cultural change?
Assimilation = minority adopts dominant culture and loses original identity.
What is a “subculture”? Give one school-based example
group within larger culture with distinct practices; example: drama club traditions
Name two physical or human features that help create a sense of place. -
Examples: local architecture, language on signs, historical monuments, vegetation choices
Define “relocation diffusion” and provide one historical example
Relocation = people move and bring traits (e.g., Amish migration to U.S.).
Explain briefly how Christianity historically diffused worldwide.
Christianity diffused via missionaries, colonization, and hierarchical institutions (churches/schools).
How does “acculturation” differ from assimilation?
Acculturation = adopting some traits while keeping original culture.
Contrast “folk culture” and “popular (modern) culture” in one sentence each.
Folk = traditional, homogeneous, uses relocation diffusion, resists change. Popular = widespread, heterogeneous, spreads by hierarchical diffusion, changes fast
What is “sequent occupancy”? Give a short historical example.
Sequent occupancy's = layers of cultural imprints over time; e.g., colonial buildings over indigenous settlements.
Define “expansion diffusion” and name its four subtypes.
Expansion diffusion = contagious, hierarchical, reverse-hierarchical, stimulus.
How did Buddhism spread to other parts of Asia? Name two diffusion processes involved.
Buddhism spread via relocation (missionaries), trade routes (Silk Road), and stimulus adaptation to local beliefs.
Define “syncretism” and give a short example (less than two sentences).
Syncretism = blending to create new distinct practice; e.g., Sikhism mixing elements of Hinduism and Islam.
Explain “cultural relativism” and how it differs from “ethnocentrism.”
Cultural relativism = judging a culture by its own standards; ethnocentrism = judging by one’s own standards
Describe how architecture can reflect cultural values; give one brief example
Architecture reflects values: e.g., mosques with domes and geometric patterns reflect Islamic art/values.
Give a clear difference between “hierarchical” and “contagious” diffusion with a short example for each.
Hierarchical = spreads from centers of power (fashion from global cities); contagious = spreads broadly to all (viral meme).
Define “ethnic religion” and give two examples.
Ethnic religion = tied to specific group/area (Hinduism, Judaism).
What is “cultural resistance”? Give one reason a community might resist a cultural trait.
Cultural resistance = opposition to outside traits due to fear of losing identity, religion, or language.
Describe how indigenous cultures differ from modern cultures and one reason indigenous cultures sometimes resist technology.
Indigenous = tied to place, strong traditions/languages; may resist tech to preserve language/traditions.
Explain how land-use patterns might reflect gender roles in a society.
If women largely do domestic work, neighborhoods may have more residential amenities and fewer workplaces nearby
What is “stimulus diffusion”? Explain with the McDonald’s example.
Stimulus = idea spreads but is changed locally; McDonald’s adapts menus for local tastes while remaining the same brand.
Describe the hierarchy: proto-language → language family → branch → group → language. Give Indo-European as the family in your example.
Proto-language → family (Indo-European) → branch (e.g., Germanic) → group (West Germanic) → language (English).
Define “multiculturalism” and one positive and one challenge it creates for society.
Multiculturalism = many cultures coexist; positive: cultural diversity/enrichment; challenge: potential social fragmentation or integration issues.