AP Human Geography 3.1 Introduction to Culture

What is culture?

• Culture is the shared beliefs, customs, practices, and behaviors of a group of people.

• Culture is the clothing worn by a group of people.

• Culture is the language spoken by a group of people.

• Culture is the food eaten by a group of people.

Define ethnocentrism.

• The belief in the superiority of another ethnic group or culture.

• The belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.

• The belief in the inferiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.

• The belief in the equality of all ethnic groups and cultures.

What is cultural relativism?

• The belief that cultural practices should be judged as right or wrong based on one's own cultural standards.

• The belief that cultural practices should be eradicated if they are deemed harmful.

• The belief that cultural practices should be compared and ranked based on their level of development.

• The belief that cultural practices should be understood within their own cultural context.

Explain the concept of cultural diffusion.

• The merging of two or more cultures into a new, hybrid culture.

• The process of cultural assimilation, where one culture completely absorbs another culture.

• The intentional preservation of cultural practices and traditions within a society.

• The spread of cultural beliefs, ideas, customs, and practices from one society to another through contact and interaction.

What are the components of material culture?

• geography, climate, and natural resources

• social institutions, values, and norms

• language, customs, and beliefs

• artifacts, technology, and physical environment

Define nonmaterial culture.

• Physical objects of a culture

• Written records of a culture

• Intangible aspects of a culture

• Religious books within a culture

What is cultural hearth?

• A cultural hearth is a place where civilization is believed to have originated and spread from.

• A cultural hearth is a place where ancient artifacts are found.

• A cultural hearth is a term used to describe a type of dance.

• A cultural hearth is a type of musical instrument.

Explain the concept of cultural landscape.

• The concept of cultural landscape refers to the natural features of an area that have not been influenced by human activity.

• Cultural landscape is a term used to describe the physical characteristics of a region, such as its climate and topography.

• Cultural landscape refers to the cultural practices and traditions of a particular group of people in a specific area.

• Visible features of an area resulting from human activity and the relationship between humans and their environment.

What is cultural ecology?

• The study of how human societies adapt to and interact with their environments.

• The study of how geological formations adapt to and interact with their environments.

• The study of how plants adapt to and interact with their environments.

• The study of how animals adapt to and interact with their environments.

Define cultural imperialism.

• The promotion of cultural diversity through media and globalization.

• The eradication of all cultural differences through media and globalization.

• The spread of multiple cultures equally through media and globalization.

• The spread or dominance of one culture over others through media and globalization.