AP Human Geography Models and Theories

Human geography is

• the study of cartography

• the study of spacial organization

• the study of the natural environment

• the study of the human imprint on natural landscapes

• the study of centralized patterns

Places that share similar characteristics are called 

• human systems

• environments

• regions

• physical systems

Environmental Determinism

• the flow of goods, people, or information among places, in response to localized supply and demand

• a region based around a node or focal point - terrestrial radio broadcasts are an example of this

• useful for gathering SOME types of information. It can show you things like physical features, locations of urban areas, refugee camps, traffic, military targets, agriculture, etc.

• the belief that a physical environment is THE reason that some societies are strong while others are weaker

What is the name of this class?

• AP World Geography

• AP Human Geography

• AP Environmental Science

• World Geography

You being able to watch and learn on YouTube is an example of what spatial concept?

• Distance decay

• Tobler’s first law of geography

• Time-space compression

• Scale of inquiry

• Clustering of information

Answer explanation

Time-space compression happens due to the increased access to technology allowing people to interact with places and people further away with ease. (Reduces distance decay)

The location of a place in relationship to other places or features around it is called: 

• absolute location

• relative location

• site

• situation

model of economic and social development that explains global inequality in terms of the historical exploitation of poor nations by rich nations

• World Systems Theory

• Modernization Model

• Organic Theory

• Dependency Theory

Which model explains the spatial organization of cities based on the accessibility of different services?

• Concentric Zone Model

• Sector Model

• Multiple Nuclei Model

• Central Place Theory

What theory suggests that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions?

• Environmental Determinism

• Possibilism

• Cultural Ecology

• Spatial Interaction

Which model is used to describe the distribution of different social groups within urban areas?

• Central Place Theory

• Concentric Zone Model

• Urban Realms Model

• Gravity Model