Download Formal Region

Chapter 1: Human Geography
Rae & Ben
Human Geography
Human Geography- The study of how people make
places, organize in society, interact with each other,
and make sense of ourselves and others on different
scales.


“why of where”-Marvin Mikesell
Almost all geographers use the term spatial- the
arrangement of phenomena on Earth

Key Concepts
Globalization- processes that are increasing
interactions, deepening relationships, and heightening
interdependence without regard to country borders.

Pattern-what geographers find when looking at a map
of how something is distributed across a space.


Place-Uniqueness and characterization of a location.
Regionalization- when places are clumped together
due to some type of unifying characteristic.

Key Concepts

Location- Where something is positioned on Earth
Examples:
Globalization-Time Warner produces works that are
seen globally.
Place- McDonald's next to FHS
Pattern-tornadoes in the Mid West
Regionalization-North Eastern USA
Location- (39.387615, -076.79615) Reisterstown

What Are Geographic Questions?
Physical Geography- landforms, climate,
environmental change

Spatial Distribution- spatial arrangement of places and
phenomena, how they are laid out and organized and
how they appear on the landscape

Spatial perspective- observing variations in
geographic phenomena across space

5 Themes of Geography
Location - Position of people and things on Earth's
surface affects what happens and why.

Human Environment- reciprocal relationships between
humans and environment


Region-features concentrated in an area

Place- uniqueness of a location

Movement-mobility of people, goods and ideas
What Are Geographic Questions
Continued
Cultural Landscape- the visible imprint of human
activity on the landscape

Sequent Occurance- when different cultures come to a
place and change the landscape and architecture

Maps
Cartography- map making: used for many purposes
Reference-locations of places and geographic features
Thematic Maps- tell stories, usually show movement of a
phenomena
Absolute location- A location that never changes longitude
and latitude
Relative location- describes a place in relation to other human
and physical features
Mental Maps- maps of places that we have been and places
we have heard of
Generalized Maps- Cartographers have to generalize maps so
all the information can be present at a certain scale

GIS
Geographic Informations Systems
Compares data by combining
layers of data and creating
maps of patterns
Used by large companies
and governmental agencies
Analyzes data
Ex: to show voter registration in
race and gender; take soil
surveys from different plots of
land
vs.
GPS
Global Positioning System
Used to determine location very quickly
Used by everyday people
Ex: Geocaching
Why are geographers concerned with
scale and connectedness?
• Scale
• The distance on a map compared to the distance on earth
• The territorial extent of something
• The scale at which something is studied determines the
amount of detail
• Different patterns can be seen at different scales
Regions
• Geographers divide the world into regions fro
analysis
• A region is an area that shares similar characteristics
• Criteria must be established in order to determine
climates
• Vegetation distribution, soil properties, slope angles, or
drainage patterns can be used as criteria for a region
• Regions can also be marked by visible uniformity
Regions continued
Formal Region
• A formal region is defined by physical characteristics
• Formal regions are also defined by cultural traits
• In a formal region the people share one or more cultural
traits
• Language can distinguish a formal region
• In a desert the severe aridity, sandy surfaces, and steep
mountains make this a formal region because of the
similar physical characteristics
Regions continued
Functional Regions
• A functional region is defined by the particular set of
activities or interactions that occur within it
• It is a spatial system and the boundaries of the region are
defined by the limits of that system
• The people in that region function together politically,
socially, or economically
• A city and the surrounding areas in which workers come
from are a functional region
Regions continued
Perceptual regions
• A perceptual region is created from the ideas and
knowledge of people
• The natural environment plays a big role in perceptual
regions
• The United States is divided into perceptual regions
• It is hard to find a distinct boundary for perceptual regions
• It is also difficult to determine the criteria for a perceptual
region
Culture
• A single attribute of a culture is known as a cultural
trait
• More then one culture may show a particular trait,
but each will consist of different combinations of
traits. This is known as culture complex
• A cultural hearth is where a cultural trait developed
• A trait that developed with many hearths is known as
an independent invention
Diffusion
• Occurs through the movement of people, goods, or
ideas across a space
Cultural diffusion
• The spread of an idea or innovation from its hearth to
other places
• Time distance decay is the acceptance of an innovation is
less likely with increasing time and distance from its
hearth
• Some cultures do not accept the traits of certain cultures
and this is known as cultural barriers
Expansion Diffusion
• An innovation or idea develops in a hearth and
remains strong their while also spreading outward
• Contagious diffusion is a form of expansion
diffusion in which nearly all adjacent individuals are
affected
• Hierarchical diffusion is when an idea or
innovation are first spread to the most connected
places or people
• Stimulus diffusion is when a cultural adaptation is
created as a result of the introduction of a cultural
trait
Relocation Diffusion
• Involves the movement of individuals who have
adopted an idea or innovation and carry it to a new
area
• Occurs most frequently through migration
Environmental Determinism
• Human behavior, individually and collectively, is
strongly affected by or controlled by the physical
environment
• Climate is the critical factor in how humans behave
• The climates most suited for progress and
productiveness are in western Europe and the
northeastern United States
Possibilism
• The natural environment merely serves to limit the
range of choices available to a culture
• The choices that a society makes depends on the
people in it and the technology available to them
• Humans have constantly pushed the boundaries of
the environment and what it allows you to do