UNIT 1: Thinking Geographically

Perceptual Regions (Vernacular Regions)

"An area defined by subjective perceptions that reflect the feelings & images about key place characteristics.

Region

A group of places in the same area that share a characteristic (Ex: the Middle East is a collection of countries that share a common religion --> Islam)

Distance

A measurement of how far or how near things are to one another.

Map Projection

A way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface

Formal Region (Uniform Region)

An area in which everyone shares in common one or more distinctive characteristics

Relative Direction

Directions such as left, right, forward, backward, up, and down based on people's perception of places

Field Observation

Form of Qualitative Data Collection - the act of physically visiting a location, place, region, and recording firsthand the information there. (Can be done through taking notes, photographs, sketching maps, interviewing) Provides more spatial data about the area.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

GPS receivers on the Earth's surface use the location of multiple satellites to determine and record a receivers exact location.

Spatial Perspective

Geographic perspective that focuses on how people live on Earth, how they organize themselves, and why the events of human societies occur where they do.

Accessibility

How quickly and easily people in one location can interact with people in another location. (think of your phone, apps, internet, cars)

Random Distribution Pattern

Phenomena appear to have no order to their position (no pattern evident)

Clustered (Agglomerated) Distribution Pattern

Phenomena are arranged in a group or concentrated area such as restaurants in a food court at the mall. Close together - grouped.

Linear Distribution Pattern

Phenomena are arranged in a straight line. Ex: distraction of towns along a road (or other mode of transport)

Dispersed Distribution Pattern

Phenomena are spread out over a large area (isolated and takes more travel time front point to point)

Remote Sensing

The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting the planet or other long-distance methods (Can be Ariel Photography)

Environmental Determinism

The belief that landforms and climate are the most powerful forces shaping human behavior and societal development while ignoring the influence of culture

Site

The characteristics of the immediate location (Ex: the soil type, climate, labor force, human structures)

Absolute Distance

The distance that can be measured with a standard unit length. Ex: miles, feet, meters or kilometer.

Place

The specific human and physical features of a location. You can use terms 'SITE' and 'SITUATION' to refer to your 'place'

Land Use

The study of how land is utilized, modified, and organized by people

Qualitative Data

This data is collected as interviews, photographs, remote satellite images, descriptions, or cartoons. Ex: Urban Planners interviewing local residents about how dangerous an intersection is.

Relative Location

a description of a place using the relation of one place to another. Ex: Salt Lake City, Utah is "just south of the Great Salt Lake and just west of the Rocky Mountains".

Networks

a set of interconnected entities (can sometimes be called nodes)

Possibilism

a view that acknowledges limits on the effects of the natural environment and focuses more on the role that human culture plays

Quantitative Data

any information that can be measured and recorded using NUMBERS ('n' is in quaN) Ex: total number of immigrants to a city.

Absolute Direction

cardinal directions (north, south, east, west)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

computer system that can store, analyze, and display information from multiple digital maps or geospatial data sets (Can be used to analyze crime data or monitor effects of pollution)

Spatial Approach

considers the arrangement of the phenomena being studied across the surface of the earth (looks at the movements of people and things, changes in places over time)

Patterns

general arrangements of things being studied across space that gives classes about the CAUSES and EFFECTS of the distribution

Connectivity

how well two locations are TIED TOGETHER by roads, airports, trains, ports, or other links.

Location

identifies where specific phenomena are located either on a grid system or relative to another location. Can be absolute location (like your street address) or relative location (your house is behind the Publix off of Sheldon)

Natural Resource

includes items that occur in the natural environment that people can use. Ex: air, water, oil, fish, soil

Friction of Distance

indicates that when things are father apart, they tend to be less connected (related to the concept distance decay)

Relative Distance

indicates the degree of nearness based on time or money and is often dependent on the mode of travel. Ex: traveling from home to school can take 10 minutes by car or 45 minutes by walking.

Geospatial Data

is a form of quantitative and spatial data. It provides the geographic location component to it such as a country, city, zip code, latitude/longitude, or address. It is frequently used with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) EX: average annual income by country.

Time-Space Compression (or Space-Time Compression)

is the shrinking "time distance" between locations because of improved methods of transportation and communication

Geometric Distribution Pattern

phenomena are in a regular arrangement using squares or blocks formed by roads (found in the Midwest region of the US). Can be used to describe the Township and Range Settlement pattern.

Circular Distribution Pattern

phenomena equally spaced from a central point (homes arranged AROUND a market area)

Toponyms

place names

Flow

refers to the patterns and movement of ideas, people, products, and other phenomena

Cartographic Scale

refers to the way the map communicates the ratio of its size to the size of what it represents. Ex: 1 inch on the map can equal 100 miles on the earth's surface.

Functional Region (Nodal Region)

regions that are organized around a focal point and are defined by an activity (usually political, social, or economic) that occurs across the region. These are usually linked through network of communication and/or transportation methods.

Small Scale Map

show a larger amount of area with less detail (ex: the globe) SMALL DETAIL, large land area.

Large Scale Map

show a smaller amount of areas with a greater amount of detail.

Road Maps

show and label highways, streets, and alleys

Political Map

show and label human-created boundaries

Physical Map

show and label natural features such as mountains, rivers, and deserts.

Plat Maps

show and label property lines and details of land ownership

Elevation

the distance of features above sea-level. Can be measured in feet or meters. Ex: Mount Everest is 29,000+ feet. Usually shown on isoline (or topographic) maps.

Spatial Patterns

the general arrangement of things being studied (how is it organized?)

Distance Decay

the idea that things (ex: cities) that are near each other are more connected than things that are far apart. The further away you are the less likely you will keep in contact with that 'thing' or place.

Situation (Relative Location)

the location of a place relative to its surroundings and its connectivity to other places.

Spatial Interaction

the movement of peoples, ideas, and commodities between different places

Built Environment

the physical artifacts that humans have created and that form part of the landscape

Absolue Location

the precise spot where something is according to a system (lines of longitude and latitude) Example: the equator is 0 degrees latitude.

Cartogram

the sizes of countries (or states, counties, or another areal unit) are shown according to some specific statistic.

Cultural Ecology

the study of how humans adapt to the environment

Human Geography

the study of the spatial characteristics of humans and human activities. Examples: population, culture, urban areas, economics.

Physical Geography

the study of the spatial characteristics of various elements of the physical environment. Examples: landforms, bodies of water, climate, ecosystems, erosion.

Distribution

the way a phenomenon is spread out over an area

Sustainability

trying to use resources now in ways that allow their use in the future while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.

Isoline Map (or Isometric Map)

use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in the data across space (most common type is known as a topographic map - gives elevation levels) or seen as a weather map (iso-ICE think temperature changes).

Direction

used in order to describe where things are in relation to each other. Includes cardinal directions (North, South, East, West)

Dot Distribution Map (or Dot Density Map)

used to show the specific location and distribution of something across a map. Each DOT represents a specified quaNtity.

Graduated Symbol Map (Or Proportional Symbol Map)

uses symbols of DIFFERENT SIZES to indicate different mounts of something. Larger the sizes indicates MORE of something and smaller indicates less.

Choropleth Map

uses varies colors, shades, of one color, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data. Quantitative data is used. (Numbers)