AP Human Geography Notes: Unit 3
focusing on Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes:
Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes
Unit 3 delves into how cultural practices spread, how historical forces and modern globalization
affect cultural patterns, and how different religions spread.
What is Culture?
● Culture refers to customs, values, arts, gastronomy, and practices shared within a
society, often tied to a specific place.
● Cultural Traits are different aspects of a culture:
○ Artifacts: Material things that are made (e.g., tools, clothing).
○ Sociofacts: Behaviors or social structures.
○ Mentifacts: Ideas or beliefs.
● Non-Material Culture: Abstract, intangible concepts like values (what cultural groups
believe is important), behaviors (actions based on values), and norms (rules and
expectations people follow).
● Material Culture: Concrete, tangible human creations that reflect values, beliefs, and
behaviors (e.g., clothing, houses, TV shows).
-The cultural iceberg shows that culture has both visible and non-visible elements (Tip:
Artifacts, behaviors, and symbols. Submerged: values, beliefs, world views)
focusing on Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes:
Unit 3: Cultural Patterns and Processes
Unit 3 delves into how cultural practices spread, how historical forces and modern globalization
affect cultural patterns, and how different religions spread.
What is Culture?
● Culture refers to customs, values, arts, gastronomy, and practices shared within a
society, often tied to a specific place.
● Cultural Traits are different aspects of a culture:
○ Artifacts: Material things that are made (e.g., tools, clothing).
○ Sociofacts: Behaviors or social structures.
○ Mentifacts: Ideas or beliefs.
● Non-Material Culture: Abstract, intangible concepts like values (what cultural groups
believe is important), behaviors (actions based on values), and norms (rules and
expectations people follow).
● Material Culture: Concrete, tangible human creations that reflect values, beliefs, and
behaviors (e.g., clothing, houses, TV shows).
-The cultural iceberg shows that culture has both visible and non-visible elements (Tip:
Artifacts, behaviors, and symbols. Submerged: values, beliefs, world views)
