#AP Human Geography: Cultural Interactions - The Night Before

Hey! Let's get you ready for the exam. We're going to break down cultural interactions into bite-sized pieces, so you feel confident and ready to go. Let's do this!

#Cultural Diffusion: How Cultures Mix and Mingle

Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural traits—ideas, customs, technologies—from one place to another. It's the engine that drives cultural change. Think of it like a global game of telephone, where messages (cultural traits) get passed around, sometimes changing a little along the way.

#

• Relocation Diffusion: People move and bring their culture with them. Think of it as culture on the go! 🚶‍♀️

  • Example: Immigrants bringing their language, food, and traditions to a new country.

• Expansion Diffusion: A cultural trait spreads outward from a hearth (origin point).

  • Hierarchical Diffusion: Spreads from powerful to less powerful people or places. Think of fashion trends starting in big cities and then spreading to smaller towns. 👑
  • Contagious Diffusion: Spreads rapidly and widely, like a disease. Think of a viral meme spreading across the internet. 🦠
  • Stimulus Diffusion: An idea spreads, but it's modified or adapted by the new culture. Think of McDonald's adapting its menu to local tastes in different countries. 🍔

#Acculturation, Transculturation, and Syncretism:

These are the specific ways cultures interact and change when they meet. Let's break them down:

#Acculturation

• Definition: A minority culture adopts aspects of a dominant culture. It's usually a one-way street where the minority group changes more than the dominant group. 🏘️

  • The minority group adapts to the host culture, often because of power dynamics.

• Example: Spanish speakers in the US learning English, often using English in public but Spanish at home.

  • Mongols adopting Chinese culture after conquering China.

  ![Acculturation](https://zupay.blob.core.windows.net/resources/file...