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Is each picture an example of popular or folk culture?
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Read pages 18-25
1. In your own words and from your reading, what are the differences between “pop” and “folk”?
2. What are three elements of the maps on pages 20 and 21 which make them “popular”?
3. What are two elements of the maps on pages 23-25 which make them “folk”?
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Folk Culture• Traditionally practiced primarily in small
homogeneous groups living in isolated rural areas and may include a custom such as wearing a sarong in Malaysia or a sari in India.
Indonesian Women India Sari
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Popular Culture• Found in a large heterogeneous societies that
share certain habits (such as wearing jeans) despite differences in other personal characteristics.
• The scale of territory covered by a folk culture is typically much smaller than they territory covered by popular culture.
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Chapter 4: Folk and Popular Culture
The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography
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Culture• The combination of three things:
– Values – Material artifacts – Political institutions
• This chapter deals with material artifacts
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Material Culture• Two basic categories: folk and popular culture
– Folk culture• Traditionally practiced by small, isolated, homogeneous
groups in rural areas
– Popular culture• Characterized by large, heterogeneous groups of people
who share common habits despite differences in other personal characteristics
– Geographers are interested in two aspects of culture:• Where cultures are located in space• How cultures interact with the environment
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Where Do Cultures Originate and Diffuse?
• Origin of folk and popular cultures– Folk culture = hearth area; originators are
usually unknown– Popular culture = hearth area comes from
more developed countries (MDCs)• People in MDCs have disposable income and
leisure time that allow for these innovations
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Where Do Cultures Originate and Diffuse?
• Origin of folk and popular music– Folk music characteristics
• Tells a story or recounts important life events or activities
• Is personal in nature– Popular music characteristics
• Written by individuals for the purpose of selling to a large audience
• Highly technical
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Major League Baseball team locations 1950 and 2000
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National Basketball Association team locations
1950 and 2000
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National Football League team locations 1950 and
2000
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National Hockey League team locations 1950 and 2000
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Number your paper 1-10 on the back.
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04-01 “Everyday, without fail, I make time to call my father on the phone.” This statement from an individual indicates a(n)
A. cultural characteristic.B. habit. C. custom. D. trait.
E. annoyance.
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04-01 “Everyday, without fail, I make time to call my father on the phone.” This statement from an individual indicates a(n)
A. cultural characteristic.B. habit. C. custom. D. trait. E. annoyance.
Explanation: Recurring individual behaviors are classified as habits while recurring group actions are called “customs.”
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04-02 Popular culture is practiced
A. only where folk culture is absent.B. by large heterogeneous groups.C. by individuals only.D. only in the more developed countries.E. at specific places.
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04-02 Popular culture is practiced
A. only where folk culture is absent.B. by large heterogeneous groups.C. by individuals only.D. only in the more developed countries.E. at specific places.
Explanation: Popular culture is closely associated with urban, industrial society.
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04-03 Folk culture is most likely to spread by
A. hierarchical diffusion.B. contagious diffusion. C. stimulus diffusion.D. copycat diffusion.E. relocation diffusion.
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04-03 Folk culture is most likely to spread by
A. hierarchical diffusion.B. contagious diffusion. C. stimulus diffusion.D. copycat diffusion.E. relocation diffusion.
Explanation: While popular culture spreads quickly via hierarchical diffusion, folk culture spreads slowly via migration.
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04-04 Complete the following analogy: Habit is to custom as
A. diffusion is to region. B. individual is to group.C. folk is to popular.D. place is to space.E. form is to function.
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04-04 Complete the following analogy: Habit is to custom as
A. diffusion is to region. B. individual is to group.C. folk is to popular.D. place is to space.E. form is to function.
Explanation: Individuals possess habits; groups are characterized by customs.
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04-05 Complete the following analogy: Split-level is to Neo-colonial as (use pp. 121-122)
A. “great room” is to living room.B. mansard is to family room. C. folk is to popular.D. half-timbered is to low-pitch roof.E. modern is to neo-eclectic.
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04-05 Complete the following analogy: Split-level is to Neo-colonial as
A. “great room” is to living room.B. mansard is to family room. C. folk is to popular.D. half-timbered is to low-pitch roof.E. modern is to neo-eclectic.
Explanation: The split level is an example of a modern style and the Neo-colonial is neo-eclectic.
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04-06 Globally, the lack of hog production in North Africa and Southwest Asia corresponds most closely to the spatial distribution of
A. animism. B. capitalism.C. Christianity.D. Hinduism.E. Islam.
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04-06 Globally, the lack of hog production in North Africa and Southwest Asia corresponds most closely to the spatial distribution of
A. animism. B. capitalism.C. Christianity.D. Hinduism.E. Islam.
Explanation: The prohibition on the consumption of pork makes hog production very small among Muslims.
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04-06
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04-07 Wine production typically requires all of the following, except
A. well-drained soils.B. supportive customs.C. proximity to water. D. cool summers.E. cool winters.
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04-07 Wine production typically requires all of the following, except
A. well-drained soils.B. supportive customs.C. proximity to water. D. cool summers.E. cool winters.
Explanation: The production and consumption of wine relies on both a supportive culture and environment.
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04-07
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04-08 Complete the following analogy: Bourbon whiskey is to the Upper South as
A. tea is to the Northwest.B. rum is to Midwest.C. tequila is to the Southwest.D. vodka is to the Southeast.E. gin is to the Northeast.
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04-08 Complete the following analogy: Bourbon whiskey is to the Upper South as
A. tea is to the Northwest.B. rum is to Midwest.C. tequila is to the Southwest.D. vodka is to the Southeast.E. gin is to the Northeast.
Explanation: While high income and advertising account for the consumption of alcohol in MDCs, some regional differences exist.
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04-08
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04-09 In Europe, Internet usage was first concentrated in
A. Albania.B. Belgium.C. Finland.D. France.E. Germany.
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04-09 In Europe, Internet usage was first concentrated in
A. Albania.B. Belgium.C. Finland.D. France.E. Germany.
Explanation: In 1995, the highest concentration of Internet users in Europe were found in Finland.
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04-09
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04-10 The presence of similar restaurants, gas stations, and stores throughout the United States
A. illustrate how popular culture can create a uniform landscape. B. show how folk culture can diffuse.C. are a prime example of regionalization.D. increase cultural awareness.E. None of the above is correct.
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04-10 The presence of similar restaurants, gas stations, and stores throughout the United States
A. illustrate how popular culture can create a uniform landscape. B. show how folk culture can diffuse.C. are a prime example of regionalization.D. increase cultural awareness.E. None of the above is correct.
Explanation: While some regional differences persist, the spread of popular culture in MDCs is far reaching.
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Popular Music Map
Figure 4-2
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Hip-Hop Map
Figure 4-3
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Where Do Cultures Originate and Diffuse?
• Diffusion of folk and popular culture– Folk culture diffuses slowly, primarily
through migration, and at a small scale• Example: Diffusion of Amish culture
– Popular culture diffuses rapidly, via hierarchical diffusion, and over a large scale
• Example: Sports
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• What are characteristics of Amish culture?
• Is Amish culture pop or folk?
• How does folk culture diffuse? How about popular culture?
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Distribution of Amish
Figure 4-4
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Iroquois Lacrosse
Figure 4-5
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Why Is Folk Culture Clustered?• Influence of the physical environment
– Folk culture = close connection to the environment
• Most folk cultures are rural and agricultural– Clothing is often tied to environmental conditions
» Example: Wooden clogs in the Netherlands
• Folk cultures can ignore environmental conditions
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Why Is Folk Culture Clustered?• Influence of the physical environment
– Food preferences and the environment• Food preferences are adapted to the environment
– Example: In Asia, rice is grown in milder, wetter environments whereas wheat is grown in colder, drier environments
• Food taboos may be especially strong– People avoid certain foods because of negative
associations with that food
• Terroir = the sum effects of the local environment on a particular food item
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Taboo
• Noun:A prohibition or interdiction of anything;
exclusion from use or practice.
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There seem to be endless taboos in American culture today. We have social rules for everything, calling adults by their first name, chewing with your mouth open, and being late. Despite the necessity of certain taboos, there are others that find it hard to understand the stigma. Whether we realize it or not, our actions towards people who live “different” lifestyles can be hurtful.
-Ashley Keefer
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On your warmup paper, list 5 taboos.
• Eating animals such as cat, dog, or horse
• The numbers 13 or 666• Touching an acquaintance anywhere
other than hands, shoulders, or arms.• Polygamy
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On your warmup paper, now with a partner, list 10 taboos.
• Burping, passing gas in public.• Body odor• Insulting the dead• Mistreatment of religious icons• Joking about violence to a child• Criticizing someone else’s children or
looks
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On your warmup paper, list 10 taboos.
• PDA from the elderly• Threatening to kill someone for
disagreeing with you.• Population control• Staring at someone’s body in conversation• Gender betters• Marriage of close relatives
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Swine Stock
Figure 4-8
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Why Is Folk Culture Clustered?• Influence of the physical environment
– Folk housing and the environment• Housing = a reflection of cultural heritage,
current fashion, function, and the physical environment
• Two most common building materials = wood and brick
• Minor differences in the environment can produce very different house styles
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House Types in Four Western Chinese Communities
Figure 4-9
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Hearths of House Types
Figure 4-12
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Why Is Popular Culture Widely Distributed?
• Diffusion of popular housing, clothing, and food– Popular culture varies more in time than place
• Food customs: consumption of large quantities of snack foods and alcohol
• Clothing styles: reflect occupation rather than environment
• Housing: reflects fashion trends since the 1940s in the United States
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Consumption of Canadian Whiskey and Tequila
Figure 4-14
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Why Is Popular Culture Widely Distributed?
• Electronic diffusion of popular culture– Watching television
• The most popular leisure activity in MDCs• Diffusion from the United States to the rest of
the world = 50 years– The Internet
• Diffusion from the United States to the rest of the world = 10 years
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Diffusion of TV
Figure 4-18
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Diffusion of Facebook
Figure 4-21
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Why Does Popular Culture Cause Problems?
• Threats to folk culture– Loss of traditional values– Media imperialism– Satellites
• Limit to government control of information
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Why Does Popular Culture Cause Problems?
• Environmental impact of popular culture– Modifying nature
• Golf courses• Uniform landscapes
– Negative impacts• Increased demand for natural resources• Pollution
