Elements of Folk and Popular Culture Chapter 4 section 1

Terms/Concepts Culture Material Culture Leisure Activities Habit Custom Folk Culture Popular Culture

Culture Culture- the body of material traits, customary beliefs, and social forms that together constitute the distinct tradition of a group of people –Cultural activity, like wearing jeans, have a distinct spatial distribution Geographers focus on the relation between material culture and the physical environment Built Environments

Daily Necessities and Leisure Material Culture- derives from necessities of daily life—food, clothing, and shelter Leisure Activities- the arts and recreation –Each culture has its own definition of meaningful art and stimulating recreation

Culture is different than: –Habit- repetitive act that a particular individual performs –Custom- repetitive act of a group A collection of social customs produces a group’s material culture –Ex. Wearing of Jeans tends to be a custom but it can be a sign of a larger culture of American informality and of youth

Characteristics of Folk Culture Folk Culture- traditionally practiced primarily by small, homogenous groups living in isolated areas –Diffuses very slowly and on a small scale through migration –An area dominated by folk customs tends to change relatively little over time

Characteristics of Popular Culture Popular Culture- found in a large, heterogeneous society that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics –Larger Area than Folk Culture –More of a product of developed regions Ex. Fast Food and Popular Music While Folk Culture more likely varies from place to place, Popular Culture varies from Time to Time

Terms/Concepts Culture Material Culture Leisure Activities Habit Custom Folk Culture Popular Culture