What is activity space what factors affect the areal extent of an individuals activity space?

One of the oldest tenets of geography is the concept of place. As a result, place has numerous definitions, from the simple “a space or location with meaning” to the more complex “an area having unique physical and human characteristics interconnected with other places.” There are three key components of place: location, locale, and a sense of place. Location is the position of a particular point on the surface of the Earth. Locale is the physical setting for relationships between people, such as the South of France or the Smoky Mountains. Finally, a sense of place is the emotions someone attaches to an area based on their experiences. Place can be applied at any scale and does not necessarily have to be fixed in either time or space. Additionally, due to globalization, place can change over time as its physical setting and cultures are influenced by new ideas or technologies.

Learn more about the physical and human characteristics of place with this curated resource collection.

Subjects

Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography

Geography offers a set of concepts, skills, and tools that facilitate critical thinking and problem solving.

What are the major geographical concepts?

Next in our study of spatial thinking is direction and distance. Direction is the location of something relative to something else. If we refer back to our example with Google Maps, an online program will determine a direction based on your current location and your intended destination. Distance is a mathematical concept and used to determine the space between two or more features using some form of measuring unit. A simple example of this would be using Google Maps to determine the distance from Salt Lake City, Utah to Portland, Oregon shown above, which is about 766 miles per hour.

Geographers are also concerned with issues of space. In particular, they are concerned with what exists between spaces. Are the features between the spaces related or similar to each other or dissimilar? The 1st Law of Geography states they are likely to be related, but that isn’t always the case. Networks are concerned with the movement or flow of an object through space and time. This can apply to transportation, migration, trade, flow of rivers, glacier, or the atmosphere, and also the flow of cyber networks.

THE GEOGRAPHIC GRID

Geography is about spatial understanding, which requires an accurate grid system to determine absolute and relative location. Absolute location is the exact x- and y- coordinate on the Earth. Relative location is the location of something relative to other entities. For example, when you use your GPS in your smart phone or car, say Google Maps, you put in an absolute location. But as you start driving, the device tells you to turn right or left relative to objects on the ground: "Turn left on exit 202"is relative to the other exit points. Or if you give directions to your house, you often use relative locations to help them understand how to get to your house.

What you need to know:

• LOCATION– the position of something on the earth’s surface.
• SPACE – The physical gap or distance between two objects.
• PLACE – A specific point on earth with human and physical characteristics that distinguish it from other places.
• PATTERN –The arrangement of objects on earth’s surface in relationship to one another
• REGIONALIZATION –The organization of earth’s surface into distinct areas that are viewed as different from other areas.
• GLOBALIZATION - the expansion of economic, political, and cultural activities to the point that they reach and have impact on many areas of the world.

From muttscomics.com - April 20, 7:27 AM

SCALE has TWO separate meanings in geography:  (1) Cartographic Scale - the measurement on a map (ratio of space on map to space on the globe); and (2) Geographic Scale - hierarchy of spaces.

• GEOGRAPHIC SCALE -Refers to a conceptual hierarchy of spaces, from small to large that reflects actual levels of organization in the real world.

GEOGRAPHIC SCALES used in research:
• Human Settlements – community, home, body
• National States  - subdivided into de jure (“concerning law”) regions or functional regions
• World Regions – major clusters of humankind with broadly similar cultural attributes
• World Economy – subdivided into CORE, SEMIPHERIPHERY, and PERIPHERY

A PATTERN is the arrangement of objects on Earth’s surface in relation to other objects.  PATTERN refers to DISTRIBUTION – how they are spaced.

• LINEAR PATTERN – along straight lines – rivers, streets, railroad tracks
• CENTRALIZED PATTERN – objects circle other objects – Islamic city (houses and public building may circle around mosque)
• RANDOM PATTERN – no regular distribution can be seen.
• RECTILNEAR or GRID PATTERN – reflects a rectangular system of land – farm land or early township survey systems

• FRICTION OF DISTANCE = degree to which distance interferes with some interaction.  Friction of distance has been reduced in many aspects of life with improved transportation and communication infrastructures (SPACE TIME COMPRESSION or TIME-SPACE CONVERGENCE)
• DISTANCE DECAY – the interaction between two places declines as the distance between the two places increases.

• REGION: Geographers classify their information by REGIONS, which are spatial units that share some similar characteristic.   Each region links places together that share something. No two places are alike, but shared characteristics between places provide a means for geographers to group places together into more manageable unit of study. Regions are conceptual constructs used for convenience and comparison only. Regions are not only places, but also processes (ex: “American West” – changed overtime).
  • FUNCTIONAL REGION (Nodal Regions) – defined by the connections and interactions (MOVEMENT)  that occur between them and surrounding areas.  Group of places linked together by some function’s influence on them.  Often the influencing function diffused from a central node, or originating point. Interdependent parts.
    • CORE area has distinct characteristics that lessen in intensity as one travels into the PERIPHERY, or the region’s margins.
    • Examples:  Pizza Delivery Routes; Delta Airlines’ flights from Atlanta; the area affected by the spread of a epidemic; spread of a rumor from its source to all the people who hear it.

• FORMAL REGION (UNIFORM REGION) – have specific characteristics that are relatively uniform from one place to another within the designated region.  Share a common (or uniform) cultural or physical feature.
  • Examples: Country, Climate Region, Christianity practices
VERNACULAR REGION (Perceptual Regions) – exist in the minds of people.  Boundaries are determined by people’s beliefs, not a scientifically measurable process. Cultural perceptions shape the way people view their spaces.
• Examples: Place where the “cool kids” sit at lunch; The “South”
SENSE OF PLACE:  People’s attachment to the region that they perceive as their home

REGIONALIZATION - the process of creating regions in order to better understand the world and its people.