Concepts & Theories of Human & Environment Interaction (College Board AP® Human Geography)

Concepts of Nature and Resources

• Human–Environmental Interaction is one of the key themes of AP Human Geography

• Humans utilize the environment for natural resources

• Key terms relating to the interaction between humans and the environment include:

  • Sustainability refers to using natural resources in a way that will keep them available for future generations and reduce negative environmental effects

  • Sustainable practices include such things as alternative energy sources, reduced consumption, and recycling

  • Natural resources are things found in the natural environment that can be used by human beings

  • Natural resources are separated into two categories: renewable and non-renewable

    • Renewable resources are not limited and will not be depleted by human action

    • Non-renewable resources are limited and can be depleted by human use

Human–Environmental Interaction Theories

• Human–Environmental Interaction refers to how humans adapt to, modify, and depend on the environment 

  • The effects that humans and the physical environment have on one another are the key elements of human-environmental interaction

• Cultural ecology is the study of how humans adapt to the environment

Theories of human-environmental interaction

• Theories of human–environmental interaction include environmental determinism and environmental possibilism

  • Environmental determinism is the belief that landforms and climate are the primary forces shaping human behavior and societal development

    • An example of this would be that populations living in areas where the soil is fertile develop more advanced agricultural methods than in arid regions

  • Environmental possibilism focuses on the role human culture plays in societal development

    • Environmental possibilism acknowledges that different cultures may respond to the same natural environment in different ways

    • Examples of this include the construction of aqueducts to supply water to drier areas