What are Spatial Concepts? (College Board AP® Human Geography)

What are Spatial Concepts?

Spatial patterns

• Spatial patterns refer to the general arrangement of people, objects, and phenomena being studied across the earth’s surface

• Geographers study spatial patterns to discover trends in data across different locations

• Geographers use specific terminology to discuss spatial patterns:

  • Clustered patterns occur when people, objects, or phenomena are located closely together

  • Dispersed patterns occur when people or objects are spread out across an area with significant space between them

  • Grid patterns present a geometric arrangement of people or objects, usually in straight lines at right angles

    • City blocks are an example of a grid pattern

  • Linear patterns arrange people or objects in a straight line

    • Homes built along a river or railroad track are examples of linear patterns

Image: Clustered, Dispersed, Linear, and Grid patterns

Site and situation

• Site and situation are two different ways to describe the location of a place 

  • Site refers to the physical characteristics of a place, such as climate, soil type, or location near water

    • For example, the site of New York City would include the fact that it is a coastal city on the Hudson River

  • Situation refers to the circumstances of a place, including its accessibility and connection to other places

    • For example, the situation of New York City includes its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern seaboard of the United States, making it a prime location for travel and trade

Place

• Place refers to the unique characteristics of a given location

• These characteristics may be physical, cultural, or human-made

  • “Sense of place” refers to the perception of a particular location, often based on personal or cultural beliefs

  • A place that is not unique or that has few or no special characteristics is said to have placelessness