Synthesis

Models are very important to human geographers. In human geography, models are not a three dimensional object, but more of an idea. This idea can usually be graphed or shown by a picture, but never really three dimensional objects. Models communicate important concepts in human geography that may be new or old. Some of the models have been altered over time but some have also stayed the same. How these models were figured out differs between each different model. There are many types of models. A few examples are the Demographic Transition Model, the Core Periphery Model, and the Gravity Model.
The Demographic Transition Model shows how countries population grows over time. This model was first discovered when geographers looked at the baptism and funeral church records in Great Britain. By looking at these records the geographers could see how the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) compared to the Crude Death Rate (CDR). The CBR is the number of live births per 1,000 people in the population per year and the CDR is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in the population per year. The data the geographers found revealed that before the industrial revolution the CDR and the CBR were high. Because both of these rates were high, there was low population growth in Great Britain. After they look at this time frame of data, they looked at the data for after the industrial revolution began, the CDR dropped due to increase in medicine and easier access to food. As the CDR was falling the CBR stayed at the same rate which caused a population explosion. In the late 1800s to the 1900s during two world wars, the CDR and the CBR both declined which caused a slow population growth. In most recent times the CBR and the CDR are both low which means a very slow or stabilized population growth. This specific model just shows how countries populations grow and the stages most of them take to get to a slow or stabilized population. Although this is just an example of one country, Great Britain, many other countries seem follow this pattern.
Another model is the Core Periphery Model. This model identifies the spatial distance from the core. This model was developed in 1963 by John Friedmann. One example to show the Core Periphery Model is Brazil and the cities of Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro. As overheating becomes a problem in the peripheral cities, many people are moving to the core cities. This is a problem because the peripheral cities are losing educated people. This can cause the core to fall because without educated people in the peripheral cities, the core will not have that support around it. All of the core cities developed for a specific reason that the peripheral cities do not have. Sao Paulo developed because of coffee exports, Rio de Janeiro developed because it is a port city.
One of the most important models in human geography is the Gravity Model. The Gravity Model predicts the movement of ideas and people between two places. This model has a formula states (population1 * population2) divided by the (distance^2). Since larger places attract people, ideas, and supplies more than smaller places and places closer together have a greater attraction. The gravity model includes these two features. For example, New York City and Los Angeles: New York City population is 8,244,910 and Los Angeles’ is 3,819,702. The distance between the two cities is 2,789.5 miles. If we use the Gravity Model (8244910*38197052)/(2789.5^2) we get 40472779.7617. The greater the final number, the stronger the bond between the two places. Although the model was created to anticipate migration between two places, it can be used now for traffic flow, flow of goods, people, and ideas. This model was developed by Tinbergen in 1962. Because this model is somewhat outdated and as time went on it is not as useful now as it used to be, William J. Reilly reconstructed the model to calculate between two places where customers will be drawn to one or another of two competing commercial centers.
Models are very important in human geography. Although some of the models are outdated, they usually get re-made to fit the current situation, or they do not need any change because they can fit the current situation. Models help explain concepts and why things happen. There are many more models than the three talked about that all play an important role in human geography.
From blogging about human geography and models specifically I have learned that models are very important.Throughout doing the blog I have seen that models can explain most all parts of human geography. What I struggled with most was finding credible research and a group on campus. Human geography is a very rare topic of groups so I was unable to find a group on campus that was for human geography. Also because blogging was a new form of writing for me it was just different for me to have to use this type of writing. I thoroughly enjoyed learning this new form of writing, and also learning more about human geography. All I hope is that through this blog, my readers also learned something new about human geography.