How Culture Constructs Our Sense of Neighborhood: Mental Maps and Children's Perceptions of Place

Abstract Abstract This research examines the effects of culture on a child's perceptions of his or her neighborhood by comparing the neighborhood sketch maps of a group of Amish and non-Amish children from the same rural Pennsylvania neighborhood. The results of this study lend credence to the belief that early and intensive acculturation helps define our sense of "neighborhood" very early in life. There are possible applications to multicultural education in this study. As we discover what is important to students from other subcultures and backgrounds, we can customize our instruction to make it more meaningful and effective. Key Words: culturemental mapmulticultural educationsketch mapsocialization Acknowledgments This research was partially funded by a research grant from the National Council in Geographic Education and by the National Council for Geographic Education's (NCGE) Women's Scholarship Award. The research also resulted in my receiving the NCGE's 2005 Dissertation Award for Geographic Education. I also thank the Journal of Geography peer reviewers for their insights and comments in preparing this article. Carol Ann Gillespie, Ph.D., is currently researching and writing a book on Appalachian folkways of West Virginia. She also teaches AP (Advanced Placement) Human Geography online and has been actively involved with the AP Human Geography Reading and exam preparation since its inception.