Popular culture is the culture of the fast paced, every changing, industrialized and urbanized society of the cities of the world. Folk culture is the study of the more durable way of life found in many tradition bound rural areas of the world. Change in folk culture ways are very slow. Change in popular culture is always happening. One of the ways that cultural geographers explain and study culture is by studying the spatial diffusion of a cultural innovation.
Cultural geographers locate the when and where a new idea or innovation first appeared in a culture.
Then, they study how this idea spreads across the landscape and through a culture. The spread of idea through culture is called an innovation wave. The Primary Stage is when an innovation appears at its source and is adapted in the area. The Diffusion Stage is when a innovation spreads out to new areas and gains new supporters willing to spread the message. The Condensing Stage is when the new idea reaches the last few areas that are willing to adopt the idea or innovation.