What are the four traditions or ways of studying geography?

The four traditions or ways of studying geography are as follows: Man-Land, Earth Science, Spatial Tradition and Regional Studies. Man-Land Tradition is the study between the Earth and human beings and how they differently affect each other and it is considered as one of the oldest traditions in geography.

George Perkins Marsh was the first person to appreciate how human activities influence nature through his book Man and Nature: Or Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action which was published in 1864. Earth Science Tradition is the study of the physical aspects of Earth – waters, atmosphere and the Sun. Spatial Tradition is the study of the importance of places of things’ location, distance, position and direction. Regional Studies examines the different characteristics of places and their differences.