“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Pablo Picasso

While searching my bookmarks for a well hidden article found this thought provoking BBC article instead.

Psychologists are uncovering the surprising influence of geography on our reasoning, behaviour, and sense of self.

From the broad differences between East and West, to subtle variation between US states, it is becoming increasingly clear that history, geography and culture can change how we all think in subtle and surprising ways – right down to our visual perception. Our thinking may have even been shaped by the kinds of crops our ancestors used to farm, and a single river may mark the boundaries between two different cognitive styles.

Wherever we live, a greater awareness of these forces can help us all understand our own minds a little better.

‘Weird’ minds

Until recently, scientists had largely ignored the global diversity of thinking. In 2010, an influential article in the journal Behavioral and Brain Sciences reported that the vast majority of psychological subjects had been “western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic”, or ‘Weird’ for short. Nearly 70% were American, and most were undergraduate students hoping to gain pocket money or course credits by giving up their time to take part in these experiments.