[FoRK] Individualism vs. Holism, reflected in the Brain

[Lion Kimbro]

  I saw this, via Technocrat:

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Culture_Influences_Brain_Function_999.html
( http://technocrat.net/d/2008/1/14/33894 )

  Basically, some scientists saying they've found evidence that
  individualist vs. holistic thinking imbibed from culture influences
  how we process visually.

  Easterners were better at seeing relative visual relationships, and
  Westerners were better at identifying absolutes.

  "Within both groups, stronger identification with their respective
   cultures was associated with a stronger culture-specific pattern of
   brain-activation."

  I'd be interested in knowing:

  * How solid is this?  (counter-research?)
  ** Could it be that art styles are different, and vision is adapting
     to art style?
  ** What else could this be?

  * Where else do high-level philosophical perspectives influence our
    low-level wiring?

  * How does the bias develop with age?  What is the vision system of a
    1-year old like?  (Holistics?  Individualistic?  Something-else-ic?)

  * Is it fixed?  If someone changes, does the vision circuitry change
    before, during, or after the change in perspective?