Global perception maps are just as dependent on individual values as neighbourhood localized mental map. For instance, some families are very aware of their heritage and ancestors, so their mental map of the globe may be very accurate in the area where their family originally came from.

But what shapes the values that shape our mental maps? The media advertising such as in newspapers, magazines, and television is a huge part of how our values are shaped. If people were asked where they would like to travel for a vacation if they could go anywhere in the world, one place might be Australia. Find Australia on a world map. Newspapers and television make Australia sound like a wonderful place to go to the beach, see different wildlife and plants, and certainly it is a wonderful place to go and see all those things. But what about Africa? Countries in Africa like Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and South Africa (find these countries on a map) are located at approximately the same latitude as Australia, and all but Botswana have coastline but how often do you hear someone saying how much they'd like to go to Namibia for a vacation? Why is that? One reason is that Namibia isn't marketed to us as a vacation destination.

Hands on Activity

Draw a mental map of the world. Examine your map, what does it show? Trade mental world maps with someone else? What does their map show? Why would their map be different than yours?