Bukusu and Scottish school children were asked to reproduce tachistoscopically-exposed dot patterns showing different types of symmetry. Comparison of the errors revealed that both samples were able to make use of the symmetrical properties of a pattern to aid recall. Significant cross-cultural differences were found between the samples in their responses to nonsymmetrical patterns, the Bukusu sample making more errors. It was hypothesized that the latter result reflects differences in the cognitive styles of the two samples.
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