1. The Mental Map www.ofelon.org Ofelon project utilizes a Creative Commons license Abstracts ( 9 )

2. Our experiences, both directly and culturally learnt, accumulate and form in our mind a model of the world that allows us to predict events and therefore to decide our behaviors Our experiences, both directly and culturally learnt, accumulate and form in our mind a model of the world that allows us to predict events and therefore to decide our behaviors O

3. This mental map guides us in orienting our behaviors, like a road map determines the route of a journey This mental map guides us in orienting our behaviors, like a road map determines the route of a journey O

4. A good road map has to lead us to our destination and a good mental map function is to guide us in everyday life A good road map has to lead us to our destination and a good mental map function is to guide us in everyday life O

5. Our mental map is an essential resource and therefore we tend to defend the same at all costs Our mental map is an essential resource and therefore we tend to defend the same at all costs O

6. Any innovation, although obvious, that risks to jeopardize our view of the world, is naturally rejected Any innovation, although obvious, that risks to jeopardize our view of the world, is naturally rejected O

7. Only novelties that can be consistently inserted in our mental map are accepted as reliable, leaving out their real foundation O

8. The closed-mindedness to novelties is a natural mechanism of defense of our tested and consolidated map of reference in front of the world that surrounds us O

9. If anyway the world that surrounds us quickly changes our closed-mindedness becomes harmful, as it doesn’t allow as fast an adaptation If anyway the world that surrounds us quickly changes our closed-mindedness becomes harmful, as it doesn’t allow as fast an adaptation O

10. The acceptance of a novelty is for a person as easy as the same is spread in the community O

11. The greater is the emergency to be faced, the most an adequate mass cultural response is needed The greater is the emergency to be faced, the most an adequate mass cultural response is needed O

12. Ofelon for all and all for Ofelon! www.ofelon.org Ofelon project utilizes a Creative Commons license