ABSTRACT
When two strangers meet, one of the first questions they often ask of each other is, “Where do you live?” The logic underlying the question is that knowing the place that someone calls home offers insights into the person’s background and experiences. Sometimes this assumption leads people into the realm of stereotyping: not every New Yorker is an overbearing jerk nor is every Minnesotan the personification of nice. Nevertheless, the basic idea has merit since humans are social creatures inclined to define themselves in relation to the places where they live and work.
