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In this article we present examples and reflections about potential pitfalls of conducting research with Tibetan monks in south India. We report the results from a study in which experienced and inexperienced Tibetan monks were compared with western participants in tasks assessing association memory, logic and spatial complex working memory. Contrary to our expectations, the experienced monks performed less well or similarly well on the tasks than the inexperienced monks. Western participants performed better than the monks in all tasks. We argue that cultural differences such as values, education and cognitive styles may have been underestimated, which lead to unexpected data. We suggest that when conducting research with currently underrepresented non-western populations, it is crucial to not underestimate the often latent cultural differences and take them into account when designing tasks. Moreover, as has already been pointed out by various researchers, quite generally there should be more explicit description of cultural background and greater reflection on its function.