The electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique allows rapid orientation mapping over large sample areas. This enables the analysis of tendencies that can only be derived from the averaged behavior of many grains. In this communication, we present a recent study based on this feature, in order to gather statistically relevant information about the orientation gradients that developed within grains of a coldrolled aluminum plate. We also check whether the orientation gradients observed can be attributed to the interaction of adjacent grains. We rely on the finite element (FE) technique to simulate plane strain compression of an aggregate of 1200 grains. Twelve of these grains have an identical initial orientation that has been selected, either close to {001}<100>, or along the b-fiber (i.e., {110}<112>, {123}<634>, and {112}<111>). Every one of the 12 grains has a distinct neighborhood and follows thereby a different deformation path. In concordance with experimental measurements, the FE simulations lead to a larger average orientation spread within grains oriented near {001}<100>. However, the amplitude of the orientation spread is underestimated, whatever the initial orientation of grains.Owing to its influence on the mechanical anisotropy of metal sheets, the crystallographic texture developed in rolling operations has been the object of considerable interest in the past few decades. In cubic metals, most of the stable texture components can be identified by relying on the Taylor± Bishop±Hill (TBH) plasticity theory, which presupposes a uniform deformation field over the polycrystalline aggregate. [1,2] However, this unsophisticated theory does not provide a quantitative prediction of texture development. A comparison of the modeling results with diffraction measurements shows that the TBH theory predicts too rapid a rotation for too many grains towards some of the stable texture components. [2,3] It has been known for a long time that only a heterogeneous strain field can fulfill the stress balance condition across grain boundaries. [1,2] It has also been shown that strain heterogeneity retards the development of texture, leading to a closer match between prediction and experiment. [4±9] However, much uncertainty persists about the origin, the type, and the amplitude of local strain heterogeneities. The purpose of the EBSD study and the FE is to address the following questions.l To what extent is the direct neighborhood of a grain influential? If two grains have an identical initial orientation but a different surrounding, will they take different deformation paths, leading to distinct texture components?