LIFE AND CUSTOMS IN THE U.S.
About American Culture
In adjusting to any new culture, it is helpful to have
some knowledge of the culture. Even though the
U.S. population is made up of many different ethnic
groups, and that fact is one of the defining
characteristics of the United States, it is still
possible to talk about some shared "mainstream"
values. The following explanation of these values
may help you to know who Americans are. It may
help you to tell whether puzzling American
behavior is due to cultural conflict or individual
differences. A discussion of cultural values is not
about being right or wrong; it is about different
ways of doing things. Remember that these are
generalizations; sometimes they will be relevant,
sometimes they will not.
The information provided here is an adaptation of
Appendix 5 of NAFSA's International Student
Handbook: A Guide to University Study in the U.S.A.
Published by AT&T; and also of the Yale University
OISS Handbook for International Students and
Scholars.
The idea of equality leads Americans to be fairly
informal in their behavior and in their relationships
with others. You will see such informality in dress,
language (particularly in use of first names and slang),
posture, and classroom activities like eating in class,
asking many questions and making comments, etc.
Invitations may be very casual and often are not
written.
You may have heard the expression "Time is money."
That is how Americans view time, as a limited resource
to be saved or spent for useful purposes. Americans
may get impatient with lines that move slowly in
supermarkets, banks, etc. particularly if the checkout
person or bank teller is taking time to chat with a
customer. In practical terms, this means that Americans
will usually be on time for meetings and engagements
and will keep a schedule of their activities and expect
others to do the same. You should arrive on time for
meals and appointments with professors, doctors, and
other professionals. You can arrive anytime between
the hours specified for informal parties, and receptions.
If you are unable to keep an appointment, you should
call the person to say that you will be late or unable to
get there. In meetings and professional encounters
being organized is highly valued, whereas "wasting
time" in "idle" conversation is not.
Perhaps the most important thing to understand
about Americans is their devotion to individualism.
From an early age, children are trained to be
independent and responsible for their own futures.
Such training may sometimes lead to a seeming
lack of respect for parents in particular and older
people in general. Along with valuing individualism
is a need for privacy, for time alone. Privacy often
begins at an early age, with children sleeping in
separate rooms from their parents and even giving
each child a separate bedroom (if parents can
afford it). Although Americans are a welcoming
people, most expect even friends to phone first
before dropping in at their homes. Casual
unannounced visits are less common than in some
other cultures.
Individualism and Privacy
Informality
Time
Directness and Assertiveness
Americans generally consider themselves to be very
frank and direct in their dealings with others. When
talking to someone about something they don't like
about a person's behavior, they may call it
"constructive" criticism. Most Americans do not think it
is necessary to disguise their feelings; even if their
words are not open, facial expressions may be
revealing. Being honest is often seen to be more
important than preserving harmony in interpersonal
relationships.
The J Guide 20