American-Ways.docx

AmericanWaysAGuideforForeignersintheUnitedStatesBYGARYA1.THENwithAmandaR.DoranandSusanJ.SzmaniaTableofContentspageIntroduction1OnUnderstanding1HowMuchGeneralizingIsAcceptable?2OnAskingfcWhy?"3HowAmericansSeeThemselves4HowAmericansSeeForeigners4OnDescribingAmericans5PartIGeneralIdeasaboutAmericanCultureChapter 1: AmericanValuesandAssumptionsIndividualism.Freedom.Competitiveness,andPrivacyEquality9Informality10TheFuture.Change,andProgress11GoodnessofHumanity12Time13Achievement.Action.Work,andMaterialism14DirectnessandAssertiveness14Chapter 2: TheCommunicativeStyleofAmericans16PreferredDiscussionTopics16FavoriteFormsofInteraction17DepthofInvolvementSought.18ChannelsPreferred191.evelofMeaningEmphasized23Chapter 3: WaysofReasoning23TheContext24ThePoint25TheOrganization25TheEvidence25TheCause27Chapter 4: DifferencesinCustoms2830,3031,3232,33,333334,373S404142PartIlSpecificAspectsofAmerican1.ifeChapter 5: PoliticsTheRuleof1.awTheIdealofCompromise.PoliticsApartCh叩ter6:Family1.ife.,WhatForeignersNotice.TheChangingFamilyRaisingChildrenChapter 7: Education.GuidingWeals,SocialForcesAffectingAmericanEducationIssuesFacingAmericanSchoolsAdvantagesandDisadvantages43,4345,45,4646,4748,4950,50.51,52,5354,56,57,58,58,60,63,63a65,65,6666,6768,6868,69.69.69.70,71.72.72Chapter 8: ReligionTheGeneralContextReligionandIndividualAmericansExceptionsChapter 9: TheMediaWhatIsAmericanabouttheAmericanMedia?,Americans'ViewsofTheirMediaMisconceptionstheMediaPromoteChapter 10: SocialRelationshipsMeetingNewPeopleTheAmericanConceptofFriendshipRelationshipsPrescribedbyRolesCourtesy.Schedules.GiftsChapter 11: RacialandEthnicDiversityWhatForeignVisitorsSeeHowAmericansViewRaceandEthnicRelationsAustin.Texas:ACaseStudyChapter 12: Male-FemaleRelationshipsInfluencesonMale-FemaleRelationshipsMale-FemaleRelationshipsinVariousSettings.Chapter13:SportsandRecreationSportsRecreationChapter 14: DrivingGeneralInformationTraffic1.awsAttitudesaboutDrivingChapter 15: ShoppingAdvertisingPricingCustomer-ClerkRelationshipsSalesTacticsProceduresforReturningandExchangingPrivateSalesChapter 16: PersonalHygieneTheBasicsVariationsOtherIssuesConcerningHygieneChapter 17: GettingThingsDoneinOrganizationsMisconceptionsCharacteristicsofU.S.OrganizationsSuggestionsforDealingwithU.S.OrganizationsChapter 18: BehaviorinPublicPlacesRulesforBehaviorinPublicPlacesCommunicationBehaviorsChapter 19: StudyingAssumptionsUnderlyingtheHigherEducationSystemStudenl-StudentRelationships.Stixtent-ProfessorRelationshipsRoommateRelationshipsIntroductionMostAmericansseethemselvesasopen,frank,andfairlyfriendly.Ifyouaskthemaquestion,theywillanswerit.Theyhavenothingtohide.Theycannotunderstandwhypeoplefromotheruntriesshouldhaveanydifficultyunderstandingthem.Unless,ofurse,therearelanguageproblems.ButmostforeignersdohavetroubleunderstandingAmericans.EveniftheyhaveagoodcommandofEnglish,mostforeignershaveatleastsomedifficultyunderstandingwhattheAmericanstheyencounterarethinkingandfeeling.Whatideasandattitudesunderlietheiractions?Whatmotivatesthem?Whatmakesthemtalkandactthewaytheydo9Thisbkaddressesthosequestions.ThebookisintendedtohelpforeignvisitorsboththosestayingforalongtimeandthosehereforshortVisits-Understandthenatives.OnUnderstandingThisbookisnotintendedtoencourageforeignerstolikeAmericansorwanttoimitatethem.SomevisitorsfromabroadwillhavepositivefeelingstowardmostoftheAmericanstheymeet.Otherswillnot.SomewillwanttoremainforalongtimeintheUnitedStates,otherswillwanttogobackhomeassoonaspossible.Peopleinboththesegroups,however,willbemorelikelytobenefitfromtheirstaysintheStatesiftheyunderstandthenatives.Understandheremeanshavingareasonablyaccuratesetofideasforinterpretingthebehaviortheysee.1.etslookatanexample,onethatcausesmanyforeignerstohavenegativefeelingstowardAmericans.TariqNassarisEgyptian.Inhissociety,peopleplaceahighpremiumonfamilyloyalty.Obligationstoparentsandsiblingsareanimportantpartofdailylife.TariqhasmetotheUnitedStatestoearnamaster'sdegreeincivilengineering.ThroughtheU.S.universityheisattending,hehasa'hostfamily."alocalfamilythatperiodicallyinviteshimtotheirhomefordinnerorsomeotheractivity.Thefamily'snameisWilson.Mr.Wilsonisamiddle-agedengineer.Hiswilev/orkshalf-timeinalawyer'sofficeTeirtwochildren,adaughterwhoistventy-voandasonwhoisnineteen,arebothuniversitystudents,andoneofthemisattendingauniversityinadistantstate.Mr.Wilsonsfatherdiedtwoyearsago.Hismother,TariqIearns1livesinanursinghomeOneSundayafterhavingdinnerwiththeWilsons,TariqgoeswiththemtovisitMr.Wilson'smother.Thenursinghomeisfulloffrail,eWerlypeople,mostOfwhomaresittingsilentlyinloungeareasorlyingintheirrooms.Afewareplayingcardsordominoesinthe-gameroom"orarewatchingtelevisionMrWilsonsmotherisobviouslyold,butshecanmovearoundreasonablywellandcancarryonanormalconversationwithanyonewhotalksabitlouderthanusual.Mr.WilsonsayshevisitshismotheronceaweekifatallpossibleSometimeshehastogooutoftown,sotwoweekswillpassbetweenvisits.Hiswifesometimesgoesalongonthesevisits;thechildrenrarelydo,sinceonelivesfarawayandtheotherisusuallybusystudying.Tariqishorrified.HowcanMr.Wilson,v/hootherwiseseemslikeapleasantandgenerousperson,standtohavehismotherlivinginsuchaplace?Whydoesn'tshelivewithMr.Wilson?HowcanTariqinterpretMr.Wilson'sbehavior?Thereareseveralpossibilities:Mr.Wilsonisaselfish,irresponsiblepersonwodoesnotunderstandtheobligationschildrenhavetowardtheirparents;orMr.WilsonsmotherhassomemedicalorpsychologicalproblemthatisnotevidenttohimandthatrequiresspecialcareshecouldnotgetinMr.Wilson'shome;orMr.Wilson'svfeisadomineeringwomanwho,forselfishreasons,refusestohaveherhusband'smotherlivinginherhouse.Anyoftheseinterpretationsmightbecorrect,butthereareothersthataremorelikelytoexplainthesituationTariqhasseen.IfTariqunderstoodthewayinwhichAmericansaretrainedtobehaveasindependent,self-reliantindividuals,hewouldbemorelikelytounderstandwhyMr.Wilson'smotherwasinthenursinghome.Hemightrealizethatthemohermayactuallyprefertobeinthenursinghomeratherthanibeaburden-tohersonandhisfamily.Tariqmightunderstand,atleasttosomedegree,theconcernforprivacythatleadsAmericanstokeeptothemselvesinwayspeoplenhisowncountrywouldrarelydo.IfTariqmisinterpretedthissituation,hemightwellbecomeunfriendlyandevenhostiletoMr.Wilsonandhiswife.Hishostfamilyrelationshipwouldend.Hewouldthenloseagoodopportunitytosocialize,tomeetAmericansnagegroupsotherthanthatofhisfellowstudents,andtolearnfromMr.WilsonabouttheengineeringprofessionastspracticedintheUnitedStates.If.ontheotherhand.Tariqunderstoodthefactorsunderlyingth©nursinghomesituationinthesamewaytheWilsonsprobablydo.hemightgoontodevelopacloserandmor©rewardingrelationshipwiththeWilsonfamily.So.understandingAmericanscanbebeneficial.Misunderstandingthemcaneliminateopportunitiesandproducenegativefeelingsthatareunwarranted.ThisbookcanhelpforeignvisitorsunderstandAmericansandtherebybetterachievetheirowngoalswhileintheUnitedStates.HowMuchGeneralizingIsAcceptable?WhoaretheseAmericans?TheUnitedSlatesofAmericacoversalandareaof3,618,770squaremiles(9.408,802sq.km.)andisinhabitedbysome281,000,000individuals.Acrdngtothe2000U.S.Census,populationdensityrangesfrom1,134peoplepersquaremile(2,564persq.km.)inthestateofNewJerseyto1persquaremile(1.82Persq.km.)InthestateofAlaska.Therearedeserts,plains,marshlands.Iundra.forests,andsnow-coveredmountains.America'spopulationreflectsremarkableethnicdiversity.WhilethemajorityofAmericansarerx>n-Hspacwhite.12.5percentofthepopulationisHispanic.12percentofthepopulationisAfricanAmerican,about4percentisAsian,andabout1percentisNativeAmerican.Intheyear2000.therewere28.4millionforeign-bornresidentsintheUnitedStates,representing10percentofthetotalU.S.population.TermssuchasAsianAmer>can.ItalianAmerican,andArabAmericanarecommonlyusedandreflectthepersistenceofvariousethnicheritageswithintheU.S.Therearepeoplewhoseskinslabeledwhite,black,brown,yellow,andred.America'spopulationincludesCatholics.Protestantsofmanydenominations.Jewsofseveralpersuasions.Muslims,Buddhists,animists.andothers.Somepeoplebelieveinnosupremebeingorhigherpower.Therearepeoplewhohavemanyyearsofformaleducationandpeoplewhohavenearlynone.Therearetheveryrichaswellastheverypoor.TereareRepublicans.Democrats,independents,socialists.Communists,libertarians,andadherentsofotherpoliticalviewsaswell.ThereareIawyersJarmers.plumbers,teachers,socialworkers,immigrationofficers,computertechnicians,andpeopleinthousandsofotheroccupations.Someliveinurbanareas,someinrurallocations.Givenallthisdiversity,canonemeaningfullytalkaboutAmericans?Probablyso.ifoneiscareful.Consideritthisway: Insomewaysallpeoplearealike. Insomewayseverypersonisunique. Insomewaysgroupsofpeopleresembleeachother.Insomeways,allpeoplearealike.Anatomistsandphysiologistsstudywaysinwichthestructureandfunctionsofthehumanbodyoperate,regardlessofrace,religion,income,orpoliticalopinion.Ahumanpancreaticglandknowsnopoliticalpersuasion.Ontheotherhand,therearewaysinwhicheacpersonisunique.Psychologistsstudythemannerinwhicheachperson'scharacteristicsandexperiencesgiverisetohisorherparticularattitudesandbehavior.Instillotherways,groupsofpeopleresembleeachother.Onecanfindcommoncharacteristicsamongsuchgroupsasphysicists,mothers.Olympicathletes,andfarmlaborers.OnecanalsofindcommoncharacteristicsamongnationalitygroupsAmericans.Nigerians.Irish,Egyptians,andsoon.Membersofthesenationalitygroupssharecertaincommonexperiencesthatresultinsimilaritiesamongthemevenif,likemanyAmericans,theydonotrecognizethosesimilaritiesthemselves.AmericansmightallseemdifferentfromeachotheruntilyoumparethemasagroupwiththeJapanese,forexample.ThenitbemesclearthatcertainattitudesandbehaviorsaremuchmorecharacteristicoftheAmericansandothersarefarmoretypicaloftheJapanese.Thepredominantideas,values,andbehaviorsof"mainstream-Americansarethoseofthewhitemiddleclass.Peopleinthatcategoryhavek>ngheldthelargemajorityofthecountry'smostinfluentialpositions.Theyhavebeenthepoliticalandbusinessleaders,theuniversitypresdenls,scientists,journalists,andnovelistswhohavesuccessfullyexertedinfluenceonthesociety.AmericancultureastalkedaboutInthisbook.then,hasbeenstronglyinfluencedbywhitemiddle-classmales.Obviously,no!allAmericansarewhit©andmiddleclass.Th©portionofthepopulationthatisnonwhit©isgrowing,andthatgrov/lhhashadsomeeffectsonthegeneralculture.Nevertheless,society'smainIdeaIShavebeenforgedbythatmiddle-classwhitegroup.Membersofothergroupsusually(no!always)agreewiththose>deals.alleastonSomelevel.ForeignvisitorscanfindAmericanswhoactivelyopposetheideasthatgenerallydefineAmericanculture.Foreignvisitorswillfindmanyvariationsonthe-Americanculture"portrayednthisbook.Thereare.ashasalreadybeensuggested,regional,ethnic,family,andindividualdifferences.Southerners(vhchreallymeanspeoplefromthesoutheasternstates,exceptFlorida,whichishometomanytransplantsfromnorthernstatesandfromCuba)areknownfortheirhospitality,relativelyslowpaceoflife,andrespectfortradition.NewEnglandersareoftenregardedbyAmericansfromelsewhereasbeingrelativelyquietandinexpressive.Texansaredeemedmoreforcefulandopenlyself-confidentthantheirrelativelyself-effacingcompatriotsfromtheMidwest.Variationsrelatedtoethnicbackgroundarealsonoticeable.ChineseAmericansseemtoplaceahighervalueoneducationthandoAmericansingeneral.AfricanAmericans,atleastthosewholiveinmainlyblackcommunities,tendtobemoreverballyandphysicallyexpressivethandowhiteAmericans.SodoItalianAmericans.Growingupinethnicallyandculturallydifferentsituations,Americanslearntheattitudesandbehaviorsoftheirfamilies.Familiesmayvaryinthewaytheyrespondtodisagreementorconflict,thedegreetoWhiChtheysharetheirthoughtsandfeelings,andtheirlevelofmfortwithbeingtouchedbyotherpeople,(*lgrewupinafamilywerepeopledidn'ttoucheachothermuch,“youmayhearanAmericanexplain.)And,ofcourse,thereareindividualdifferences.Somepeoplearemoreoutgoingthanothersormoreaggressive,moreadventurous,morecontemplative,ormorefocusedontheirowninnerfeelings.Generalizationssuchastheonesinthisbookaresubjecttoexceptionandrefinement.Readersoughtnottobelievethathavingreadthebook,theywillunderstandallAmericans.Theywillnot.Atbest,theywillbegintounderstandsomeaspectsofsomeAmericans-behavior.ReadersareadvisedafterreadingthisbooktoobserveAmericanswiththeirmindsstillopentonewobservationsandnewinterpretations.OnAsking“Why?”Thisisnotaphilosophicalorpoliticalbk.Itisintendedtobeapracticalguideforunderstanding.ItbarelyconcernsitselfwiththequestionofwyAmericansactastheydo.Thereisagreattemptationamongpeoplewhoencounterculturaldifferencestoaskwhythosedifferencesexist.,Whydotheytalksoloud?-1Whydotheylovetheirdogsmorethantheirchildren?',Whyaretheysohardtogettoknow?""Whydotheysmileandactsofriendlyv/hentheycan'tevenremembermyname?"Andcountlessothersuchquestions,mostofthemultimatelyunanswerable.Thefactisthatpeopledowhattheydo.The"wys"Thereasonsareprobablynotdeterminable.ThegeneralcharacteristicsofAmericanculturehavebeenascribedbyvariousobserverstosuchfactorsasitstemperateclimate;itsnineteenth-centuryhistoryasalargecountrywithanopenfrontiertothewest;itscitizens'originsamongdissentersandthelowerclassesinEurope;itshighleveloftechnologicaldevelopment;theinfluenceofChristianity;thedeclininginfluenceofChristianity;itscapitalisteconomicsystem;and"Godsbenevolentattention."NoonecansaywhichofthemanyexplanationsofAmericanculturalpatternsisright.Onecommentatorsaidthattheonlyanswerto*why*questionsaboutculturaldifferencesis"Because.*.Forexample,whyareAmericanssopractical?Becausetheireducationalsystememphasizespracticemorethantheory.Whydoestheireducationalsystememphasizepracticeovertheory?BecauseAmericanstendtobelievethattheoryislessimportantthanwhatreallyworths.WhydoAmericanstendtobelievethattheoryislessimportantthanwhatreallyworks?Because.Because.Because.Andalthoughitmaybeinterestingtospeculateonthe-WhyMquestions(especiallyforpeoplefromplaceswheretheorysconsideredmoreimportantJhanpractice!),itisnotnecessaryindailydealingswithAmericanstounderstandwhytheyactastheydo.Thisbook,therefore,doesnotexaminethattopicindepth.Theassumptionunderlyingthisbook'sdiscussionofAmericanandotherculturessthat,asonewell-knownstudentofcross-culturalmattersputit.uPeopleactthewaytheyweretaughttoact.andtheyallhavedifferentteachers."Therearereasonsforthewaypeoplebehave,evenifWecan'tbecertainwhatthosereasonsare.PeoplewhohavegrownupintheUnitedStateshavebeentaught,ortrained,toactincertainwaysandnotnothers.Theyshareaculture.WewillbeginexploringthatcultureafterafewwordsaboutAmericans'conceptionsOfthemselvesandtherattitudestowardforeigners.HowAmericansSeeThemselvesItisusuallyhelpful,whentryingtounderstandothers,tounderstandhowWeseeourselves.AfewcommentsaboutAmericans-self-perceptionsappearhere;otherscomelater.Americansdonotusuallyseethemselves,whentheyareintheUnitedStates,asrepresentativesoftheircountry,