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1、AmericanWaysAGuideforForeignersintheUnitedStatesBYGARYA1.THENwithAmandaR.DoranandSusanJ.SzmaniaTableofContentspageIntroduction1OnUnderstanding1HowMuchGeneralizingIsAcceptable?2OnAskingfcWhy?3HowAmericansSeeThemselves4HowAmericansSeeForeigners4OnDescribingAmericans5PartIGeneralIdeasaboutAmericanCultu

2、reChapter 1: AmericanValuesandAssumptionsIndividualism.Freedom.Competitiveness,andPrivacyEquality9Informality10TheFuture.Change,andProgress11GoodnessofHumanity12Time13Achievement.Action.Work,andMaterialism14DirectnessandAssertiveness14Chapter 2: TheCommunicativeStyleofAmericans16PreferredDiscussionT

3、opics16FavoriteFormsofInteraction17DepthofInvolvementSought.18ChannelsPreferred191.evelofMeaningEmphasized23Chapter 3: WaysofReasoning23TheContext24ThePoint25TheOrganization25TheEvidence25TheCause27Chapter 4: DifferencesinCustoms2830,3031,3232,33,333334,373S404142PartIlSpecificAspectsofAmerican1.ife

4、Chapter 5: PoliticsTheRuleof1.awTheIdealofCompromise.PoliticsApartCh叩ter6:Family1.ife.,WhatForeignersNotice.TheChangingFamilyRaisingChildrenChapter 7: Education.GuidingWeals,SocialForcesAffectingAmericanEducationIssuesFacingAmericanSchoolsAdvantagesandDisadvantages43,4345,45,4646,4748,4950,50.51,52,

5、5354,56,57,58,58,60,63,63a65,65,6666,6768,6868,69.69.69.70,71.72.72Chapter 8: ReligionTheGeneralContextReligionandIndividualAmericansExceptionsChapter 9: TheMediaWhatIsAmericanabouttheAmericanMedia?,AmericansViewsofTheirMediaMisconceptionstheMediaPromoteChapter 10: SocialRelationshipsMeetingNewPeopl

6、eTheAmericanConceptofFriendshipRelationshipsPrescribedbyRolesCourtesy.Schedules.GiftsChapter 11: RacialandEthnicDiversityWhatForeignVisitorsSeeHowAmericansViewRaceandEthnicRelationsAustin.Texas:ACaseStudyChapter 12: Male-FemaleRelationshipsInfluencesonMale-FemaleRelationshipsMale-FemaleRelationships

7、inVariousSettings.Chapter13:SportsandRecreationSportsRecreationChapter 14: DrivingGeneralInformationTraffic1.awsAttitudesaboutDrivingChapter 15: ShoppingAdvertisingPricingCustomer-ClerkRelationshipsSalesTacticsProceduresforReturningandExchangingPrivateSalesChapter 16: PersonalHygieneTheBasicsVariati

8、onsOtherIssuesConcerningHygieneChapter 17: GettingThingsDoneinOrganizationsMisconceptionsCharacteristicsofU.S.OrganizationsSuggestionsforDealingwithU.S.OrganizationsChapter 18: BehaviorinPublicPlacesRulesforBehaviorinPublicPlacesCommunicationBehaviorsChapter 19: StudyingAssumptionsUnderlyingtheHighe

9、rEducationSystemStudenl-StudentRelationships.Stixtent-ProfessorRelationshipsRoommateRelationshipsIntroductionMostAmericansseethemselvesasopen,frank,andfairlyfriendly.Ifyouaskthemaquestion,theywillanswerit.Theyhavenothingtohide.Theycannotunderstandwhypeoplefromotheruntriesshouldhaveanydifficultyunder

10、standingthem.Unless,ofurse,therearelanguageproblems.ButmostforeignersdohavetroubleunderstandingAmericans.EveniftheyhaveagoodcommandofEnglish,mostforeignershaveatleastsomedifficultyunderstandingwhattheAmericanstheyencounterarethinkingandfeeling.Whatideasandattitudesunderlietheiractions?Whatmotivatest

11、hem?Whatmakesthemtalkandactthewaytheydo9Thisbkaddressesthosequestions.ThebookisintendedtohelpforeignvisitorsboththosestayingforalongtimeandthosehereforshortVisits-Understandthenatives.OnUnderstandingThisbookisnotintendedtoencourageforeignerstolikeAmericansorwanttoimitatethem.Somevisitorsfromabroadwi

12、llhavepositivefeelingstowardmostoftheAmericanstheymeet.Otherswillnot.SomewillwanttoremainforalongtimeintheUnitedStates,otherswillwanttogobackhomeassoonaspossible.Peopleinboththesegroups,however,willbemorelikelytobenefitfromtheirstaysintheStatesiftheyunderstandthenatives.Understandheremeanshavingarea

13、sonablyaccuratesetofideasforinterpretingthebehaviortheysee.1.etslookatanexample,onethatcausesmanyforeignerstohavenegativefeelingstowardAmericans.TariqNassarisEgyptian.Inhissociety,peopleplaceahighpremiumonfamilyloyalty.Obligationstoparentsandsiblingsareanimportantpartofdailylife.TariqhasmetotheUnite

14、dStatestoearnamastersdegreeincivilengineering.ThroughtheU.S.universityheisattending,hehasahostfamily.alocalfamilythatperiodicallyinviteshimtotheirhomefordinnerorsomeotheractivity.ThefamilysnameisWilson.Mr.Wilsonisamiddle-agedengineer.Hiswilev/orkshalf-timeinalawyersofficeTeirtwochildren,adaughterwho

15、istventy-voandasonwhoisnineteen,arebothuniversitystudents,andoneofthemisattendingauniversityinadistantstate.Mr.Wilsonsfatherdiedtwoyearsago.Hismother,TariqIearns1livesinanursinghomeOneSundayafterhavingdinnerwiththeWilsons,TariqgoeswiththemtovisitMr.Wilsonsmother.Thenursinghomeisfulloffrail,eWerlypeo

16、ple,mostOfwhomaresittingsilentlyinloungeareasorlyingintheirrooms.Afewareplayingcardsordominoesinthe-gameroomorarewatchingtelevisionMrWilsonsmotherisobviouslyold,butshecanmovearoundreasonablywellandcancarryonanormalconversationwithanyonewhotalksabitlouderthanusual.Mr.Wilsonsayshevisitshismotheronceaw

17、eekifatallpossibleSometimeshehastogooutoftown,sotwoweekswillpassbetweenvisits.Hiswifesometimesgoesalongonthesevisits;thechildrenrarelydo,sinceonelivesfarawayandtheotherisusuallybusystudying.Tariqishorrified.HowcanMr.Wilson,v/hootherwiseseemslikeapleasantandgenerousperson,standtohavehismotherlivingin

18、suchaplace?WhydoesntshelivewithMr.Wilson?HowcanTariqinterpretMr.Wilsonsbehavior?Thereareseveralpossibilities:Mr.Wilsonisaselfish,irresponsiblepersonwodoesnotunderstandtheobligationschildrenhavetowardtheirparents;orMr.Wilsonsmotherhassomemedicalorpsychologicalproblemthatisnotevidenttohimandthatrequir

19、esspecialcareshecouldnotgetinMr.Wilsonshome;orMr.Wilsonsvfeisadomineeringwomanwho,forselfishreasons,refusestohaveherhusbandsmotherlivinginherhouse.Anyoftheseinterpretationsmightbecorrect,butthereareothersthataremorelikelytoexplainthesituationTariqhasseen.IfTariqunderstoodthewayinwhichAmericansaretra

20、inedtobehaveasindependent,self-reliantindividuals,hewouldbemorelikelytounderstandwhyMr.Wilsonsmotherwasinthenursinghome.Hemightrealizethatthemohermayactuallyprefertobeinthenursinghomeratherthanibeaburden-tohersonandhisfamily.Tariqmightunderstand,atleasttosomedegree,theconcernforprivacythatleadsAmeri

21、canstokeeptothemselvesinwayspeoplenhisowncountrywouldrarelydo.IfTariqmisinterpretedthissituation,hemightwellbecomeunfriendlyandevenhostiletoMr.Wilsonandhiswife.Hishostfamilyrelationshipwouldend.Hewouldthenloseagoodopportunitytosocialize,tomeetAmericansnagegroupsotherthanthatofhisfellowstudents,andto

22、learnfromMr.WilsonabouttheengineeringprofessionastspracticedintheUnitedStates.If.ontheotherhand.TariqunderstoodthefactorsunderlyingthnursinghomesituationinthesamewaytheWilsonsprobablydo.hemightgoontodevelopacloserandmorrewardingrelationshipwiththeWilsonfamily.So.understandingAmericanscanbebeneficial

23、.Misunderstandingthemcaneliminateopportunitiesandproducenegativefeelingsthatareunwarranted.ThisbookcanhelpforeignvisitorsunderstandAmericansandtherebybetterachievetheirowngoalswhileintheUnitedStates.HowMuchGeneralizingIsAcceptable?WhoaretheseAmericans?TheUnitedSlatesofAmericacoversalandareaof3,618,7

24、70squaremiles(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-covere

25、dmountains.Americaspopulationreflectsremarkableethnicdiversity.WhilethemajorityofAmericansarerxn-Hspacwhite.12.5percentofthepopulationisHispanic.12percentofthepopulationisAfricanAmerican,about4percentisAsian,andabout1percentisNativeAmerican.Intheyear2000.therewere28.4millionforeign-bornresidentsinth

26、eUnitedStates,representing10percentofthetotalU.S.population.TermssuchasAsianAmercan.ItalianAmerican,andArabAmericanarecommonlyusedandreflectthepersistenceofvariousethnicheritageswithintheU.S.Therearepeoplewhoseskinslabeledwhite,black,brown,yellow,andred.AmericaspopulationincludesCatholics.Protestant

27、sofmanydenominations.Jewsofseveralpersuasions.Muslims,Buddhists,animists.andothers.Somepeoplebelieveinnosupremebeingorhigherpower.Therearepeoplewhohavemanyyearsofformaleducationandpeoplewhohavenearlynone.Therearetheveryrichaswellastheverypoor.TereareRepublicans.Democrats,independents,socialists.Comm

28、unists,libertarians,andadherentsofotherpoliticalviewsaswell.ThereareIawyersJarmers.plumbers,teachers,socialworkers,immigrationofficers,computertechnicians,andpeopleinthousandsofotheroccupations.Someliveinurbanareas,someinrurallocations.Givenallthisdiversity,canonemeaningfullytalkaboutAmericans?Proba

29、blyso.ifoneiscareful.Consideritthisway: Insomewaysallpeoplearealike. Insomewayseverypersonisunique. Insomewaysgroupsofpeopleresembleeachother.Insomeways,allpeoplearealike.Anatomistsandphysiologistsstudywaysinwichthestructureandfunctionsofthehumanbodyoperate,regardlessofrace,religion,income,orpolitic

30、alopinion.Ahumanpancreaticglandknowsnopoliticalpersuasion.Ontheotherhand,therearewaysinwhicheacpersonisunique.Psychologistsstudythemannerinwhicheachpersonscharacteristicsandexperiencesgiverisetohisorherparticularattitudesandbehavior.Instillotherways,groupsofpeopleresembleeachother.Onecanfindcommonch

31、aracteristicsamongsuchgroupsasphysicists,mothers.Olympicathletes,andfarmlaborers.OnecanalsofindcommoncharacteristicsamongnationalitygroupsAmericans.Nigerians.Irish,Egyptians,andsoon.Membersofthesenationalitygroupssharecertaincommonexperiencesthatresultinsimilaritiesamongthemevenif,likemanyAmericans,

32、theydonotrecognizethosesimilaritiesthemselves.AmericansmightallseemdifferentfromeachotheruntilyoumparethemasagroupwiththeJapanese,forexample.ThenitbemesclearthatcertainattitudesandbehaviorsaremuchmorecharacteristicoftheAmericansandothersarefarmoretypicaloftheJapanese.Thepredominantideas,values,andbe

33、haviorsofmainstream-Americansarethoseofthewhitemiddleclass.Peopleinthatcategoryhavekngheldthelargemajorityofthecountrysmostinfluentialpositions.Theyhavebeenthepoliticalandbusinessleaders,theuniversitypresdenls,scientists,journalists,andnovelistswhohavesuccessfullyexertedinfluenceonthesociety.America

34、ncultureastalkedaboutInthisbook.then,hasbeenstronglyinfluencedbywhitemiddle-classmales.Obviously,no!allAmericansarewhitandmiddleclass.Thportionofthepopulationthatisnonwhitisgrowing,andthatgrov/lhhashadsomeeffectsonthegeneralculture.Nevertheless,societysmainIdeaIShavebeenforgedbythatmiddle-classwhite

35、group.Membersofothergroupsusually(no!always)agreewiththosedeals.alleastonSomelevel.ForeignvisitorscanfindAmericanswhoactivelyopposetheideasthatgenerallydefineAmericanculture.Foreignvisitorswillfindmanyvariationsonthe-Americancultureportrayednthisbook.Thereare.ashasalreadybeensuggested,regional,ethni

36、c,family,andindividualdifferences.Southerners(vhchreallymeanspeoplefromthesoutheasternstates,exceptFlorida,whichishometomanytransplantsfromnorthernstatesandfromCuba)areknownfortheirhospitality,relativelyslowpaceoflife,andrespectfortradition.NewEnglandersareoftenregardedbyAmericansfromelsewhereasbein

37、grelativelyquietandinexpressive.Texansaredeemedmoreforcefulandopenlyself-confidentthantheirrelativelyself-effacingcompatriotsfromtheMidwest.Variationsrelatedtoethnicbackgroundarealsonoticeable.ChineseAmericansseemtoplaceahighervalueoneducationthandoAmericansingeneral.AfricanAmericans,atleastthosewho

38、liveinmainlyblackcommunities,tendtobemoreverballyandphysicallyexpressivethandowhiteAmericans.SodoItalianAmericans.Growingupinethnicallyandculturallydifferentsituations,Americanslearntheattitudesandbehaviorsoftheirfamilies.Familiesmayvaryinthewaytheyrespondtodisagreementorconflict,thedegreetoWhiChthe

39、ysharetheirthoughtsandfeelings,andtheirlevelofmfortwithbeingtouchedbyotherpeople,(*lgrewupinafamilywerepeopledidnttoucheachothermuch,“youmayhearanAmericanexplain.)And,ofcourse,thereareindividualdifferences.Somepeoplearemoreoutgoingthanothersormoreaggressive,moreadventurous,morecontemplative,ormorefo

40、cusedontheirowninnerfeelings.Generalizationssuchastheonesinthisbookaresubjecttoexceptionandrefinement.Readersoughtnottobelievethathavingreadthebook,theywillunderstandallAmericans.Theywillnot.Atbest,theywillbegintounderstandsomeaspectsofsomeAmericans-behavior.Readersareadvisedafterreadingthisbooktoob

41、serveAmericanswiththeirmindsstillopentonewobservationsandnewinterpretations.OnAsking“Why?”Thisisnotaphilosophicalorpoliticalbk.Itisintendedtobeapracticalguideforunderstanding.ItbarelyconcernsitselfwiththequestionofwyAmericansactastheydo.Thereisagreattemptationamongpeoplewhoencounterculturaldifferenc

42、estoaskwhythosedifferencesexist.,Whydotheytalksoloud?-1Whydotheylovetheirdogsmorethantheirchildren?,Whyaretheysohardtogettoknow?Whydotheysmileandactsofriendlyv/hentheycantevenremembermyname?Andcountlessothersuchquestions,mostofthemultimatelyunanswerable.Thefactisthatpeopledowhattheydo.ThewysThereaso

43、nsareprobablynotdeterminable.ThegeneralcharacteristicsofAmericanculturehavebeenascribedbyvariousobserverstosuchfactorsasitstemperateclimate;itsnineteenth-centuryhistoryasalargecountrywithanopenfrontiertothewest;itscitizensoriginsamongdissentersandthelowerclassesinEurope;itshighleveloftechnologicalde

44、velopment;theinfluenceofChristianity;thedeclininginfluenceofChristianity;itscapitalisteconomicsystem;andGodsbenevolentattention.NoonecansaywhichofthemanyexplanationsofAmericanculturalpatternsisright.Onecommentatorsaidthattheonlyanswerto*why*questionsaboutculturaldifferencesisBecause.*.Forexample,why

45、areAmericanssopractical?Becausetheireducationalsystememphasizespracticemorethantheory.Whydoestheireducationalsystememphasizepracticeovertheory?BecauseAmericanstendtobelievethattheoryislessimportantthanwhatreallyworths.WhydoAmericanstendtobelievethattheoryislessimportantthanwhatreallyworks?Because.Be

46、cause.Because.Andalthoughitmaybeinterestingtospeculateonthe-WhyMquestions(especiallyforpeoplefromplaceswheretheorysconsideredmoreimportantJhanpractice!),itisnotnecessaryindailydealingswithAmericanstounderstandwhytheyactastheydo.Thisbook,therefore,doesnotexaminethattopicindepth.Theassumptionunderlyin

47、gthisbooksdiscussionofAmericanandotherculturessthat,asonewell-knownstudentofcross-culturalmattersputit.uPeopleactthewaytheyweretaughttoact.andtheyallhavedifferentteachers.Therearereasonsforthewaypeoplebehave,evenifWecantbecertainwhatthosereasonsare.PeoplewhohavegrownupintheUnitedStateshavebeentaught

48、,ortrained,toactincertainwaysandnotnothers.Theyshareaculture.WewillbeginexploringthatcultureafterafewwordsaboutAmericansconceptionsOfthemselvesandtherattitudestowardforeigners.HowAmericansSeeThemselvesItisusuallyhelpful,whentryingtounderstandothers,tounderstandhowWeseeourselves.AfewcommentsaboutAmericans-self-perceptionsappearhere;otherscomelater.Americansdonotusuallyseethemselves,whentheyareintheUnitedStates,asrepresentativesoftheircountry,