US Culture Tips
+ The US is a nation of immigrants, comprised of people from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups. Americans pride themselves on their individuality, their entrepreneurial attitude and a positive, optimistic outlook on life.
+ There are many stereotypes about the way people from different regions behave:
Southerners are known for their “Southern Hospitality.” They are generally polite, warm and friendly. They are also thought to appreciate a slower pace of life and are more relationship-focused than people from other parts of the country.
Texans exude self-confidence and are proud of the fact that they were once an independent country. They tend to be “larger than life” and often equate bigger with better.
West Coasters, or people from the west coast, are thought to be casual, free-spirited and liberal.
East Coasters are considered to be fast-paced, efficient, formal and comparatively conservative.
+ Americans can be superficially friendly when first meeting others. They may frequently say “hi” or “how are you?” to a lot of people, which is a sign of politeness and an egalitarian outlook. Remember, “how are you doing?” is usually a greeting, not necessarily a question.
+ When leaving a group, Americans may give a group wave or say farewell to everyone at once rather than to each person individually. This is an efficient way of departing, and in business settings a sign of the transactional nature of Americans.
+ From childhood, Americans are raised to see themselves as separate individuals who are the masters of their destiny. As such, they expect to be held accountable for their decisions. This can make them appear self-centered to people from less individualistic cultures. They may presume that people from other cultures feel the same way and may be surprised when they realize that people from other cultures are group- or community-oriented.
- from RW3′s CultureWizard™ Country Profiles
