Cross Cultural Understanding

MORE EXPLANATION OF
AMERICAN VALUES
Asmita Sely Suarno S. (12552018)
Dika Rahmat Hidayat (12552013)
Libero Sagitarius (12552004)
Mega Suastika (12552014)
Yolanda Fresiska Jaya (12552032)
PBI NR 7

English Tadris Study Program

Education (Tarbiyah) Department
STATE COLLEGE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES
(STAIN) CURUP

2015
 ,
ualism
ivid ,
Ind eedom ss,
fr ne
titive cy
p e
com d priva
Equality
an

Directne
ss
and Informality
assertive
ness
American
American
Values
Values
and
and
Assumptions
Assumptions The future,
change, and
Achievement, progress
action, work, and
materialism

d ne ss of
Goo anity
Time hu m
Individualism
They are not trained to see
themselves as members of a
close-knit, interdependent
family, religious group, tribe,
nation, or any other collectivity.
Competitiveness
• Competitiveness vades the
society
• Competitiveness is less obvious
when it is in the minds of people
who are persistenly comparing
themselves with others
Freedom
The individual that Americans idealize
prefers an atmosphere of freedom,
where neither the government nor any
other external force or agency dictates
what the individual does. For Americans,
the idea of individual freedom has strong
positive connotations.
Privacy
Americans assume that people
have their “private thoughts”
that might never be shared
with anyone.
 EQUALITY
• Americans are distinctive in the degree to which they believe in the deal
• Americans are generally quite uncomfortable when someone treats them with
obvious deference
• What is distinctive about the American outlook on the matter of equality are the
underlying assumptions that,
(1) No matter what a person’s initial station in life, he or she has
opportunity to achieve high standing, and
(2) Everyone , no matter how unfortunate, deserves some basic level of
respectful treatment.

INFORMALITY
• Their notions of equality lead Americans to be quite informal in their general
behavior and in their relationships with other people
• Relationships between students, teachers, and coworkers in american society, are
often very informal
• People from societies where general behavior is more formal that it is in the United
States are struck by the informality of American speech, dress, and body language
 The Future, Change, and
Progress
Future Change Progress

• Americans are
They can bring about This fundamental
generally less
concerned about desirable changes in American belief in
history and
the future is the progress and better
traditions than are
people from older Americans’ assumption future contrast
societies
that their physical and sharply with the
• American think,
sets goals for the social environments fatalistic attitude
future and works
are subject to human that characterizes
systematically
toward them domination or control people from many
• New things are
other cultures
better than old
things
 GOODNESS OF HUMANITY

Americans assume that human nature is basically good, not basically evil.
They doing many things that are based on this assumption.
For examples:
1. Getting More Education or Training
2. Rehabilition
3. Belief in democratic Government
4. Volutarism
5. Educational campaigns
6. Self-help
TIME

• For Americans, time is a resource.

• Americans are trained to see things
• Americans admire a “well-organized” person
• The ideal person is punctual
Achievement
• Americans admire a person who
approaches a task conscientiously and
persistently or achievers
• The achievement motivation
predominates in America
Work
A hard worker is one who “gets right to
work” on a task, works efficiently, and
completes the task in a timely way that
meets reasonably high standards
of quality. Hard workers are admired not
just on the job but in other aspects of life
as well.
Action
• They do indeed believe it is
important to devote significant
energy to their jobs or to other daily
responsibilities
• They believe they should be doing
something, or at least making plans
and arrangements for doing
something later
Materialism
• Americans tend to spend money
rather freely on material goods
• For Americans, materialistic bent is
natural and proper
 Directness and Assertiveness

• Americans, generally consider • The word assertive is the adjective

themselves to be frank, open, and Americans commonly use to
direct in their dealings with other describe the person who plainly and
people directly expresses feelings and
• Americans usually assume that requests
conflicts or disagreements are best • Americans will often speak openly
settled by means of forthright and directly to others about things
discussions among the people they dislike, particularly in a work
involved situation

Americans,
Americans, however,
however, areare often
often less
less direct
direct and
and open
open than
than they
they realize.
realize. Generally,
Generally, though,
though, Americans
Americans are
are reluctant
reluctant toto
speak openly when,
speak openly when,
•• The
The topic
topic is
is in
in an
an area
area they
they consider
consider excessively
excessively personal
personal
•• They
They want to say no to a request that has
want to say no to a request that has been
been made
made ofof them
them but
but do
do not
not want
want to
to offend
offend or
or hurt
hurt the
the feelings
feelings of
of the
the
person who made the request
person who made the request
•• They
They are
are not
not well
well enough
enough acquainted
acquainted withwith the
the other
other person
person to
to be
be confident
confident that
that direct
direct discussion
discussion will
will be
be accepted
accepted
in the constructive way that is intended; and, paradoxically
in the constructive way that is intended; and, paradoxically
•• They
They know
know the
the other
other person
person very
very well
well (it
(it might
might be
be aa spouse
spouse or
or close
close friend)
friend) and
and they
they do
do not
not wish
wish to
to risk
risk giving
giving
offense and creating negative feelings by talking about some delicate
offense and creating negative feelings by talking about some delicate problem problem
DIFFERENCES IN CUSTOMS
 • Language
• Weather
The Causes of
• Food
the Differences
• Religional
in Customs
• Race
• Geographycal

1. American just give once offer

2. American do not interest of first meeting
3. American dislike if the stranger come into
Unspecific American the house
Customs 4. American do not give permission to sit on
their chair when the old people need it
5. Etc.
Customs are the
behaviors that are 1. Valentine’s Day (February 14)
generally expected 2. Easter Sunday (March or April)
in specific Specific American 3. Memorial Day (the last Monday in May)
4. Independence Day (July 4)
situations Customs 5. Halloween (October 31)
6. Thanksgiving (fourth Thursday in November)
7. Christmas (December 25)

A few guidelines 1. Be punctual

intended to help 2. If you agree to meet someone, whether at the
foreign visitors avoid person’s house or elsewhere, keep the
appointment
behaviors that are
3. Treat women with the same respect you accord
quite likely to get men
them into trouble 4. Treat clerks, waiters, secretaries, taxi drivers,
with Americans and other service people courteously
 REFERENCE

Althen, Gary. 2003. American Ways: A guide for foreigners in

the United States (2nd ed). Maine: Intercultural Press.