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autonomy and are coming into contact with a variety of people
representing different values and life-styles.
Informality Americans tolerate a considerable degree of
informality in dress, relationships between people and methods of
communication. Some cultures view this as a lack of respect and
others consider it a healthy lack of concern for social ritual. They are
informal; they often introduce themselves by their first names and
call others by their first names on very slight acquaintance. In
professional situations, however, it is preferable to address people
using their title and last name (e.g. Dr. Smith, Ms. Jones) until they
ask you to use their first name. Americans stand at least an arm’s
length apart when conversing and are not inclined to touch one
another, except to shake hands upon greeting one another. They value
their privacy and rarely call on even good friends without telephoning
first.
Materialism "Success" in American society is often marked by
the amount of money or the quantity of material goods a person is
able to accumulate. Money and goods are accumulated by means of
such valued qualities as hard work, cleverness, and persistence. Some
cultures view this as a lack of appreciation for the spiritual or human
things in life. Others may see this as a way to sustain a comparatively
high standard of living in the country. They are materialistic on the
whole, but generous as well.
By and large, differences are indulged, and “doing one’s own
thing” is held in high regard.
Time Consciousness/ Appointments/ Punctuality: "Doing" is
very important and "wasting time" is seen as a negative thing to be
discouraged. For business and most meetings involving a group of
people, a date or a dinner invitation, punctuality is very important.
Punctuality is viewed as a virtue, especially in professional life. For
many other social events, such as large informal parties, time is more
flexible.
Americans often seem to be in a hurry since “time is money”.
In fact, many Americans organize their activities according to a
schedule. As a result, they always seem to be running around,
hurrying to get their next "appointment". This fast pace of life may be
overwhelming for many people from other cultures. It is always
appropriate to make an appointment before visiting someone,
particularly at an office. When they do make an appointment or

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