Cultural Characteristics of U.S. Americans
Some international students come from very homogenous societies in which most people have the same racial, linguistic, and religious background. The United States, on the other hand, is extremely diverse, with large numbers of people from different racial, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Even with this diversity, it is possible to identify certain characteristics, attitudes and practices common among Americans. The following observations are generalizations of the mainstream culture, and you will find many individuals who are exceptions to any or all of them. For simplification, the word American is used to mean a person residing permanently in the United States.

It is important that as a visitor to the United States you understand what the cultural customs and expectations are. This does not mean that they are the best or that you should change your lifestyle. There may be some practices or ways of thinking that you will like and adopt. There will be others that you do not wish to use. Knowledge of the unwritten rules that those in the United States live by will benefit you in everyday academic and social life.

New York City has a long and rich history as a port of entry to the United States. One out of every three residents of New York City is foreign born, compared to ten percent of the population nationally that are foreign born. Also, a significant number of those born in the U.S. have moved to New York City from other regions. Therefore, New York City represents a more diverse population and broader variations on cultural values. To experience U.S. culture in its full array, international students are encouraged to travel to other regions of the United States.

Individualism
Americans generally believe the ideal person is self-reliant. Most Americans see themselves as separate individuals, not as representatives of a family, community or other group. They dislike being dependent on other people, or having others depend on them. Some people define this trait as selfishness. Others see it as a healthy freedom from the constraints of family or social class.

How is this value manifested into behavior? In individualist cultures, such as the U.S., it is assumed that people need to be alone some of the time and prefer to take care of problems by themselves. Another expectation is that people are ready to "do business" very soon after meeting, without much time spent on preliminary conversation. Also people act competitively, are proud of their accomplishments and expect others to be proud of their own accomplishments.

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