Interacting With Americans

"Culture hides much more than it reveals, and strangely enough what it hides, it hides most effectively from its own participants". The anthropologist, Edward T. Hall stated this this theme many times. Because Americans (U.S.) and Canadians, as others elsewhere, are often not fully conscious of the influence of their respective cultures on their differing behaviors, this presentation may help to bring covert cultural dimensions to the surface.

This quiz is a simple tool to question how individuals interact with Americans (U.S.). The preferred answers are listed after each question. There may be a difference in answers relevant to those born in the United States with those born outside the United States.

This quiz is reprinted with the full permission of Harris International. This quiz will test your intercultural communication skills and is meant for informational purposes only.

This quiz consists of 15 True or False questions and 27 multiple choice questions. Please select the most appropriate answer to the questions below.

1. Americans tend to value material possessions more than spiritual enlightenment.
   True False    
2. Most Americans like formality and ritual in daily interactions.
   True False    
3. Americans usually rely on themselves for help rather than asking people
   True False    
4. Americans value time and its control and are future-oriented.
   True False    
5. Americans customarily collect evidence and make decisions based on their feelings.
   True False    
6. Most Americans use indirect messages to refuse an offer.
   True False    
7. Many Americans are open and share their space.
   True False    
8. Most Americans are a present-oriented society.
   True False    
9. Americans tend to see themselves as confident and hard working.
   True False    
10. Americans are inclined to believe in equality and free competition.
    True False    
11. Americans usually believe being on time for an appointment shows respect.
    True False    
12. Most Americans believe they can control their destiny by their own actions.
    True False    
13. Shaking hands is important when you meet an American.
    True False    
14. Many Americans like to deal with problems directly and frankly.
    True False    
15. Americans usually use ambiguity to avoid conflict and loss of face.
    True False    
16. In general, Americans value most:
    a. Social recognition    
    b. Happiness    
    c. Equality    
    d. Money    
17. Many Americans see themselves as
    a. Modest and shy    
    b. Family members    
    c. Formal and ritualistic    
    d. Created equal to others    
18. Other cultures may see Americans as:
    a. Victimized by wartime    
    b. Reliant on their families for help    
    c. Group-oriented    
    d. Ignorant about other cultures    
19. When writing to an American company, it is very important to
    a. Reference your source    
    b. Start your letter with a flattering introduction about your company president    
    c. Have your letter signed by your company director and president    
    d. Be specific on the purpose of the letter    
20. In a business introduction to an American, she may ask you to call her by her first name because
    a. She is not interested in business    
    b. She likes harmony in discussion    
    c. Her last name may be hard to pronounce    
    d. She wants to be comfortable and move into an informal stage of business discussion    
21. When talking with an American business partner on the phone, it is common for him to ask you first about:
    a. Your family health    
    b. Your financial situation    
    c. When you are planning to visit him    
    d. How you are doing    
22. Mr. Saito, from Japan, is leaving the office of an American businessman who says to him, "We should get together sometime." Mr. Saito should
    a. Invite his American friend for dinner    
    b. Expect that his American friend will invite him to a bar    
    c. Consider it as just a friendly comment    
    d. Stop by his house to have a drink    
23. American business meetings usually start with:
    a. Discussion of the past weekend's baseball game    
    b. Formal agenda and tasks to be accomplished    
    c. Period of harmony    
    d. Introduction about everyone's past work experience    
24. In American business meetings you are expected to:
    a. Wait until the end and state firmly your position    
    b. Talk about how it is difficult to get to the meeting    
    c. Maintain group harmony and do not ask embarrassing questions    
    d. Express your ideas openly and rationalize them aggressively    
25. At the end of an American business meeting the participants may
    a. All go to the cafeteria to have a drink    
    b. Write a conclusion and/or action plan with specific responsibilities and dates    
    c. Conduct behind-the-scenes discussions to change the conclusion    
    d. Apologize to each other for any confrontations they had during the meeting    
26. Working under an American supervisor you should:
    a. Be polite and not interrupt her instructions    
    b. Not let her know that you did not understand    
    c. Hide your mistakes until she discovers them    
    d. Maintain ongoing honest communication about work problems and progress    
27. If you are having family problems, your American supervisor is probably expected to:
    a. Listen to you just as he would to a friend    
    b. Discuss it with you and make a plan of action to solve the problem    
    c. Give you a week's vacation to solve the problem    
    d. Visit your home and discuss the problems    
28. Your American co-worker has invited you to play tennis with him for the second time in a month. This could mean that:
    a. You are now his close friend    
    b. You can talk with him about your problems with your family    
    c. He expects you to solve the technical problem he has at work    
    d. He just enjoys playing tennis with you    
29. You are working hard to finish your project. Your American co-worker is sitting down reading the newspaper. She might:
    a. Come very close and look at what you are doing    
    b. Bring you a cup of coffee to keep you awake    
    c. Try to help you only if you asked her    
    d. Ask you to stop working and join her to go to the movies    
30. Most American companies will start marketing a product when it:
    a. Is in a prototype stage    
    b. Is on the drawing board    
    c. Is on the shelf ready for the customers    
    d. Has passed the quality control test    
31. An American leaves the office telling his foreign co-worker, "Let's get together this week." The foreign worker should
    a. Invite the American to his house for dinner    
    b. Expect the American to invite him for dinner at his house    
    c. Expect the American to invite him to play tennis with him    
    d. Accept it as a friendly comment    
32. Many Americans are inclined to feel confident that they can accomplish many tasks because
    a. They possess a strong infrastructure to complete the task    
    b. They like to work hard day and night    
    c. They believe nature and God will help them    
    d. They can depend on other people to help them    
33. During his performance appraisal, an American employee might
    a. Agree fully with her manager's evaluation    
    b. Defend her performance and justify her actions    
    c. Ask her managers to write down her future goals    
    d. Not ask questions about her next promotion or salary increase    
34. An American will almost always arrive on time for business appointments because
    a. He will want to relax for a while    
    b. He wants to get the sale    
    c. He shows respect for the host's time    
    d. He has a lot of spare time    
35. You are traveling on an American bus. Beside you is an American. You should
    a. Greet him    
    b. Ask where he is going    
    c. Introduce yourself    
    d. Just sit quietly    
36. You meet an American friend in the hallway who says, "How are you?" You should
    a. Stop and shake hands with her    
    b. Tell her, ""Just fine"", and continue walking    
    c. Tell her about problems you have with your family    
    d. Look at her and keep going    
37. Your co-worker called you on the phone and asked, "How are you doing?" You should
    a. Say, ""OK, thank you.""    
    b. Explain to him how hard it is to work under pressure    
    c. Discuss with him your family problems    
    d. Ask him if he has time to listen to a detailed reply    
38. You have completed a business transaction with an American firm. You expect your American counterpart will
    a. Write you to thank you for the business    
    b. Become your friend and invite you to play tennis or golf    
    c. Send you a New Year's card every year    
    d. Call again for more business    
39. You are at a business luncheon. You have been approached by an American businessman. He introduces himself and exchanges cards with you. He will probably
    a. Give a detailed presentation of his company    
    b. Keep talking with you until lunch time    
    c. Excuse himself to meet more people    
    d. Ask about your family    
40. Frequently major decisions in American companies are made based on
    a. Employee services and interests    
    b. Middle line managers' recommendations    
    c. First line management    
    d. Top executives' vision and market data    
41. You are on a training assignment in a U.S. company. You should
    a. Introduce yourself to all department personnel    
    b. Get permission from your supervisor every time you leave the office    
    c. Learn to depend on yourself to solve your problems    
    d. Try to establish harmony within your group    
42. This is your first week of training in an American company. Your department secretary seems very friendly and helpful. She may be
    a. Expecting you to invite her to your country    
    b. Doing her job    
    c. Interested in going out to dinner with you    
    d. Expecting you to bring her a gift