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| Preface to the Second Edition | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Introduction | |
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| On Understanding | |
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| How Much Generalizing Is Acceptable? | |
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| On Asking "Why?" | |
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| How Americans See Themselves | |
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| How Americans See Foreigners | |
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| On Describing Americans | |
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| General Ideas about American Culture | |
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| American Values and Assumptions | |
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| Individualism, Freedom, Competitiveness, and Privacy | |
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| Equality | |
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| Informality | |
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| The Future, Change, and Progress | |
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| Goodness of Humanity | |
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| Time | |
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| Achievement, Action, Work, and Materialism | |
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| Directness and Assertiveness | |
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| The Communicative Style of Americans | |
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| Preferred Discussion Topics | |
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| Favorite Forms of Interaction | |
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| Depth of Involvement Sought | |
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| Channels Preferred | |
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| Level of Meaning Emphasized | |
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| Ways of Reasoning | |
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| The Context | |
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| The Point | |
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| The Organization | |
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| The Evidence | |
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| The Cause | |
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| Differences in Customs | |
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| Specific Aspects of American Life | |
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| Politics | |
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| The Rule of Law | |
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| The Ideal of Compromise | |
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| Politics Apart | |
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| Family Life | |
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| What Foreigners Notice | |
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| The Changing Family | |
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| Raising Children | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Education | |
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| Guiding Ideals | |
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| Social Forces Affecting American Education | |
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| Issues Facing American Schools | |
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| Advantages and Disadvantages | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Religion | |
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| The General Context | |
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| Religion and Individual Americans | |
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| Exceptions | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| The Media | |
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| What Is American about the American Media? | |
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| Americans' Views of Their Media | |
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| Misconceptions the Media Promote | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Social Relationships | |
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| Meeting New People | |
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| The American Concept of Friendship | |
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| Relationships Prescribed by Roles | |
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| Courtesy, Schedules, Gifts | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Racial and Ethnic Diversity | |
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| What Foreign Visitors See | |
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| How Americans View Race and Ethnic Relations | |
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| Austin, Texas: A Case Study | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Male-Female Relationships | |
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| Influences on Male-Female Relationships | |
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| Male-Female Relationships in Various Settings | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Sports and Recreation | |
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| Sports | |
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| Recreation | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Driving | |
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| General Information | |
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| Traffic Laws | |
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| Attitudes about Driving | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Shopping | |
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| Advertising | |
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| Pricing | |
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| Customer-Clerk Relationships | |
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| Sales Tactics | |
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| Procedures for Returning and Exchanging | |
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| Private Sales | |
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| Precautions for Shoppers from Abroad | |
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| Personal Hygiene | |
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| The Basics | |
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| Variations | |
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| Other Issues Concerning Hygiene | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Getting Things Done in Organizations | |
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| Misconceptions | |
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| Characteristics of U.S. Organizations | |
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| Suggestions for Dealing with U.S. Organizations | |
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| Behavior in Public Places | |
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| Rules for Behavior in Public Places | |
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| Communication Behaviors | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Visitors | |
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| Studying | |
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| Assumptions Underlying the Higher Education System | |
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| Student-Student Relationships | |
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| Student-Professor Relationships | |
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| Roommate Relationships | |
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| Plagiarism | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Students | |
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| Business | |
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| Doing Business in the United States | |
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| The Global Economy | |
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| Suggestions for Foreign Businesspeople and Future Businesspeople | |
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| Coping with Cultural Differences | |
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| Some Helpful Ideas | |
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| Expectations | |
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| Personality Characteristics | |
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| Traits and Situations | |
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| Culture Shock and Stages of Adjustment | |
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| D-I-E | |
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| Activities for Learning about American Culture | |
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| Ask Questions | |
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| Learn and Practice Local English | |
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| Take Field Trips | |
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| Talk with Experienced Foreigners | |
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| Keep a Journal | |
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| Learn the Names of Local and Institutional VIPs | |
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| Read, Reflect | |
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| View Yourself as a Teacher | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Bibliography | |
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| About the Author | |