A significant cultural feature that seems to make a difference in how we communicate relates to whether a particular culture views the world from an individualistic or a collectivistic (36) . An individualistic culture places a high value on people who can speak or stand up for themselves and do not (37) on others beyond their immediate family. People who view the world this way like to think of themselves as powerful individualists who can stand alone and take care of themselves. They work hard to remain (38) independent of any particular social, (39) or institutional affiliation (隶属关系). Individualists emphasize the "I" when they speak,not the "we". They (40) individual initiative and achievement, and they believe they have the right to their own (41) and opinion. At the other (42) of this value continuum (连续统一体) is collectivism, (43) by close-knit, family- like group of people who clearly define themselves as part of a particular in-group and others as part of out-group. (42) . They tend to think about others and the surroundings when behaving. (45) . Collectivists emphasize the "we" when speaking rather than the "I". (46) promote