American culture actively stigmatizes information hoarding. The person who withholds information that should be shared is not merely missing an opportunity but is doing something wrong—being selfish, political, or dysfunctional. Information hoarding in organizations is diagnosed as problem requiring intervention.
The stigma creates moral pressure toward sharing beyond merely thinking sharing is nice. When Americans discover that someone had relevant information and did not share it, they often feel wronged. Working with Americans requires understanding that holding onto information when others could benefit from it will be negatively judged. You may be seen as trying to maintain power, create dependency, or avoid accountability. The cultural expectation is that useful information should flow to where it can be used, not be accumulated as personal resource.
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