{{short description|Indirect resistance to the demands of others}} {{redirect|Passive aggressive|The Radio Dept. album|Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002–2010}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
'''Passive-aggressive behavior''' is a communication that in the mind of the speaker is based on a strong negative emotion such as anger but is expressed using words that do not convey the emotion, including completely avoiding direct communication when it is socially customary.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/4916056/passive-aggressive-definition-meaning/ |title=7 Signs You're Dealing With A Passive-Aggressive Person |last1=Kluger |first1=Jeffrey |author1-link=Jeffrey Kluger |date=30 August 2017 |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200111184254/https://time.com/4916056/passive-aggressive-definition-meaning/ |archive-date=11 January 2020 |access-date=21 May 2021 |url-status=unfit}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Hall-Flavin, M.D.|first=Daniel K.|title=What is passive-aggressive behavior? What are some of the signs?|url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/passive-aggressive-behavior/faq-20057901|access-date=21 November 2020|website=Mayo Clinic}}</ref> Such behavior can be effective to avoid confrontation, rejection, and criticism but can be confusing, annoying, and exasperating to a recipient of the communication due to the discordance between what they hear and what they perceive.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kinsey|first=Michael|date=12 September 2019|title=6 Tips to Crush Passive Aggressive Behavior|url=https://mindsplain.com/how-to-deal-with-passive-aggressive-behavior/|access-date=21 November 2020|website=Mindsplain}}</ref>
Passive-aggressive behavior was first defined clinically by Colonel William C. Menninger during World War II in the context of soldiers' reactions to military compliance. Menninger described soldiers who were not openly defiant but expressed their civil disobedience (what he called "aggressiveness") by "passive measures, such as pouting, stubbornness, procrastination, inefficiency, and passive obstructionism" due to what Menninger saw as an "immaturity" and a reaction to routine military stress.<ref name="Lane">{{Citation|last = Lane | first=C |title=The Surprising History of Passive–aggressive Personality Disorder|journal=Theory & Psychology|date=1 February 2009|volume=19|issue=1|pages=55–70|doi= 10.1177/0959354308101419| url = https://sites.northwestern.edu/christopher-lane/files/2016/08/lanedocpapd2009-24w8s9n.pdf| citeseerx=10.1.1.532.5027 | s2cid=147019317 }}</ref>
Passive–aggressive personality disorder can be described as a personality trait marked by a pervasive pattern of negative attitudes and characterized by passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to complying with expectations in interpersonal or occupational situations. This includes behaviors such as condescension, belittling, snubbing, subtly insulting insinuations, contrarianism, procrastination, stubbornness, sabotage, the silent treatment, victim playing, sarcasm, resentment, sullenness, or deliberate/repeated failure to accomplish requested tasks for which one is responsible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Passive–aggressive%20personality%20disorder-diagnostic%20criteria|title=Passive–aggressive personality disorder-diagnostic criteria}}</ref>
An outdated definition rejected by the American Psychiatric Association is as follows: Passive-aggressive behavior is characterized by a habitual pattern of non-active resistance to expected work requirements, opposition, sullenness, stubbornness, and negative attitudes in response to requirements for normal performance levels expected by others. Most frequently it occurs in the workplace, where resistance is exhibited by indirect behaviors such as procrastination, forgetfulness, and purposeful inefficiency, especially in reaction to demands by authority figures, but it can also occur in interpersonal contexts.<ref name="dsmiv734">{{cite book|last=American Psychiatric Association|title=Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV|year=2000|publisher=American Psychiatic Association|location=Washington, DC|isbn=978-0890420621|pages=[https://archive.org/details/diagnosticstatis00amer_0/page/733 733]–734|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/diagnosticstatis00amer_0}}</ref>
In conflict theory,{{Clarify|date=May 2026 |reason=This link is to a page about theories of war.}} passive-aggressive behavior can resemble behavior better described as catty, as it consists of deliberate, active, but carefully veiled hostile acts which are distinctively different in character from the non-assertive style of passive resistance.<ref>{{Citation|last=Simon|first=George|title=In Sheep's Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People|year=2010|publisher=Parkhurst}}</ref>
Passive-aggressive behavior in the workplace can lead to conflict and damage team unity and productivity. If ignored, it could result in decreased efficiency and frustration among workers.<ref>{{Citation | last = Harms | first = Kimberly A. | title = Passive Aggressive Behaviour in the Dental Office | edition = 3 |date=May–June 2012}}.</ref> If managers are passive-aggressive, it can end up stifling team creativity. One researcher states that it would "make perfect sense that those promoted to leadership positions might often be those who on the surface appear to be agreeable, diplomatic and supportive, yet who are actually dishonest, backstabbing saboteurs behind the scenes."<ref>{{Citation | last = De Angelis | first = Paula | title = Blindsided: Recognizing and Dealing with Passive–aggressive Leadership in the Workplace | page = 3 | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1442159204 |publisher = CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform}}.</ref>
== See also == * Gossip * Guilt trip * Sarcasm * Silent treatment {{Portal|Psychology}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Bibliography == * {{Citation | last =Kantor |year=2002 |title=Passive-aggression: a guide for the therapist, the patient and the victim |publisher= Praeger Publishers |location=Westport, CT |isbn= 978-0-275-97422-0 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ejBShSEt99kC&q=Passive-aggression:+a+guide+for+the+therapist,+the+patient+and+the+victim |access-date=27 April 2010 | first = Martin}}. * {{Citation | title= Living with the Passive–aggressive Man| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=JIyyid3xRyEC&q=Living+with+the+Passive–aggressive+Man | publisher= Simon & Schuster| year = 1992 | last = Wetzler | first = Scott|access-date=27 April 2010 | isbn= 9781451640175}}. * {{Citation| title=Overcoming Passive-Aggression: How to Stop Hidden Anger From Spoiling Your Relationships, Career and Happiness| url=http://www.perseusacademic.com/buy.php?isbn=9781569243619| publisher=Perseus| year=2005| last=Oberlin| first=Loriann Hoff| pages=45| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104014628/http://www.perseusacademic.com/buy.php?isbn=9781569243619| archive-date=4 January 2014}} * {{Cite book| title=The Silent Marriage: How Passive Aggression Steals Your Happiness| last=Femenia| first=Nora| year=2012| asin=B0090XFBF2}} * {{Cite book| title=The Angry Smile: The Psychology of Passive–aggressive Behavior in Families, Schools, and Workplaces |author1=Nicholas James Long| author2=Jody E. Long| author3=Signe Whitson |year=2008 |isbn=978-1416404231 |publisher=Pro ed}}
{{Defence mechanisms}}
{{Nonverbal communication}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Aggression Category:Borderline personality disorder Category:Defence mechanisms Category:Human behavior Category:Motivation Category:Protest tactics Category:Symptoms and signs of mental disorders