Examples of Passive-Aggressive Behavior in Your Communication

Passive-aggressive behavior is a sabotaging form of communication for both parties involved. Have you ever stumbled upon someone who's smiling and agreeing on the outside but actually leaves you puzzled or displeased?

This is when an individual witnesses passive-aggressive behavior. It is an indirect way of demonstrating anger, frustration, or bitterness. Passive and aggressive behavior lie on a continuum. On one end is covert aggression, and on the other, is overt aggression.

Aggression generally lies on a continuum and does not exist in the extremes. (Image via Vecteezy/Andres Victorero Rey)

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What Is Passive-Aggressive Behavior?

How can we identify this type of aggression? (Image via Freepik/Krakenimages.com)

Even though water may seem shallow, sometimes it can be very deep and dangerous. In a nutshell, passive-aggressive behavior often operates like this. This behavior is demonstrated when people start to avoid conversing openly about their negative feelings or internal conflicts.

They rely on sly psychological tactics to highlight their viewpoints or opinions. They choose to do so covertly to make sure that their point goes across, yet they are not seen as obviously aggressive.

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The Impact of Passive-Aggressive Behavior

What is the impact of this behavior on oneself and others? (Image via Freepik/ 8photo)

The repercussions of passive-aggressive behavior may be somewhat similar to cracks in a once-strong foundation. It can fade trust and leave you in a state of bewilderment in personal relationships.

In work environments, it can act as a slowly spreading poison, impacting the whole team's dynamics and productivity. This results in a workspace where it's difficult to trust each other, and as time passes, the individual employing passive-aggressiveness may feel isolated.

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Examples of Passive-Aggressive Behavior

How can you identify passive aggression? (Image via Freepik/ wayhomestudio)

To know more about these passive-aggressive behaviors, we need to take a closer look at a few examples. The first example is silent treatment. Imagine your friend being upset with you. Instead of talking to you, they stop conversing once and for all. You are left bewildered and in a confused state, wondering what exactly you did wrong. Silent treatments are scary and unpredictable.

Another manifestation is procrastination. You may be on an assignment, and there's an individual who has a reputation for forgetting their part till the last minute. It's a subtle way of expressing their annoyance without even uttering a single word.

Meanwhile, backhanded compliments are another example of this behavior. Have you ever gotten a compliment that didn't quite seem like one? It may be like, "Your shoes are surely... interesting." The "interesting" here is the cipher for "I found them odd." These are known as backhanded compliments, which are passive-aggressive remarks that have underlying sarcasm.

Another manifestation of passive-aggressive behavior is sabotage. In this case, a person may intentionally not reveal a piece of information. This can lead to a lot of emotional damage on the other end.

Let's look at the final example, sarcasm and mockery. Individuals with passive aggression usually employ the tool of sarcasm. They may start to make derogatory comments, pretending it to be a joke. In the end, you are left confused and struggling to figure out if they really meant it. This causes much more confusion as well as frustration. If this behavior is not regulated, it can also give rise to a passive-aggressive personality disorder.

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This type of behavior is similar to deciphering a puzzle but with missing pieces. As a remedy, it's very important to identify it and promote open and honest discussion and conversations.

In this manner, we'll be better equipped to craft stronger relationships that are based on trust and respect. However, the examples are often subtle and can easily be missed.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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