How the Environment Can Change The Behavior of a Passive-Aggressive Person
Passive-aggressive behavior is one of the hardest things to deal with because there’s no real way to know when you’re going to encounter it. It can come on unexpectedly from someone that you thought was your friend, colleague, or family member. And while this type of behavior might seem like an anomaly, it is more common than we think. So how does a person change depending on their surroundings? Let’s take a look at how the environment can change the behavior of a passive-aggressive person…
What Is Passive Aggressive Behavior?
According to Psychology Today, passive-aggressive behavior is “sending ambiguous (and usually negative) messages in a subtle and underhanded way.” This can be done in many different ways, but one of the most common forms is procrastination. When a person’s behavior is passive-aggressive, they will often avoid a task that they are supposed to be doing. Instead of being direct and telling the person that they don’t want to do it, they will put it off until the last possible moment. Passive-aggressive people also tend to be moody and irritable for no reason.
What Causes People to Behave Passively Aggressively?
There are many different reasons why someone might behave passively and aggressively, but they usually stem from one central cause: low self-esteem. If a person has low self-esteem, they will often find themselves behaving in ways that are likely to get them into trouble.
Passive-aggressive people don’t want to come across as confrontational or aggressive, so they often turn to passive-aggressive behavior to get their way.
Passive-aggressive people also tend to have trouble taking responsibility for their actions, which is why they will avoid confrontation. If a passive-aggressive person does something that harms you, they are more likely to avoid you than apologies for it.
Passive-aggressive people also tend to shut out the people around them because they are afraid that others may find out about their behavior. If a passive-aggressive person doesn’t trust you, they will try to avoid you so that you don’t find out about their behavior.
How The Environment Can Change A Passive-Aggressive Person
While passive-aggressive people will always tend to that behavior, the environment around them can have a big impact on what happens. If a passive-aggressive person finds themselves in a positive environment, their behavior is likely to change. If people with this type of behaviour feel like they are supported and loved by the other ones around them, they are less likely to act out. It is important to note that how you treat the passive-aggressive people! Try being extra nice to them. They respond best to positive reinforcement.
If someone in your life is behaving passively aggressively, you may feel like you have no idea how to approach them. But the environment around that person can have a big impact on their behavior. If you find yourself dealing with a passive-aggressive person, just remember that you can try to change the way that they respond to you.
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