Passive-Aggressive Personality?

Question

How would you describe it? I'm very confused by what I've been reading about it. Please give examples :)

Answer 1

I think it means that when you face a confrontational situation that you take the easy way out in a very tactful manner. However, you go home and are angry about why you avoided the confrontation. Later the anger builds up and you passively tell others how angry you are and I think this is how gossip builds in the workplace. So, the next time you encounter the person from the possibly confrontational situation you have anger towards them. You know, it is funny in that it is the passive aggressive who is considered at fault while the aggressor is never talked about, why is that?

Answer 2

Passive-aggressive behavior, as I understand it, refers to habitual covert or passive resistance to situations in life.

Some examples, if one of your friends asks you to help them move Saturday morning. Instead of saying "no", you sabotage the situation by showing up late afternoon when your help is no longer needed. Or if your boss asks you to do a task that you don't like, you do a poor job at the task. Often times people with passive aggressive personalities do not take responsibility for situations, they love blaming others.

So it can be marked by procrastination, never showing anger or contempt outwardly, blaming others, always acting like victims, etc.

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

I was once called passive aggressive by someone at work. I asked her to explain it and it transpired that I asked people to do things firmly without asking whether they wanted to or not.

Strangely enough, three months earlier someone said I was too passive.

My conclusion is that it is nonsense.