Question

Compare and contrast assertiveness, arrogance and passivity.

Answer 1

Assertiveness is someone who is behaving confidently and is not frightened to say what they want. Assertive just means that you make things happen. You take action rather than the opposite, which would be 'passive'. That would mean you just sit by and let things happen to you, instead of making them happen for yourself. Being assertive is a good thing.

Arrogance is an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions.

Passivity is allowing others to do things to you without complaining or pushing back. The babysitter's passivity led her charges to walk all over her. They stayed up all night and tied her to the chair, and all she said was, "Please stop misbehaving." or something like that.

Answer 2

Assertiveness is self-confidence that does not infringe on the feelings of others. Assertiveness allows a person to state their needs and assert their ideas. Arrogance, on the other hand, is highly confrontational. An arrogant individual insists on their viewpoint or idea because it is theirs, rather than the best possibility. A passive person, on the other hand, is unwilling to assert their needs and wants. They often put themselves in difficult positions because they are unwilling to refuse requests and demands on their time based on the idea of avoiding confrontation.