Reasons For Non-Assertiveness

Codes of Conduct For Men and Women

Western culture has established certain codes of conduct for men and women.

These determine that:

But: not all men are aggressive and all women passive.  Society, nevertheless, expects this behaviour and rewards/punishes its presence or absence.

Upbringing

Often, people are non-assertive because:

• They have never learned how to be assertive
• Their parents are not assertive (i.e. it is not modelled)
• Children are often punished for their efforts at assertive behaviour
• Children are taught to do what they are told without asking questions