This includes engaging in rude, disrespectful speech or behaviors and physical intimidation, such as making insulting and demeaning statements; using angry, hostile tones; berating staff and colleagues in front of others; and shouting, throwing things or slamming doors when displeased.
Examples of demeaning behavior include criticizing a person in front of others, making jokes at another person's expense, rolling eyes after someone's comments, making sarcastic comments about a person.
What is Demeaning Behaviour? Demeaning behaviour is any action or communication that makes someone else feel inferior or less valuable than they actually are. This behaviour comes in many different forms. Expressions of demeaning behaviour may include verbal, non-verbal, and overt behaviours.
Other examples of condescending behavior include employees who oversimplify or overexplain things in a patronizing tone, call coworkers demeaning names like chief or sweetheart, correct little mistakes, interrupt and tell a coworker to calm down or make them feel like they're overreacting when they're not.
A condescending person can't understand their feelings or anyone else's. They are sometimes unaware of why they act the way they do or others' perceptions of their behavior. They can't read the room because they are preoccupied with their thoughts.
You can address bad office behavior by telling people when their actions are not OK with you. Calmly and professionally call out the patronizing person without making a scene or being dramatic by pointedly yet politely saying, “Gee, that comment sounded a bit condescending to me.
Patronizing is the act of appearing kind or helpful but internally feeling superior to others. This happens in multiple forms including interrupting people, making belittling comments and trying to minimize them by being condescending.
Telling someone they "always" or "never" do something
For example, were you to tell someone, "You're always late," or, "You never clean the toilet," they're likely to feel as if you're making a definitive statement about who they are and will almost certainly rack their brains for contradictory evidence.
The Psychology Behind Condescending Behaviour
Often, the root of condescension is insecurity. Those who aren't confident in their abilities will look for opportunities to prove their superiority and take comfort in it.
: damaging or lowering the character, status, or reputation of someone or something. The work was dirty and demeaning, though not quite as somber as it sounds.
Modern usage means someone is intentionally trying to make others feel bad because they don't know or have something the condescending person assumes they possess themselves. demeaning - this adjective describes something that attempts, or actually does, lower another person's perceived reputation, value or dignity.
The adjective demeaning comes from the verb demean, which itself is based on the construction of the word "debase." The word demean has two almost opposite meanings, to degrade and to conduct oneself in a particular manner, usually a proper one. The adjective, however, always describes something that is degrading.
To demean someone is to insult them. To demean is to degrade or put down a person or thing. If you noticed the word mean in demean, that's a good clue to its meaning. To demean someone is very mean. You are demeaning your sister or brother if you run their underwear up a flagpole.
Even a simple phase like “How are you doing today?” can come across as condescending if truly someone feels they are superior to the other person. Then there's my favorite, when you try to disagree with a boss, and your boss responds by talking LOUDER and sloooooower to you, in order to help you understand.
Aggression such as shouting, yelling and belittling comments are all obvious signs of condescension. However, people are sometimes condescending in more subtle ways, such as talking about people behind their backs or making fun of colleagues in the form of jokes.
Many people who others initially experience as condescending jerks actually don't believe they are superior. Rather, their behaviour is often a result of underlying insecurities or social discomfort.
Condescension is rude and patronizing. Treating someone with condescension is the opposite of treating them with respect. Condescension is full of arrogant and snooty attitude, and people who practice condescension treat others like inferior idiots. Sarcasm goes well with condescension if you're trying to be a jerk.
Patronizing behavior is any form of talking down to someone from the position of projected authority. You've likely heard the term mansplaining—in which a man explains something to a person of another gender that's obvious or that they already know and might even have expertise in.
To patronize someone is usually to be in agreement with someone in a sarcastic manner or in a superior (know it all) way. To be condescending is to speak to someone as if they are below you or have less individual value as you, if you are condescending you speak down to others.
If someone patronizes you, they speak or behave toward you in a way that seems friendly, but that shows that they think they are superior to you in some way. [disapproval] Don't you patronize me! transitive verb.
So rather than take offense, assert yourself in “a calm, positive way,” she suggests. A simple “thank you for your help” will suffice, concurs Gregory Jantz, PhD, a renowned psychologist and book author. “If you answer in your own natural voice, with respect and good manners, you reset the tone,” he explains.
Language which refers to people unknown to you in terms of endearment ('My dear', 'Darling', 'Love', and 'Dear' when used in speech) is patronising, condescending and promotes trivialisation. These forms should not be used unless the interlocutor has a close relationship with the speaker.