Which behavior involves building up hostility while maintaining a compliant outward appearance?

The identified behavior of building up hostility while maintaining a compliant outward appearance is known as passive-aggressive behavior. This type of behavior is characterized by indirect resistance to demands or requests from others and an avoidance of direct confrontation. People exhibiting passive-aggressive behavior might agree to something on the surface but harbor underlying resentment or anger, which can manifest in subtle ways, such as procrastination, sulking, or sarcasm.

Passive-aggressive individuals often feel unable to express their true feelings directly due to fear of conflict or rejection. By appearing compliant and agreeable externally, they may avoid immediate conflict while still expressing their dissatisfaction or frustration in less obvious ways. This can lead to misunderstandings and can damage relationships over time due to the inconsistency between their outward compliance and internal feelings of hostility.

In contrast, passive behavior is marked by a lack of assertiveness, and assertive behavior is characterized by direct and respectful communication of one's needs and feelings. Accommodating behavior, while similar to passive behavior in its preference for cooperation and avoiding conflict, does not involve the underlying hostility that defines passive-aggressive behavior. Hence, the nature of passive-aggressive behavior clearly aligns with the description provided in the question.