'assertive behavior' is a correct phrase that can be used in written English.
Example: She displayed assertive behavior when asking for a raise.
Using a within-subjects design and ovarian hormone concentrations at fertile and non-fertile menstrual cycle phases, we measured implicit assertiveness and self-reported assertive behavior.
I also think it's obvious that these practices will lead to discrimination: Any set of standards that includes intangibles like "assertiveness" will harm women, who are treated far more negatively for assertive behavior than men.
However, we also varied the contexts in which the assertive behavior happened.
"Because of that, they're going to be more likely to engage in aggressive and assertive behavior.
(Here, in a typical muddle, Roiphe's endorsement of assertive behavior echoes the advice of the anti-rape educational materials she excoriates).
Women who asked for more reached better outcomes than those who didn't—and they didn't incur a social backlash as a result of their assertive behavior.
It may also be the case that these assertive behaviors are viewed as ruthless by other women; given that women are more likely to compare themselves against each other, these behaviors may signal competition, eliciting incivility as a response.
Women are likely to be accorded less credit for papers they have co-authored, are less likely to find enthusiastic mentors, and are more likely than men to have their personalities criticized and their assertive behaviors interpreted in a negative light.
Patients are also counseled about the possibility of physician resistance to assertive behaviors and coached regarding specific strategies for breaking through such resistance.
The Active Patient Participation Coding (APPC) [ 32] scheme is used to measure Engaging communication behaviors, such as patient assertive behaviors and oncologist facilitative behaviors, that promote patient participation in the decision-making process.
On the interactional level, ecological theory suggests that two factors – patients' and caregivers' assertive behaviors, and physicians' facilitative behaviors – interact to reinforce patients' ongoing participation in discussions regarding their care over time [ 27, 31].
