Is there a word in English that describes the behavior of someone who realizes they are being monitored by some authority or supervisor, and as such, are acting on "their best behavior"? For instance, a school yard bully might act like a sweet, innocent child and treat other children with kindness if she knows that the teacher is watching.
I'm looking for a word that describes this type of phony "goody-two-shoes" type behavior. Sanctimonious and pious are close, but both imply that the portrayer considers herself to be morally superior, which doesn't fit this scenario. Insincere is spot on (its fake/feigned behavior), but is too generalized and doesn't apply specifically to the above scenario where an actor is pretending to be a goody-two-shoes because they fear repercussion from some authority.
Another example: I might pretend to be working diligently if I know my boss is watching me closely, but the minute he goes on vacation I slack off and stop working.
Any ideas?
Best Answer
Merriam-Webster defines the adjective UNCTUOUS as used to describe someone who speaks and behaves in a way that is meant to seem friendly and polite but that is unpleasant because it is obviously not sincere unctuous. The poster child of an unctuous personality in “classic” American television (for those of us old enough to remember) was a character named Eddie Haskell (played to great effect by the actor, Ken Osmond) on “Leave It To Beaver” which ran on CBS from October 4, 1957, to 1958 and then on ABC from 1958 to 1963. The Beav’s dad, Ward Cleaver, once described Eddie as “so polite, it's almost un-American." The “mask" of an “unctuous" persona is worn to both avoid what is undesirable and to access what is desirable.