The fact that the parasitic element involved is not exactly resonant but is somewhat shorter (or longer) than "λ" modifies the phase of the element's current with respect to its excitation from the driven element. The so-called "reflector" element, being longer than "λ", has an inductive reactance which means the phase of its current lags the phase of the open-circuit voltage that would be induced by the received field. The "director" element, on the other hand, being shorter than "λ", has a capacitive reactance with the voltage phase lagging that of the current.