> I have read in many places that below resonance the driving force is > in phase with the harmonic oscillator. I have also read that the > driving oscillator is in phase with the harmonic oscillator, however, > I would not expect both to be true. Back to basics: Let the position of the 'wall' be given by $$x_w(t) = X_{max}\cos\omega t$$ The force on the mass is then $$F_m(t) = m\ddot x_m = -k[(x_m(t) - x_0) - x_w(t)]$$ where $x_0$ is the relaxed length of the spring. The differential equation is then $$\ddot x_m + \frac{k}{m}x_m = \frac{k}{m}[x_0 + x_w(t)]$$ The transfer function, $\frac{X_m(\omega)}{X_w(\omega)}$, is then (for $\omega > 0$) $$\frac{X_m(\omega)}{X_w(\omega)} = \frac{\omega^2_0}{\omega^2_0 - \omega^2},\qquad \omega_0 \equiv \sqrt{\frac{k}{m}}$$ It is easy to see that the wall and mass displacements are in phase for $\omega < \omega_0$ and in anti-phase for $\omega > \omega_0$. $$x_m(t) = \frac{\omega^2_0}{\omega^2_0 - \omega^2}X_{max}\cos\omega t$$ If the 'driving force' is understood as the forcing function on the right hand side of the differential equation then, being proportional to $x_w(t)$, it too is in phase for $\omega < \omega_0$.