The Inexpressive Male: Tragedy or Sexual Politics?

Balswick and Peek's conceptualization of “male inexpressiveness” is reviewed and critiqued. Where they see such inexpressiveness simply as a deeply socialized temperament trait that poses certain dilemmas for the American style of companionate marriage, an alternative analysis that stresses the origin of male inexpressiveness in the instrumental requisites of the male power role is developed.