ABSTRACT
There is a discrepancy between the stereotype of men as emotionally inattentive and the folklore regarding the emotional joys of fathering. Specifically, stereotypical accounts portray men as insensitive to the feelings of others and themselves. Further, even those men who are sensitive to feelings are stereotypically characterized as being so dominated by their left brain that they have difficulty expressing or regulating emotions. Traditionally, masculine men are portrayed as having a focus on getting a job done as opposed to being sensitive to interpersonal relationships. In contrast, the folklore of parenting paints the picture ofwarm and sensitive fathers who read their children's affective cues and provide timely and consistent emotional support and security. The folklore characterizes the joy, pride, and satisfactions of parenting and the warm affective environment between fathers and children.
