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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34950
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

In psychology, the tendencies you have described are termed **_internatlizing_** and **_externalizing_** behavior.

In extreme cases those tendencies lead to [internalizing disorders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internalizing_disorder), which were long thought to be more prevalent among women, and [externalizing disorders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Externalizing_disorders), some of which still appear to be more prevalent among men. These disorders might be helpful for you to better understand the tendencies of which they are extreme forms.

I do agree with you, and many psychologists will, that internalizing and externalizing behavior are not exclusively male or female. Our culture has long rewarded internalizing behavior in women – the demure, quiet housewife – and externalizing behavior in men – the aggressive businessman –, but those times are on the wane and the social roles for men and women and their corresponding behavior, while not yet completely alike, are certainly no longer as distinctly opposed as they once where.

Original score: 7