" Researchers find that when only one sex expresses
argument-provoking feelings, it is likely to be the wife-by a ratio
of almost six to one (85 percent vs. 15 percent). When both sexes
participate but one dominates, women are about twice as likely to
dominate. Overall, women are more willing to initiate conflict, more
willing to escalate conflict, better able to handle it when it occurs,
and, when they have initiated it, are quicker to get over it.

These findings come from numerous sources. They are found among
couples of high, medium, and low socio-economic status. They are found
using a variety of methodologies: The couples themselves acknowledge
this gap, and, much more reliably, researchers who systematically
observe couples verify the couples' own assessments.

Probably the most respected researcher in the field is John Gottman
at the University of Washington. He records pulse rates, heart output,
skin conductance, and other indicators of stress. Then he videotapes
the couples to observe facial expressions and body language. He does
not ask the couples to fight, since that would be artificial. Instead,
he basically works with a couple and when a major area of disagreement
naturally evolves, he asks them to discuss it and attempts to resolve
it. When a fight naturally occurs, the equipment is there to record it.

Gottman found that men are more intimidated by angry women than
women are by angry men. Men are more stressed by marital arguments,
while women are more comfortable with emotional confrontation and are
better at it. "

From "Women can't hear what men don't say", by Warren Farrell.