"For some men, anger is the emotion they are most familiar with. Ask one of these men how he feels and you are likely to get a puzzled expression, unless, of course, he is angry, in which case he is often quite clear about how he feels. Some families have adapted strategies over the years to either avoid or manage men's unacknowledged anger."
"Of course, men do have emotions other than anger, but anger is sometimes the only socially acceptable emotion for men. There are numerous social prohibitions against men expressing emotions other than anger, and considerable social reinforcement for being angry. Some think of men who are angry as powerful and more masculine, and men who express sadness or fear as weak and less masculine."
Some men commonly default to anger because it is a familiar and socially sanctioned emotion, and anger can mask deeper fears and vulnerability. Social norms often discourage men from expressing sadness or fear, while rewarding displays of anger as masculine and powerful. Families and partners frequently adapt avoidance or control strategies to manage men's unacknowledged anger. Women may be socialized to internalize anger, while men are socialized to show anger outwardly and use it to control partners and emotional situations. Discussing fears openly with a partner is framed as a loving act of vulnerability that contrasts with anger's defensive function.
Read at Psychology Today
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