The present study examines the communication of affection in men's relationships with their fathers and with their sons. Drawing from affection exchange theory and contemporary theorizing about fatherhood, three predictions are advanced: 1) heterosexual men receive more affection from their fathers than do homosexual or bisexual men; 2) fathers communicate affection to their sons more through the use of supportive activities than through direct verbal statements or nonverbal gestures; and 3) men communicate more affection to their sons than they received from their fathers. Fifty men with at least one son completed questionnaires regarding affectionate communication in their relationships with their sons and their fathers. Half of the men were self-identified as exclusively heterosexual and the other half were self-identified as exclusively homosexual or bisexual. The predictions received substantial support.
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