Clinicians and family theorists have speculated that men and women differ in their orientations to close relationships, although these stereotypic patterns have not been investigated empirically. To determine whether people's interactional experiences are characterized by distinctive, sex-linked orientations to expressiveness and caring, 252 men and women in close relationships completed lengthy questionnaires, and a subsample were interviewed in depth. Data analyses provided clear support for two distinct orientations to interactions. These orientations characterized people's preferences, interpretations, and reactions to satisfying and frustrating interactions. Highly significant sex differences were found with women demonstrating a personal pattern, marked by verbal and emotional expressiveness and men displaying a pragmatic orientation, characterized by emotional and verbal reserve. Further research in interactional orientations might help couples recognize and deal with differences in partners' behavior and subjective experiences. (Author/JAC)