Paradox and health

Abstract

Mounting research suggests that the way we deal with psychophysiological paradoxes or opposites (such as separation vs. attachment, firmness vs. supportiveness, formality vs. informality, masculinity vs. femininity, assertiveness vs. submissive‐ness, or in short, constriction and “drawing back” vs. expansion and “bursting forth") has key implications for our health. Although convincing theoretical treatises have addressed this topic, there has yet to be a concerted review of the pertinent literature. This article is intended to provide such a review.