“Why do people become homosexual?” has been the topic of debate as to what factors contribute to homosexuality. The following paper discusses two studies conducted to determine the cause of homosexuality through biological theories. The study as hand is the “Supplementary Analyses Regarding Langevin, Langevin and Curnoe’s (2007) findings of Fraternal Birth Order in Homosexual Men” by Ray Blanchard. The general theory of this study was to cross examine a recent article by Langevin, Langevin and Curnoe’s (2007) to determine the statistical power of the findings and examine older-sibling sex ratio as well as the fraternal birth order effect. Previous research has stated that the chance of homosexuality in later born males increases with …show more content…
They then wanted to determine if the statistical power of the sub-samples were sufficient enough to determine a factual difference in fraternal birth order. They also wanted to investigate how many of the patients from the laboratory had new brothers or sisters after they had already turned nineteen. In the original study, the sample included 1604 men which was then reduced due to potentially incomplete subships, to 1122 individuals in which 859 were heterosexual and 263 were homosexual. There were also two sub-samples, the first containing 698 individuals of which 525 were heterosexual and 173 were homosexual, excluding all individuals who were under thirty-one years of age. The second sub-sample excluded all individuals whose mothers were under forty-six years of age and contained 727 individuals of which 562 were heterosexual and 167 were homosexual. The researchers used the database of the Kurt Freund Laboratory at the Center for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The database consists of male patients “referred for phallometric assessment because of sexual offending or paraphilia” The patients were asked to document the sex and age of every child delivered by their biological mothers. They also used patients assessed in the laboratory from 2000-2004. They then used t-tests and “Cohen’s d” equation from a
Many scientists have a difficult time understanding homosexuality on the evolutionary aspect. They believe a human beings’ main purpose is reproduction, which makes the sexual relationship between two males a confusing concept for most evolutionary thinkers (McKnight 1). Evolutionary thinkers believe that the less desirable genes are removed from the system when they are not breed as often, but this cannot be said for homosexual males who have been a continuing presence in most societies over numerous generations (McKnight 1). These evolutionary thinkers, like most humans, have a need to place others into
The studies conducted used a wide array of individuals, brother-sister, brother-brother and twins. Throughout the article, majority of the focus caters to homosexual men in relation and comparison to
A pattern emerges where the scholarly literature exploring this topic is largely focused on males. Reason being is that it appears that males are the sex who are predominantly homosexual in their orientation (LeVay & Baldwin, 2012). However, the sensitivity within the discourse of sexual orientation arises when it is debated upon whether one 's sexual preference is innate at birth, hence a force of nature or biology, or if it is a result of culture, nurture or environmental factors (Emmanuele et al., 2010). Furthermore, an experimental design will be proposed to further examine this topic. Comparing the three chosen studies, it is evident that a biological and endocrinological perspective does account for sexual orientation (Kraemer et al., 2006; Manning et al., 2007; Miller et al., 2008). Of the studies that currently exist on this topic, data shows that prenatal testosterone levels are indicative of sexual orientation (Kraemer et al., 2006; Manning et al., 2007; Miller et al., 2008). This paper addresses a topic that is relevant in today 's society; a topic that has, for the most part, been written off as having any scientific roots (Emmanuele et al., 2010). This paper counters that belief and in reading this essay, it will be evident that biology and endocrinology have a much stronger influence on sexual orientation than previously thought.
He contradicted the argument that homosexual behaviour is related to genetic, hormonal or biological disorder. To abolish these views, the author mentions that ‘no school of medicine, medical journal or professional organization has ever recognized such claims (p. 2) - at least at the time he wrote the article in 1994.
Another study that was conducted almost 20 years ago mentioned that an adopted brother of a gay male is twice as likely to become gay later on compared to a adopted
Homosexuality is defined or characterized as attraction towards the same gender either male or female. It came from the Greek language, where “homo” means the same or similar, hence referring to the attraction between two beings of the same sex. Homosexuality is also referred as a clinical term. Most male homosexuals generally prefer to be called "gay men" and most homosexual women generally prefer to be called "lesbians." Homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation, alongside bisexual and heterosexual. The longstanding consensus of the behavioral and social sciences and the health and mental health professions is that homosexuality is an example of normal and positive variation in human sexual
In one article by Marcia Malory, “Homosexuality & Choice: Are Gay People ‘Born This Way’”, she goes into multiple studies on the genetics of a gay child's parents. A study conducted in 1993 the “gay gene” matter arose when it was looked into the homosexual children's parents having a different X chromosome marker. Nonetheless genes do not control our behavior completely as does environment. The brain may also play a role in sexual preference, like the study in 1991 showing the difference in neurons and pituitary glands. Later in the 2000s more studies showed that gay men have more symmetrical hemisphere and amygdala resembles that of women's. The brain develops in the womb and continues through late adulthood. When did a fetus choose its
To properly begin the exploration of the “gay gene” theory, we must first begin at the conception and explain what it first meant to society and how it was first postulated to function.
This essay will critically evaluate the statement that gay is innate, by firstly looking into the issue of what innateness is, before discussing it relationship with current research into homosexuality.
The gay mind has been a rubrics cube for many scientists for the past years. The mystery that lies behind the minds of those who like the same sex is one of the most intricate debates. The big question that is yet to be answered is if homosexuals are made or born naturally. While many believe that being a homosexual is not a biological trait, others believe that being gay is a physiological defect. Even though there are many great ideas of why people think that being gay is a choice, many people like myself, take a stand and insist that being gay is biological. Many studies of the brains indicate how the brains of straight men and women are different from those of gay men and women. Studies have also shown how testosterone lacks in the brains of gay men and how there is an overload of it in gay women. Finally, studies have shown that the influences on the social lives of homosexuals don’t have much of an impact of someone’s sexual orientation.
There is much debate that homosexuality is a developmental problem caused by a weak bond between a father and son during one’s childhood. A failed relationship with one’s father can lead the boy to not fully internalize male gender identity and develop homosexually (Baird & Baird, 1995). Consider the gender development of identity. Infants indentify with their mother who is the first and primary source of nurturance and care. As girls age, they continue to identify mostly with their mother and boys shift towards their father. Through a father-son relationship, masculine identification is attained which is necessary if the boy is to develop a normally masculine personality (i.e. heterosexuality). This development task helps explain why boys have more difficulty than girls in developing gender identity and may also explain the higher ratio of male to female homosexuality (Baird & Baird, 1995). It is important that
The world has come very far with all the dramatic changes we have faced over the years. Wouldn’t you agree? As much change as the world has been through there are still numerous social problems that still exist in society today. Amongst those numerous social problems, sexual orientation and inequality stand out to me. Research from biology, psychology, and sociology is where our understanding of sexual orientation comes from. There are two hypothetical theories researchers have discovered examining the biological basis toward sexual orientation. One concept is the neurohormonal theory, biologist contend that homosexuality is caused by abnormal sex hormone levels in utero. The alternative theory is based on behavioral genetics, determining the source and magnitude of genetic impact on sexual orientation. This theory suggested the concept that gay men were genetically female. Later this theory was proven to be false. Homosexuality was considered as a pathology or mental illness. Not every psychologists agreed with that perspective. A researcher by the name of Havelock Ellis stated that homosexuality was congenital and for that reason it could not be considered as a disease. Sigmund Freud another theorist had the concept that everyone is born bisexual and that either homosexuality or heterosexuality is developed through social and personal experience. Ellis and Freud both concurred that homosexuality was not a mental illness. Despite these researchers’ opinions in 1973,
Science is uncovered origins a lot of things over the centuries and the human created much great inventions and even explored the surface of the moon; however, one question still on everyone’s mind and science may have solved one of greatest mysteries yet which is: how did homosexuality and heterosexuality evolve? Many psychologist, biologist and scientist may agree with sexual orientation is output from a combination of biological, hormonal, environmental and emotional factors and those many factors that influence to a development of human sexual orientation. However, being homosexual or bisexual is not mentally ill or abnormal in certain ways, although sexual minority is part of social problems that makes output from misinformation or prejudicial attitude. Diversity in sexual orientation has been a subject that has been seen in different perspectives by the different people (LeVay, 2010). Today there are the homosexuals, heterosexuals and bisexuals orientated people are forming a part of our society. This paper conduct an overall study of important and strong factors and provides accurate information and explanation for those who want to better understand development of sexual orientation.
Even though there are many studies that are reliable, there are some studies aren't reliable. Researcher Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute did a behavioral trait study using a common linkage study where it looks for a link between a behavioral trait and a certain genetic structure. The results for his study concluded that there was a link on the "q28"region of the X chromosome in homosexual males. Then a while
This question has been asked for many years: is being homosexual a decision, or are people born that way? During the1990’s people thought it was an illness or a disgrace to the family, but now homosexuals are perceived differently due to studies. Neuroscientists of the Christianity Today Newspaper, argue that homosexuality can be a natural response of the hypothalamus itself based on the size of hypothalamus the child is born with. Neuroscientists have questioned “does its size determine homosexuality, or does homosexuality determine its size?” (Dallas). Yet, no one can be sure since the test was done on two deceased men. This being said, people can believe homosexuality is a gene that they are born with. This situation has aroused through this century as research rises concerning behaviors from the structures of the brain. In order to continue to convince the reader that people can be born homosexual and it is not a choice that they make as they grow. The article “Born Gay?” written by