This particular episode of All in the Mind focuses on the hypothesis “Is being gay in your biology?” The research of three scientists focusing on what biological traits are different between gay people and straight people is presented in an easy to understand fashion.
The first researcher we come across is Psychologist Dr. Richard A. Lippa. Dr. Lippa is looking for a link between gay people and their personalities by trying to figure out if genes play a role in the interests of gay people. One of the things Dr. Lippa looks for during his field research is if the swirl of a man’s hair is counter-clockwise or clockwise while interviewing the subject. He also pays particular attention to other phenotypical aspects of his research subjects such …show more content…
Simon LeVay a neuroscientist that studied various parts of the brain along with the differences in the sizes of the different hemispheres of homosexual/heterosexual men and women. Dr. LeVay explained the theory that the INAH 3 found on the hypothalamus is somewhat different in homosexual men and women when compared to heterosexual men and women. He states that INAH 3 is typically larger in men as opposed to females whereas in homosexual people the opposite typically happens. Animal experiments have proven that this area is what regulates sexual behavior. Dr. LeVay also discussed experiments done on homosexual sheep that proves his hypothesis is with merit. The hypothalamus of gay sheep was examined and they showed the same relationship where an area of the hypothalamus was smaller in gay sheep as opposed to heterosexual …show more content…
Sven Bocklandt of UCLA who is researching the genetics of sexual orientation. He is trying to figure out what exactly is different in gay peoples genes as opposed to a straight persons. As Dr. Lippa’s research showed earlier, there are characteristic phenotypic traits in gay people, but that means there is a gene coding for that as well. Dr. Bocklandt discussed some regions where the gay gene may be found. He also elaborated on his research to use gay twins to find the difference between the two sexualities and what has already found. Dr. Bocklandt says the X chromosome is particularly interesting when it comes to identifying the genetic difference between gay and straight
The first researcher we come across is Psychologist Dr. Richard A. Lippa. Dr. Lippa is looking for a link between gay people and their personalities by trying to figure out if genes play a role in the interests of gay people. One of the things Dr. Lippa looks for during his field research is if the swirl of a man’s hair is counter-clockwise or clockwise while interviewing the subject. He also pays particular attention to other phenotypical aspects of his research subjects such …show more content…
Simon LeVay a neuroscientist that studied various parts of the brain along with the differences in the sizes of the different hemispheres of homosexual/heterosexual men and women. Dr. LeVay explained the theory that the INAH 3 found on the hypothalamus is somewhat different in homosexual men and women when compared to heterosexual men and women. He states that INAH 3 is typically larger in men as opposed to females whereas in homosexual people the opposite typically happens. Animal experiments have proven that this area is what regulates sexual behavior. Dr. LeVay also discussed experiments done on homosexual sheep that proves his hypothesis is with merit. The hypothalamus of gay sheep was examined and they showed the same relationship where an area of the hypothalamus was smaller in gay sheep as opposed to heterosexual …show more content…
Sven Bocklandt of UCLA who is researching the genetics of sexual orientation. He is trying to figure out what exactly is different in gay peoples genes as opposed to a straight persons. As Dr. Lippa’s research showed earlier, there are characteristic phenotypic traits in gay people, but that means there is a gene coding for that as well. Dr. Bocklandt discussed some regions where the gay gene may be found. He also elaborated on his research to use gay twins to find the difference between the two sexualities and what has already found. Dr. Bocklandt says the X chromosome is particularly interesting when it comes to identifying the genetic difference between gay and straight