The Influence Of Prenatal Environment On Sexual Orientation

Improved Essays
There is growing evidence in literature that the prenatal environment has significant influence on one’s sexual orientation. One of the most influential theory is the gestational neurohormonal theory proposed by Ellis and Ames (1987). The comprehensive theory proposed that the level of testosterone, estradiol and other certain sex hormones that the nervous system is exposed to while neuro-organization is taking place during gestation determines one’s sexual orientation (Ellis & Ames, 1987). A more recent study showed that prenatal stress significantly increase the chance of homosexual and bisexual male offspring through affecting the level of hormone that the foetus is exposed to (Ellis & Cole-Harding, 2001). Maternal stress appeared to trigger

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    To begin, in the journal, Ann E. Kasak informs psychological professionals about supporting same sex marriage because overall the attraction is the same. Same sex marriage has been tested to be a morally right decision due to the brains formation. Kasak concludes, “Sessions will feature the latest scientific research into same-sex couples’ relationships and family formation among lesbian, gay and bisexual people, as well as the effect of sexual stigma on individuals and families.” Scientific studies have shown that the choice to be attracted to the same sex is just the same as “normal” attraction. Attraction comes in many different variations.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    They found that hypothalamus, which is the part of our brain that control our sexual drive and other function, has an important role of determining whether we are heterosexual or homosexual. Homosexual subject have larger suprachiasmatic nucleus and anterior commissure of the hypothalamus then heterosexual. Our sexual orientation is biological constructed. Race Also, for race, I will show race is a biological construct in this paragraph. The different genes of race are 15 percent up of the 85 percent human genes have found.…

    • 720 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Holden affiliates with two other men who display homosexual tendencies or are described as displaying them, Carl Luce and Mr. Antolini. Salinger purposefully connects the three males through their attraction to older women, which is possibly a means for the men and boy to conceal their true sexual desires. Carl Luce is dating a Chinese woman who is "in her late thirties" (Salinger, 145) while Antolini is married to a woman who was "about sixty years older" (Salinger, 181) than him. Holden himself is attracted to Mrs. Morrow, as seen through his personal observations of the woman. He said, "she was very good looking" (Salinger, 54) and "had quite a lot of sex appeal" (Salinger, 56).…

    • 703 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Homosexuality

    • 1279 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Since the hypothalamus is directly related to sexual impulses, perhaps any alteration within the hypothalamus can be said to cause or at least be correlated to homosexuality. Simon LeVay, found that the third cell group within the hypothalamus (INAH-3) was in general “twice as larger in heterosexual men as in women [and] more than twice as larger in heterosexual men than homosexual men” (Gooren, 2006). This indicates homosexual men have closer ties to women than heterosexual men. To further tests these correlations, studies have been done on rats since rats also contain a “sexually dimorphic area in their anterior hypothalamus, larger in males than in females, that governs sexual behavior” similarly to that of humans. The development of this area which is the origin of sexual impulses depends on testosterone levels prior and immediately following birth (Barinaga, 1991).…

    • 1279 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    a great amount of the population believes that sexual orientation is within your genes. They can find out what causes it in the fear within many is that they will try and fix it if they find a gene. some researchers believe that they are doing this research for the gay people an attempt to further tolerance if not gay rights. We are undoubtedly influenced by our environment we grow up in, but that does not automatically invalidate our feelings it just affects how we choose to react to them. This can be from repression of feelings from…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In today’s news, sexual orientation is a big debacle The debate whether genetics or environment influence sexual orientation has gone on for many years. One of the most famous, psychological experiments in history, was the tragic episode of David Reimer. During a circumcision, at seven months old, his penis was completely burnt off. Then a greedy, perverted doctor named Dr. Money, came along and tried to persuade the parents of David to raise him as a girl. Thus David became Brenda and her life changed forever.…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though society should refer to the research which tends to point to the importance of the quality of the parent relationships with children, rather than parent’s sexual orientation that is not the case (Burkholder). Whether it be by artificial insemination…

    • 829 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Instead of primarily focusing on the closest of kin of those who were surveyed, they extended it so both the maternal and the paternal line of relatives were involved. The objective was to determine the biological factors in sexual orientation (if any) that may be found when one broadens the research to the other family members that both homosexual and heterosexuals have. A fascinating result was found during the investigation, that being that the fecundity of female relatives (particularly mothers) of homosexuals was considerably higher than those of heterosexual…

    • 713 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Many people will say there is no way genetics can influence sexuality. If this was the case wouldn’t there be a stronger correlation between the sexual preference of parents and children? The answer is no – since social influences also play a role in sexual determination, the sexual preferences of people who are related will likely differ because they will have different individual experiences which ultimately lend to the determination of their sexual preference. With that being said, a series of experiments conducted by Bailey, Bobrow, Wolfe, and Mikach (1995) studied the sexual orientations of adult sons with homosexual fathers. Both experiments focused only on the causes of homosexuality in males, and neither accounted for the degree to…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Influences of Sexual Behaviors Throughout the course of history, natural law inadvertently created a culture that in and of itself bears a certain level of responsibility in shaping the sexual behaviors of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. The principles of natural law as standards have been applied to theories of ethics, politics, civil law, and religious morality (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2011). Digress to 636c, and the dialogs of Plato, who’s writing first articulate central ideas of natural law. In Book One of Plato 's Laws, he describes opposite-sex sex acts as pleasurable by nature while same-sex sexuality is unnatural (The Project Gutenberg, 2008).…

    • 1053 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A surprising poll by the Pew Research Center reveals that the fifty percent of the public agrees that being homosexual is either a lifestyle or is a result of upbringing. But despite what they may believe, there is mounting evidence in favor of sexuality being determined preceding birth. This evidence will put an end to the myth that one can alter or affect another’s sexuality, which is a futile attempt. In addition, this could potentially end the stigma around being a sexuality other than heterosexual, bringing an end to discrimination between sexualities. Sexual orientation is determined through genetic makeup, and cannot be solved by cures or decisions.…

    • 1044 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Alexandra Duma Professor Helen Kapstein LIT 316 Defying the Gender Binary in Luna Gender identity is the subjective understanding of one’s gender (Morrow 7). The way in which an individual forms a gender identity relies heavily on the socio-cultural environment in which one lives. Gender identity is different than biological sex and sexual orientation. Luna by Julie Anne Peters follows the coming of age story of Luna, a boy who struggles with gender roles and expectations imposed on him by his family from a young age.…

    • 1717 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In straight men the cluster is bigger then those of gay men. This biological factor shows that there is a difference of the brain structures between the two sexual orientations in men. The hypothalamus regulates male sexual actions (LeVay 20011: 195). The size difference in the hypothalamus straight males and gay males could be a genetic variation that effects the sexuality of males. Other structures of the brain that have differences could also play a roll in ones…

    • 1309 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Same sex parenting has always been an issue not only in the united states but world-wide. When we think of parents we automatically think of “mom and dad” we fail to recognize that lesbians and gays can be parents too. It’s not socially acceptable or even traditional, maybe that’s why so many people are against it, but why? Two humans raising a baby, why is it so wrong? Why does it have to be two of the opposite sex to correctly raise a baby the right way?…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Our society’s perception of sex and sexuality is influenced by various factors, such as the media, culture, and religion. The media influences our perception of sex by oversexualizing women and over masculinizing men in advertisements, music videos, television, and film. Female models and actresses may dress or act in a provocative manner to gain attention by the media and particularly from men. Women may be influenced to imitate these behaviors, or even exaggerate their sexuality, to appear desirable to men. Women may also feel unconfident when comparing their bodies to those seen in the media, creating an unhealthy perception of their sexuality.…

    • 1279 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays