Provide a 5 pages analysis while answering the following question: Development of Diverse Sexual Orientations in Humans.
Provide a 5 pages analysis while answering the following question: Development of Diverse Sexual Orientations in Humans. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide. An abstract is required. Deep studies of the development of diverse sexual orientations in humans beget only new versions, rather than presents a universal explanation
There exist many different scientific studies and methodologies aimed at understanding the factors, influencing human sexual orientation. These factors can be differentiated by two or even three categories, including social factors, biological factors, or “symbioses” of both social and biological factors. Mustanski et al., (2002) in their research review mainly the influence of biological factors on sexual orientation and concludes that biological influences do have an impact on human sexual behavior to some extent. While exploring biological influences on sexual orientation, empirical researchers are used to applying two approaches: the impact of hormones on the development of sexual orientation, and behavioral genetics.
The first approach is based on the neurohormonal theory and strives to evaluate the role of used hormones in forming a fetus and genitals of infants. The results of the research show the relationship between prenatal androgen activity and the development of sexual orientation of both men and women (Mustanski et.al, 2002: 97). In order to obtain more evidence on this issue, I have referred to another external source which is based on the primary research and provides certain conclusions at this point.
Ellis and Hellberg (2005) have undertaken a study in order to understand whether prenatal exposure to therapeutic drugs impacts on the development of human sexual orientation. This research was focused on those drugs which were more likely to affect the hormone level. This link was also supported previously by Mustanki et al. (2002) because misbalance of sex hormones levels leads to sexual differentiation of the fetal brain. To be more precise, Mustanski et al. (2002: 97) mentions “that prenatal hormones hard wire sexual orientation into fetal brains”. For studying the impact of the use of drugs during gestation, researchers have taken a sample of 5102 mothers and collected reports of mothers and their offspring regarding their sexual orientation.