Biology and sexual orientation he topic: SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND SEXUAL IDENTITY...It college Biopsychology. Please focus biopsychology (biology, nature, genetics,)
Sexual orientation: Nature or nurture?
'Baby, I was born this way.' The new Lady Gaga song sums up a common theme of the modern gay rights movement: that sexuality is genetic, rather than psychologically determined. Given that homosexuality was once listed as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) of the American Psychological Association, it is understandable that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people would wish to emphasize that sexuality is not a disorder: the only 'disordered' aspect of gay sexuality in society is the prejudice directed against gay people. Current medical research literature seems to largely support this claim.
Scientists operating from a biological paradigm have found certain 'clues' which indicate that sexual orientation is hard-wired within structure of the brain. After studying the brains of right-handed, 18- to 35-year-old homosexual and heterosexual men using structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers found that homosexual men have a larger posterior part of the corpus callosum than heterosexual men. "The size of the corpus callosum is largely inherited, suggesting a genetic factor in sexual orientation" (Genetics has a role in determining sexual orientation in men, 2007, ScienceDaily). This organ is "the thick band of nerve fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain" and is usually larger in women than in men, allowing for greater hemispheric communication (some have called this structure the source of 'women's...
Sexual Disorders According to Croucher (2003), there are five layers in the erotic life of human beings. The first of these is sexual identity. This is the physical differentiation between male and female, which is fixed by the end of the first trimester in the development of the foetus. Transsexuals feel that they have the "wrong sex" and therefore the wrong core identity. The second layer is sexual orientation, which refers
Addiction: A brain disease with a biological foundation Addiction is a brain disease with a biological foundation, which means that it couples together the mental and physical states of the individual in an action which can lead to negative or bad behavior. There are many types of addictions but two of the biggest addictions in modern times are sexual addiction and drug addiction. Many young people develop both addictions or one
Herdt, G. (2004). Sexual development, social oppression, and local culture. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 1(1), 39-62. doi:10.1525/srsp.2004.1.1.39 One of the most contentious debates in the field of psychology today is the question of nature vs. nurture, or the extent to which biology influences personal psychology vs. cultural constructs. Although it has fallen out of favor somewhat, there is also the Freudian 'essentialist' argument, which suggests that certain mental models span across
Background: Why Teach Sexual Education? With about half of all high school students admitting to have already had sex, and only 60% of those students claiming they used a condom, sexual education can be considered a public health imperative (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2019). Unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are the most important health-related reasons to teach sexual education in public schools. Research has shown that “when sex education
The traditional approach to sexual education in the United States has emphasized anatomy, physiology, and the mechanics of reproduction and birth control to the virtual exclusion of more meaningful aspects of human sexuality. A modern comprehensive sexual education program should begin before most students have already begun experimenting sexually rather than afterwards. Likewise, it should include appropriate focus on ethical values and moral concepts that relate directly to sexual patterns
Nature vs. Nurture: The modern field of psychology has been characterized by various significant questions including the concern regarding nature vs. nurture. This concern can also be described as the determination of the extent with which biology influences an individual's psychology as compared to cultural constructs or factors. Based on his analysis, Herdt (2004) presents an evaluation of Freudian and development psychology in which he explains the progression of adolescent development
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