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J. Michael Bailey - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Sexual Orientation, Controversy, and Science:
Psychological science in the public interest : a journal of the American Psychological Society, 2016Co-Authors: J. Michael Bailey, Paul L. Vasey, Lisa M. Diamond, S. Marc Breedlove, Eric Vilain, Marc EpprechtAbstract:SummaryOngoing political controversies around the world exemplify a long-standing and widespread preoccupation with the acceptability of homoSexuality. NonheteroSexual people have seen dramatic surges both in their rights and in positive public opinion in many Western countries. In contrast, in much of Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Oceania, and parts of Asia, homoSexual behavior remains illegal and severely punishable, with some countries retaining the death penalty for it. Political controversies about Sexual Orientation have often overlapped with scientific controversies. That is, participants on both sides of the sociopolitical debates have tended to believe that scientific findings-and scientific truths-about Sexual Orientation matter a great deal in making political decisions. The most contentious scientific issues have concerned the causes of Sexual Orientation-that is, why are some people heteroSexual, others biSexual, and others homoSexual? The actual relevance of these issues to social, political, and ethical decisions is often poorly justified, however.
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Dermatoglyphics, handedness, sex, and Sexual Orientation.
Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2002Co-Authors: Brian Mustanski, J. Michael Bailey, Sarah KasparAbstract:Both handedness and dermatoglyphic asymmetry reflect early, prenatal influences and both have been reported to be associated with male Sexual Orientation; handedness has been related to female Sexual Orientation as well. Neurohormonal and developmental perturbation are two competing hypothesis that attempt to explain these connections. We attempted to replicate these associations and to extend dermatoglyphic asymmetry findings to women. Dermatoglyphic directional asymmetry and fluctuating asymmetry were unrelated to Sexual Orientation. HomoSexual women, but not homoSexual men, had highly significant increases in non–right-handedness compared with same-sex heteroSexual controls. Although this pattern of results does not allow resolution of the two competing models, it does lend additional support to a biological basis of Sexual Orientation.
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The Genetics of Human Sexual Orientation
Genetic Influences on Human Fertility and Sexuality, 2000Co-Authors: Khytam Dawood, J. Michael BaileyAbstract:The primary focus of this chapter is on the evidence to date regarding the population genetics of Sexual Orientation. The bulk of the available evidence suggests moderate heritability for male Sexual Orientation. Female Sexual Orientation has been studied much less extensively, but recent studies are consistent with a genetic contribution for women as well (Pattatucci & Hamer, 1995). Familial aggregation has been observed in nuclear family studies of both male and female homoSexuality, although the genetic and environmental contributions to this familial clustering have not been resolved by the main twin studies published thus far, which have yielded somewhat contradictory results. Recent molecular genetics studies will also be reviewed, including the two main strategies that have been employed so far - linkage and association analysis.
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Sexual Orientation and Professional Dance
Archives of sexual behavior, 1997Co-Authors: J. Michael Bailey, Michael OberschneiderAbstract:The stereotypical professional male dancer is a gay man. However, little if any systematic research has investigated the validity of this stereotype, much less the reasons why male Sexual Orientation would be associated with interest in dance. We interviewed 136 professional dancers about the prevalence of homoSexuality among dancers, the dancers' own Sexual development, and relationships between dancers of different Sexual Orientations. Dancers estimated that over half of male dancers are gay, but that only a small minority of female dancers are lesbian. Gay men recalled more intense early interest in dance compared to heteroSexual men and women, and were more feminine as boys than were heteroSexual men. Gay men's homoSexual feelings typically preceded their dance experience, and only one gay man felt that his dance experiences may have influenced his Sexual Orientation. HeteroSexual men voiced some mild complaints about gay male dancers, but these were balanced by positive sentiments.
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A biologic perspective on Sexual Orientation.
The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 1995Co-Authors: R C Pillard, J. Michael BaileyAbstract:Sexual Orientation may be defined as the sustained erotic attraction to members of one's own gender, the opposite gender, or both--homoSexual, heteroSexual, or biSexual, respectively. Interest in Sexual Orientation is as old as the science of psychology, yet many fundamental issues remain unresolved. This article reviews research in the development and psychopathology of Sexual Orientation as well as the results of family and twin studies. Research in genetic linkage, sex hormones, and brain differences also is discussed.
Linda D. Garnets - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Sexual Orientation and Mental Health
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 2007Co-Authors: Gregory M. Herek, Linda D. GarnetsAbstract:This article provides an overview of current psychological research on mental health and Sexual Orientation, as well as clinical practice with Sexual minorities. The historical context for current research questions and controversies is described, and the findings of recent empirical research on psychological well-being and distress among nonheteroSexuals are summarized. The minority stress model is used to frame a discussion of stressors unique to Sexual minorities and to consider their possible effects on psychological well-being. The possible ameliorative effects of adopting a Sexual Orientation identity are examined, followed by a discussion of how these ideas translate into contemporary clinical work with Sexual minority clients. The review concludes with a brief discussion of priority areas for empirical research and clinical practice.
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A New Paradigm for Understanding Women's Sexuality and Sexual Orientation
Journal of Social Issues, 2000Co-Authors: Letitia Anne Peplau, Linda D. GarnetsAbstract:Major scientific findings about women’s Sexuality and Sexual Orientation are reviewed. Sexual Orientation is unrelated to mental health. There is no inherent association between gender conformity and women’s Sexual Orientation; masculinity and femininity are linked to Sexual Orientation in some social contexts but not in others. Research has so far failed to identify major biological or childhood antecedents of women’s Sexual Orientation. Women’s Sexuality and Sexual Orientation are potentially fluid, changeable over time, and variable across social contexts. Regardless of Sexual Orientation, there are important commonalities in women’s Sexuality. In particular, women tend to have a relational or partner-centered Orientation to Sexuality. Together, these findings provide the basis for a paradigm shift in the conceptualization of women’s Sexual Orientation. Scientific research on women’s Sexuality and Sexual Orientation is still a young endeavor. Nonetheless, several basic findings have been supported consistently by empirical research. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to reject old models of women’s Sexual Orientation and to develop a new paradigm that is grounded in scientific research and sensitive to the realities of women’s lives. Too often, old theories have taken male experience as the norm for human experience. Yet there appear to be important differences in the Sexualities of women and men that emerge when women’s lives are the central focus of investigation. Consequently, we believe that a necessary research strategy will be to develop separate analyses of women’s and men’s Sexualities, each based on a
Randall L. Sell - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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DEFINING AND MEASURING Sexual Orientation : A REVIEW
Archives of sexual behavior, 1997Co-Authors: Randall L. SellAbstract:How to define and identify Sexual Orientations for the purpose of constructing representative samples of homoSexuals, biSexuals, and heteroSexuals is unclear and confusing to researchers. Different definitions and measures have been proposed and used to develop samples since the 1860s when Sexual Orientations first gained widespread research interest. Unfortunately, the definitions and measurement tools used since men result in the selection of divergent and incomparable samples. If advances in the understanding of Sexual Orientations are to be made, it is critical that definitions and measures of Sexual Orientation be standardized. This paper reviews and critiques definitions and measures of Sexual Orientation mat have been proposed and used by researchers over the past century. This review is intended to further our understanding of this subject and to encourage researchers to be critical of how they classify subjects based upon Sexual Orientation.
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The Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation: Background and Scoring
1996Co-Authors: Randall L. SellAbstract:The measurement of Sexual Orientations in research studies is becoming increasingly prevalent despite little critical examination of how this should be done. This paper reviews how Sexual Orientations have been measured historically, and provides a review of the strengths and limitations of each measure. Measures of Sexual Orientation are categorized as: 1) dichotomous, 2) bipolar (such as the Kinsey Scale), 3) multidimensional (such as the Klein Scale), and/or 4) orthogonal (such as the scale proposed by Shively and DeCecco). A new measure of Sexual Orientation, the Sell Assessment of Sexual Orientation, is proposed based upon this review. Finally, methods of scoring and summarizing the proposed measure are discussed.
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Defining and Measuring Sexual Orientation for Research
The Health of Sexual Minorities, 1Co-Authors: Randall L. SellAbstract:Conceptually defining populations, such as those defined by race and ethnicity, and developing methods to identify members of those populations operationally have continually challenged researchers (LaVeist, 2002). Today, as scientists begin to treat Sexual Orientation as a demographic variable like race and ethnicity, it is important to examine critically and clarify our conceptualizations of Sexual Orientation as well as critically examine measures used for operationally identifying the Sexual Orientation of research subjects.
Qazi Rahman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The neurodevelopment of human Sexual Orientation
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 2005Co-Authors: Qazi RahmanAbstract:One of the most enduring and controversial questions in the neuroscience of Sexual behaviour surrounds the mechanisms which produce Sexual attraction to either males or females. Here, evidence is reviewed which supports the proposal that Sexual Orientation in humans may be laid down in neural circuitry during early foetal development. Behaviour genetic investigations provide strong evidence for a heritable component to male and female Sexual Orientation. Linkage studies are partly suggestive of X-linked loci although candidate gene studies have produced null findings. Further evidence demonstrates a role for prenatal sex hormones which may influence the development of a putative network of Sexual-Orientation-related neural substrates. However, hormonal effects are often inconsistent and investigations rely heavily on ‘proxy markers’. A consistent fraternal birth order effect in male Sexual Orientation also provides support for a model of maternal immunization processes affecting prenatal Sexual differentiation. The notion that non-heteroSexual preferences may reflect generalized neurodevelopmental perturbations is not supported by available data. These current theories have left little room for learning models of Sexual Orientation. Future investigations, across the neurosciences, should focus to elucidate the fundamental neural architecture underlying the target-specific direction of human Sexual Orientation, and their antecedents in developmental neurobiology. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Jacques Balthazart - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Brain Development and Sexual Orientation
2012Co-Authors: Jacques BalthazartAbstract:Abstract Sexual Orientation (homo- vs. heteroSexuality) is one of many sex differences observed in humans. Sex differences can result from differential postnatal experiences (interaction with parents, environment) or from biological factors (hormones and genes) acting pre- or postnatally. The first option is often favored to explain Sexual Orientation although it is supported by little experimental evidence. In contrast, many Sexually differentiated behaviors are organized during early life by an irreversible action of sex steroids. In particular, the preference for a male or female sex partner is largely determined in rodents by embryonic exposure to sex steroids. The early action of these steroids also seems to affect Sexual Orientation in humans. Indeed, clinical conditions associated with major endocrine changes during embryonic life often result in an increased incidence of homoSexuality. Furthermore, multiple Sexually differentiated behavioral, physiological, or even morphological traits that are kn...
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Minireview: Hormones and Human Sexual Orientation
Endocrinology, 2011Co-Authors: Jacques BalthazartAbstract:Many people believe that Sexual Orientation (homoSexuality vs. heteroSexuality) is determined by education and social constraints. There are, however, a large number of studies indicating that prenatal factors have an important influence on this critical feature of human Sexuality. Sexual Orientation is a Sexually differentiated trait (over 90% of men are attracted to women and vice versa). In animals and men, many Sexually differentiated characteristics are organized during early life by sex steroids, and one can wonder whether the same mechanism also affects human Sexual Orientation. Two types of evidence support this notion. First, multiple Sexually differentiated behavioral, physiological, or even morphological traits are significantly different in homoSexual and heteroSexual populations. Because some of these traits are known to be organized by prenatal steroids, including testosterone, these differences suggest that homoSexual subjects were, on average, exposed to atypical endocrine conditions during development. Second, clinical conditions associated with significant endocrine changes during embryonic life often result in an increased incidence of homoSexuality. It seems therefore that the prenatal endocrine environment has a significant influence on human Sexual Orientation but a large fraction of the variance in this behavioral characteristic remains unexplained to date. Genetic differences affecting behavior either in a direct manner or by changing embryonic hormone secretion or action may also be involved. How these biological prenatal factors interact with postnatal social factors to determine life-long Sexual Orientation remains to be determined.
