Briefly discuss how common homosexuality is and the evidence on the determinants of sexual orientation
What will be an ideal response?
Sexual orientation refers to a person's preference for emotional and sexual relationships with individuals of the same sex (homosexuality), the other sex (heterosexuality), or either sex (bisexuality). Some conceptualizations of sexuality hold that homosexuality and heterosexuality are endpoints on a continuum. Data on the prevalence of homosexuality suggests that 3.5% of the population identifies as exclusively homosexual.
Many environmental theories explaining homosexuality have been put forth historically. Freud held that male home sexuality results when a boy is raised by a weak, ineffectual father and an overly attached mother with whom the boy identifies. Behaviorists assert that homosexuality is learned through conditioning. Research has failed to support either theory. What has been found is that most men and women with homosexual orientations can trace their leanings back to early childhood, suggesting a biological basis.
Biological research suggests that there is a genetic predisposition to homosexuality. Some theorists believe that the organizing effects of prenatal hormones on neurological development may play an important role in the development of homosexuality.
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