The Biology of Sexual Desire - Essay Example

The Biology of Sexual Desire Lecturer Introduction Indeed, the topic of the biology of sexual desire has had a vibrant history despite the fact that it has continued to command a lot of controversial issues. Biology of sexual desire, has not only commanded great interest in the recent decades but has also brought in new dimensions due to various researches that has been carried out by different researches. Indeed, it has been perceived that biology is part of sexual orientation development as it primarily serves as to essentially organize or arrange sexual desire. Furthermore, it forms a foundation for range of effects that eventually underlie or trigger a person’s experience of relationship. Therefore, biological foundation for any individual is primarily set by anatomical, hormonal and genetic processes. This creates a definite pattern of emotional and sexual experience in which sex is desired powerful. In the past, it was generally believed that sexual desire and affectional bonding are independent functionally and therefore, the experience can be separate. Notably, this essentially suggests that individual may definitely fall in love with another person to whom they do not have sexual desires to. With the above understanding, do affectional bonding and sexual desire functionally independent? Are there other factors that contribute to the above? It is generally believed that their exist differences between women and men in relation to partner choice and sexual behaviour. Some of these differences include men are more interested in sex and the more they think about; the higher is the likelihood that the will initiate. Additionally, they are said to have more sexual partners and have sexual desire with no emotional commitment. Still, they tend to focus on physical and youth attractiveness when selecting a partner and also are said to me more jealous when a partner becomes physically unfaithful. On the other hand, women are said to be less interested in sex, less interested in more sexual partners, they get sexual desires that is connected with emotional commitment, while choosing a partner they focus more on economic and social status and are more jealous when a partner becomes emotionally unfaithful. Indeed, are the differences biological oriented and do they play a role in sexual desire? Sexual desires are said to be drastically changing whereby sexual orientation seen to be following an obvious pattern. Indeed, gay men and lesbian women are believed to have varying sexual desires in relation to varying biological factors. Notably, researchers have continued to differ as to whether individual who are attracted to same sex partners can have sexual desire with partners of different sex. In addition, controversial debates have continued to arise as to whether there are any biological factors that play a role in the aforementioned issues. With the above, are there any biological factors that make gay men and lesbian have sexual desire for a particular partner despite the sex? In order to answer the above questions, the paper seeks to review various literatures in order to seek to get answers or other people arguments the same, resulting to increase of knowledge on the topic. Current Research Biological, historical and cultural evidence have showed that it is quite possible to experience both sexual desire and affectional bonding both concurrently and independent. Indeed, according to Eagly & Wood (2013) this is very possible across gender lines. The author goes ahead and emphasizes that the experimental fusion of affectional bonding a sexual desire for individuals of the same sex results to the issue of homosexual. Clutton-Brock (2009) agrees to the above and notes that in some cases this kind of bonding and sexual desire may not be gender specific and it is highly likely to occur in women more than in males. In relation to this, Lewis (2003) notes that cultural models related to gender specificity and sexuality may result to diverse experience of sexual subjectivity in both childhood and puberty stages. For instance, a girl who develops intimate and emotional connection with another girl of her age, age 13, may consider the girl as the best friend. However, if this connection eventually becomes sexualized to the extent the girl desires the friend, may result to the girl interpreting this kind of subjective experience using the ‘biological map’ of sexuality and concluding that she is a lesbian. Diamond (2004) asserts that intensity of sexual desire primarily starts during puberty and it simultaneously take place with the cognitive and social development; resulting to increase of sense of self. With this, as a result of various emotional, social and cognitive development interactions with other people tend to shift and change drastically. This occurs as a result of different attraction and likeness to various individuals. Essentially, if an individual, establish an affectional bonding with an individual of different or similar sex, there is a likelihood that sexual desire may come in as a result of other factors including cultural, emotional and social way of life. Indeed, it is generally, believed that there are difference between women and men in relation to their sexual desire and life (Harter, 2003). Notably, most theorists have tried to explain the noted differences from an evolutionary point. One of the explanations is based on the notion that women and men clearly make parental investment so as to bring in an offspring. In regard to this, from the theory, it is highly believed that biologically men tend to do more investment compared to the women. On the other hand, women are perceived to investment time on carrying the pregnancy and nursing the infants. As a result of this, women then are said to be limited in number in relation to producing offspring while men are capable of doing so in an unlimited manner (Diamond, 2004). Men are therefore likely to select their sex partner in terms of attractive and youthfulness as these attributes ensure good health while women base their selection on economic and social factors in order to ensure that the offspring has a good future. Indeed, from the above, one may argue that there are no notion on biological factors in regard to the question. However, according to Lalumier et al (2000) it is quite obvious that there are some biological issues that may command some decision in selection of partner. In the recent years, lesbianism and gay has continued to hit the headlines drawing in lots of controversies. However, it is important to consider as whether there are any biological explanations for sexual desires to the same sex and some extent different sex. According to Harter (2003) there are various biological factors that lead to homosexuality including hormones, genes, brain differences and prenatal factors. Under hormones, it is primarily believed and suggested that heterosexual and homosexual have varying levels of some hormones in the blood system. Nevertheless, current researches have failed to prove the above; that is, it has been had, scientifically, to prove hormonal variations in the aforementioned groups. On the other hand, it has been proposed that there is genetic tendency to homosexuality. In order to do prove this, according to Herdt & McClintock (2000)various studies have been carried on the sexual orientation of fraternal, identical and adoptive children of homosexual parents. From this studies, it has been concluded that fraternal twins are less likely to be homosexual compared to identical twins; on the other hand, adoptive children are less likely to be homosexual as compared to fraternal twins. Other researchers such as Harter (2003) have primarily concentrated on the prenatal environment. Indeed, the researchers believe that level of hormones present at a specific and critical time in prenatal development may affect that arrangement of the brain; consequently, influence a child’s sexual orientation. For instance, it has been noted that women who had high or exposed to high level of androgen during prenatal period the end up being homosexual. However, critics have it that not all women who were exposed to high level of androgen became homosexual in fact most of them are heterosexuals. In regard to the brain, one researcher, (LeVay, 1991)assessed anatomic differences between homosexual and heterosexual people and noted that a particular region of the hypothalamus is smaller in heterosexual women and homosexual men than in homosexual men. Summary Indeed, from the above review, some of views changed while others were maintained. From the literature, it is quite obvious that whether affectional bonding and sexual desire are functionally independent is still debateable. The literature has maintained that it is possible to experience both affectional bonding and sexual desire concurrently and independently. In relation to independently, my view has been maintained that in most cases it depends with other factors such as cultural factors, cognitive and social development factors. On the other hand it has come out clear that the above factors are not dependent on gender specificity. In regard to whether the sexual differences between men and women are biologically oriented, it is somehow clear that more research in required in this area given that there are diversified ideas from various researchers. However, my view that there are some biological factors including the reasons as to why women are less interested in sex as compared to women were maintained given the fact that most researchers believe the above has a biological explanation; for instance, most women get emotionally attached to men and therefore, they tend to consider few men. Similarly, men are not emotionally attached to sex partners and therefore they tend to have more partners as they expect nothing in return which eventually affects their sexual desire. From the reviews, my views have changed concerning the biological factors that highly results to homosexual in the society. Notably, as discussed in the paper, there are various biological factors that have been found to play a major role in determining whether an individual becomes homosexual or heterosexual. Most people hold the view that feelings play a major in determining sexual orientation of an individual. However, from recent research it has been established that there is anatomical differences in the brain between people of different sexual orientation; parental environmental may also contributed to the same and homosexual parents tend to play a major biological role in determining sexual orientation of the siblings. Despite the fact that the findings are debateable, in a way it explains the role of biological factors to different sexual orientation which is consequently reflected in sexual desire. From this review, I can clear point out that I have understood the topic given that various question have been answered through the review of some literature. In addition, the fact that biology of sexual desire is a well debatable topic, its importance to gender and sexual studies has been fully understood; and as such assisting one in understanding its relation to the study. References Clutton-Brock, T. (2009). Sexual selection in females. Animal Behavior , 77, 3-11. Diamond, L. (2004). Emeging perspectives on distictions between romantic love and sexual drive. Current Directions in Psychological Sciences , 13, 116-119. Eagly, A., & Wood, W. (2013). The nature-nurture debates 25 years of challenges in understanding the psychology of gender. Perspectives of Psychological Science , 8 (3): 340-357. Harter, S. (2003). The development o self-representations during childhood and adolescence. In M. L. Tangney, Handbook of self identity (pp. 610-642). New York: McGraw Hill. Herdt, G., & McClintock. (2000). The magical age of 10. Archives of Sexual Behavior , 29 (6); 587-606. Lalumiere, M., Blanchard, R., & Zucker, K. (2000). Sexual orientation and handedness in men and women: a mera-analysis . Pschological Bulletin , 126, 575-592. LeVay, S. (1991). A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men. Science , 253, 1034-1037. Lewis, B. (2003). Black-white differences in attitudes toward homosexuality and gay rights. Public Opinion Quarterly , 67, 59-78. Read More