Sexual Orientation Nurture Verses Nature - Essay Example

? Sexual Orientation Nurture Verses Nature; Hormones and the Brain Influence Sexual Orientation Nurture Verses Nature Human sexuality is a controversial topic that keeps featuring on biological reviews, media, and religious reviews. Many people exhibit different opinions about other forms of sexual orientation such as bisexual and homosexuals. The most acceptable form of sexual orientation is heterosexual (University of Plymouth). Argument in support of this sexual orientation claim that human procreation occurs through heterosexual activity. Critics of other forms of sexual orientation have used the above statement to dispute any support bisexual or homosexuals. Theories about sexual orientation have controversies because of nature debate that surround the sexual orientation. Some people argue that nurture has a role in influencing human sexual orientation while others believe that nature is the sole factor that determines sexual orientation. The argument on this paper seeks to unravel the scientific view of sexual orientation based on studies on hormone and brain influence. Summary of sexual orientation debate Sexual orientation debate is a controversial issue because of the manner f arguments put forward by individuals who support a given area of orientation. Diverse theory of sexual orientation tends to explain the origin of sexual orientation. The theory argues that sexual orientation is subject to environmental factors that include learning, social interaction, and maternal care and biological factors which include brain circuits, hormones and genes (O’Hanlan, 2009). However, some researchers have shown open dissatisfaction with the above elements as the only issues that influence sexual orientation. Scientific research on domestic animals has demonstrated that homosexual behavior is evident among rams. Such observations have elicited debate on factors that orient human beings towards a given sexual behavior. Psychosocial theories explain the role of environment in human behavior. The theory argues that human beings learn and practice what they observe in the environment (Becker, Breedlove, and Crews & McCarthy 2002). Ideally, the argument supporting environmental influences point on maternal practices among other cultural practices as the sole reason for homosexuals or bisexuals. Scientific researchers have adduced evidence, which indicate that homosexuality is also common in animals. The research conducted on special region of the brain to determine the contributing factor towards the feeling of homosexuality. Biological studies relate hypothalamus functions to sexual activities (Litvine, 2003). Specifically, the study measured cell volume in the anterior hypothalamus (INAH). The result of the study indicated that heterosexual contained twice as much the volume of INAH 3 as opposed to homosexuals. The result of the study has a strong suggestion, which support the argument that nature is responsible for sexual orientation. Twin studies observed behavioral genetics with respect to environmental factors. The study indicated that male sexual orientation occurs due to hereditary characteristics. Genes would directly influence sexual differentiation in the neural. Studies of human genes indicate that human male as gene that influences the male sex (Litvine, 2003). The study of the genes has not identified the specific gene responsible for sexual orientation. Some studies argue that prenatal exposure to hormone androgen could influence individual ability to develop gender roles i.e. behavior that is observable among a particular sex. Male and female demonstrate different behavioral patterns that psychologists associate to a given sex. For instance, male children would show difference in job interest to female when they attain the adolescence stage. During the adolescence stage male would show traits such as masculinity while women would show traits such as broadening of the hips. The human brain is responsible for hormonal secretion, which influence the development of secondary sexual characteristics observable during the adolescence stage. Researchers believe that the development of external sexual genitalia is due to effects of dihydrotestosterone, which is an androgen. The study indicates that exposure of a child to dihydrotestosterone would influence external sexual genitalia (O’Hanlan, 2009). Concisely, hormone responsible for the development of the female characteristics will induce these developments through the action of the brain. Once the brain has induced the secretion of the above hormone, the external sexual characteristics would develop. Researchers believe that sexual orientation appear in the early stages of child development (O’Hanlan, 2009). The undifferentiated diagram of genital tubercle shows that female and male child have identical genetics. The need to know the genesis of sexual orientation necessitated a study that reviled that androgen secretion is responsible for external genital development. In female, the level of dihydrotestosterone secreted is low when compared to the level secreted in male. This helps to explain the role of biological influences in shaping sexual orientation. Biological studies have attributed certain hormonal disorders to sexual orientation. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a common factor among lesbians (O’Hanlan, 2009). Research on congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) showed that when adrenal glands secreted abnormal amount of androgen, a person is likely to develop the above condition (University of Plymouth). When the secretion occurs early, it would lead to prenatal masculine characteristics. The effect of the secretion would be more evident in girls than in boys. Studies performed on women with history of CAH indicated that abnormal exposure prenatal androgen would influence sexual orientation (O’Hanlan, 2009). Women who were victims of the CAH indicated that homosexuals or bisexual activities were preferable. Conversely, male who are victim Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome would display characteristics of female. When brought together as females, they demonstrate feminine characteristics. This study suggests that hormone secretion during early developmental stages is responsible for sexual orientation. Arguably, environmental culture would mould the intrinsic characteristics. For instance, male with insensitive androgen syndrome would develop female traits in an environment, which predisposes them to behave like women. Current Research on Sexual Orientation Modern research on sexual orientation investigates factors that are likely to instigated homosexuality among human beings. Neurological development in human beings influences later traits that individuals would develop. Largely, these developments depend on intrinsic factors that influence human brain development. Handedness is an example of modern areas of study that scientists associate to sexual orientation. Early neurological development would interfere with brain development. Handedness depends on hemispherical development of the human brain. Researchers have been able to disclose that brain development would influence use of hand (Bogaert, Blanchard & Crosthwait, 2007). Investigation on sexuality and handedness conduction by Lalumiere, Blanchard, and Zucker indicated that homosexuals demonstrated some odds of being left-handed. The result of the study suggested that early neurological development of the brain would influence later life of a human being. Psychosocial theories project the role of environmental influences on brain development. Psychologists have been able to demonstrate that brain damages impair human action in later days (Ridley, 2003). For instance, damage of neurons responsible characteristics would interfere with the normal life of an individual. Psychosocial theorists have explained through their theories that children demonstrate learning through what they see in the society (Litvine, 2003). The observation learning theory put forward by Bandore helps to explains why some people prefer certain orientation. For instance, children would want to experiment what they observe in the society. Testing the observations would influence the ability of an individual to practice what is observable. Modern studies on homosexuality indicate that 10% of population across cultures demonstrated homosexual sexual orientation (Roselli). The researchers observed that the orientation occurred irrespective of cultural differences. The focus of the study has been on genetic factors that influence sexual orientation. Hereditary traits is among biological factors that researchers have been able to site. Human being inherits traits from their parents. Studies in genetics indicate that children tend to inherit traits from their parents. During embryogenesis, genetics from both parents come together to form traits of the embryo. For instance, traits such as tallness, shortness, black eye among other traits would come from the parents. Hormonal secretion as coded in the human brain would influence body activities that are responsible in the formation of these traits. Studies of identical twins demonstrating homosexual orientation indicated that hereditary traits were responsible for human sexual orientation (Yudofsky & Hales, 2010). The study suggested that prenatal hormonal exposure contributed to the action portrayed by the twins. Modern research on factors that contributes to a given gender orientation look at the DNA. The configuration of the DNA of an individual comes from inherited traits that come from the parents (Blumberg, et.al. 2010). Parents pass their traits to their child during fertilization. Human cells and female cell fuse during fertilization to form an embryo. The traits passed during this early stage of life would remain unchanged throughout the life of that individual. It means that a study on relation between the observable traits in an individual and the traits from the parents is possible. However, some studies have shown that hormonal damages are likely to influence traits in an individual. Such risk would expose an individual to lifetime conditions. The interaction of genes and hormones in the embryogenesis stages is similar among mammals (Litvine, 2003). The similarity observed has enabled researchers to explain sexual orientation among animals such as rams and rats. Interference with cell development of the brain at this early stage would eventually influence the traits exhibited by the individual at later stages in life. Brain influence is crucial in the debate of sexual orientation. Psychological studies of human brain demonstrate that brain development influences individual’s action (Blumberg, et.al. 2010). For instance, intrinsic factors and environmental factors constitute to behavior demonstrated in the society. The human brain would interpret activities depending on chemicals, which influenced its development. These chemical influence cell growths in the brain, which consequently influences brain reasoning (O’Hanlan, 2009). The influence of these chemicals to human brain would influence interpretation that brain would give to environmental factors. A combination of the intrinsic factors and environmental factors constitute the approach that an individual would take in handling activities in the society. For instance, testosterone would influence adult behavior as well as external genitalia. External factors that influence brain development include learning through hearing, seeing and experimenting (Ridley, 2003). Largely, childhood stages expose children to conditions that they are not familiar with, reoccurrence of such conditions will influence brain development to build traits similar to what the environment propagate. Psychosocial theory claims that early development influences would be evident to an individual’s life at later stages. The argument supports the argument against the contribution of nurture in sexual orientation. Ethical consideration in the research on Sexual orientation Research on sexual orientation has to consider ethical balance because it touches on issues, which are controversial, believes of people. Christian faith is against the idea of homosexual orientation because of the inclination they take. Respect as an ethical consideration must be evident during the research of a number of factors that are not limited to cultural differences, disability, language, ethnicity, gender, marital status, and sexual orientation among other factors. Treatment of people during the study should be fair to illustrate that the research respects the diversity in the matter of discussion (Cummings & Michael, 2003). Records for data collected should reflect the opinion presented. The researcher should seek consent of participants prior to the activity that they wish to conduct. Competency and responsibility are vital in the study because the study would harm sexual orientation of some individuals. For instance, homosexuals have rights that the study must demonstrate to respect. It would be ignoble to show lack of competence and responsibility when information that defame the names of the participants leak to the public. The question about security of the participants in the study is very essential. Some communities demonstrate open disregard to people who portray homosexual orientation. Largely, the study should not expose such individuals to abuse among their communities. Failure to exercise caution during the research could lead to misconception about a given trait in the society. For instance, homosexual exposure to public criticism fails to uphold ethics of psychology profession. Such situation could influence further attempts to conduct studies on the same area. Ideally, it would be wise if the study does not lead to stigmatization. Stigmatized individuals suffer psychological emotions because of the conditions, which they face in the society. Summary Sexual orientation study indicates that exhibited traits observed among individuals do not only generate from biological and environmental influences, but also other factors that influence prenatal development. Biological development of an embryo constitutes inheriting of information from parental cells. During early stages of development, the embryo will demonstrate a feature of external genitalia is similar between both sexes. However, the secretion of androgen hormone will instigate the growth of the male external genitalia. The secretion of these hormones would influence the growth of the secondary sexual characteristics during later stages of life (Yudofsky & Hales, 2010). The human brain is responsible for body hormonal activities. The study has been able to demonstrate that biological factors that influence brain development would influence sexual orientation. Such activities include nurture factors that a person experiences from the environment. Biological influences dictate neurological interpretation of information in the human brain. The development of the brain at early stages would influence individual activities during later stages of life. Explanation of psychological theories helps to relate nurture and nature factors in influencing sexual orientation. I propose that further studies should focus on the DNA of individuals who show homosexual orientation. The study would relate genetic configuration that contributes to homosexual orientation as opposed to heterosexual orientation. The finding would help in understanding conditions that are inheritable from parents. The finding of the study can help psychologists and other clinical scientists to understand measures that could control development of the condition. Associating brain development to a given condition of sexual orientation requires further investigation into factors that promote unbalanced growth in brain. The finding would create a better understanding of people demonstrating homosexual sexual orientation. References Becker, Breedlove, Crews & McCarthy (2002). Behavioural Endocrinology. 2nd Edition, The MIT Press, Cambridge Blumberg, S. M. et.al. (2010). Oxford Handbook of Developmental Behavioral Neuroscience. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Bogaert, A., Blanchard, R., & Crosthwait, L. (2007). Interaction of birth order, handedness, and sexual orientation in the kinsey interview data. Behavioural Neuroscience.121. 845-853. Retrieved 16 April 2012 from Sexuality - Nature or Nurture?: How Much Are Sexual Desires Pre-Determined Before Birth? | Suite101.com http://michael-catley.suite101.com/sexuality-nature-or-nurture-a141329#ixzz1sCjyc4l9 Cummings, L. J. & Michael, S. M. (2003). Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Litvine, T. (2003). Sexual Differentiation and its Effects on Sexual Orientation. Retrieved from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro03/web1/tlitvine.html O’Hanlan, A. K. (2009). Origin of Sexual Orientation and gender identity diversity. Retrieved from http://lgbt.ucsf.edu/pdfs/O%27Hanlan%20Plenary.pdf Ridley, M, (2003). Nature via nurture; Genes, experience, and what makes us human. London: HarperCollins. Roselli, C. Sexual Differences of the Brain Nature Vs. Nature. Retrieved on 16 April from http://www.endo-society.org/media/SWC_presentations/upload/Roselli-Sexual_Differentiation.pdf University of Plymouth Department of psychology. The Nature and Nurture of Gender. Retrieved on 16 April 2012 from http://www.flyfishingdevon.co.uk/salmon/year3/psy364gender-nature-nurture/psy364gender-nature-nurture.htm Yudofsky, C. S. & Hales, E. R. (2010). Essentials of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences. New York: American Psychiatric Pub. Read More