201
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Watts TM, Holmes L, Raines J, Orbell S, Rieger G. Sexual Arousal Patterns of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14970. [PMID: 30297914 PMCID: PMC6175819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33188-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically identical twins can differ in their self-reported sexual orientations. However, whether the twins' subjective reports reflect valid differences in their sexual orientations is unknown. Measures of sexual orientation, which are free of the limitations of self-report, include genital arousal and pupil dilation while viewing sexual stimuli depicting men or women. We examined these responses in 6 male twin pairs and 9 female twin pairs who reported discordant sexual orientations. Across measures, heterosexual male twins responded more strongly to women than to men. Their homosexual co-twins showed an opposite pattern. Heterosexual female twins responded equally to both sexes, whereas their homosexual co-twins responded somewhat more to women than men. These differences within pairs were similar to differences between unrelated heterosexual and homosexual males and females. Our study provides physiological evidence confirming twins' discordant sexual orientations, thereby supporting the importance of the non-shared environment for the development of sexual orientation and sexual arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuesday M Watts
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Luke Holmes
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Jamie Raines
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Sheina Orbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Gerulf Rieger
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
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202
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Same-sex relationship experiences and expectations regarding partnership and parenthood. DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 2018. [DOI: 10.4054/demres.2018.39.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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203
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Bogaert AF, Ashton MC, Lee K. Personality and Sexual Orientation: Extension to Asexuality and the HEXACO Model. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018; 55:951-961. [PMID: 28276935 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1287844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has examined self-identified sexual orientation in relation to self-reports on the Big Five personality factors. Here we extend this research by including asexuality as a fourth sexual orientation and by assessing the HEXACO personality factors, using self-report data from a large anonymous online sample (N ≈ 100,000). A large overlap was observed among all sexual orientation groups on all six HEXACO dimensions, but notable group differences also emerged. All nonheterosexual groups, particularly bisexual people, averaged higher in openness to experience than did heterosexuals. Heterosexual men averaged much lower in emotionality than heterosexual women, but only a small difference was observed between gay men and lesbians on this dimension. Asexual men and women averaged lower in extraversion and in some facets of emotionality (specifically, dependence and sentimentality) than did the other sexual orientation groups of the same sex. Results are discussed in relation to the different social realities that each sexual orientation group often experiences, along with the (gender-related) developmental influences hypothesized to underlie in part the origins of sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kibeom Lee
- c Department of Psychology, University of Calgary
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204
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Ifrah K, Shenkman G, Shmotkin D. How does sexual orientation relate to openness to experience in adulthood. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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205
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McCormack M, Savin-Williams R. Young men's rationales for non-exclusive gay sexualities. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2018; 20:929-944. [PMID: 29171795 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2017.1398349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests it is useful to distinguish sexual identities among young men at the gay end of the spectrum because of group differences between primarily gay, mostly gay and gay orientations on several assessed physiological, behavioural and self-report measures. However, little is known about individuals' rationales for choosing sexuality labels beyond traditional gay or bisexual categories. We addressed this issue by interviewing 24 young men with a non-exclusive gay orientation about their sexual desires and histories, drawing on both qualitative and numeric data. Undertaking an inductive analysis, we found four distinct rationales for identification with a sexual orientation label: sexual, romantic, intellectual and internalised homophobia. By examining what young men mean when they classify themselves as primarily gay, mostly gay or bisexual-leaning gay, this article provides data to understand these issues and proposes that greater focus should be placed on sexual identity for non-exclusive gay men. Although the sexual and affectional components of sexual orientation are meaningful, previous research has not sufficiently accounted for the importance of intellectual, cultural and romantic factors in non-exclusive sexual orientations. To address these issues, the use of in-depth interviews should be incorporated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark McCormack
- a Department of Social Science , University of Roehampton , London , UK
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206
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Abé C, Rahman Q, Långström N, Rydén E, Ingvar M, Landén M. Cortical brain structure and sexual orientation in adult females with bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00998. [PMID: 29845776 PMCID: PMC6043709 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nonheterosexual individuals have higher risk of psychiatric morbidity. Together with growing evidence for sexual orientation-related brain differences, this raises the concern that sexual orientation may be an important factor to control for in neuroimaging studies of neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS We studied sexual orientation in adult psychiatric patients with bipolar disorder (BD) or ADHD in a large clinical cohort (N = 154). We compared cortical brain structure in exclusively heterosexual women (HEW, n = 29) with that of nonexclusively heterosexual women (nHEW, n = 37) using surface-based reconstruction techniques provided by FreeSurfer. RESULTS The prevalence of nonheterosexual sexual orientation was tentatively higher than reported in general population samples. Consistent with previously reported cross-sex shifted brain patterns among homosexual individuals, nHEW patients showed significantly larger cortical volumes than HEW in medial occipital brain regions. CONCLUSION We found evidence for a sex-reversed difference in cortical volume among nonheterosexual female patients, which provides insights into the neurobiology of sexual orientation, and may provide the first clues toward a better neurobiological understanding of the association between sexual orientation and mental health. We also suggest that sexual orientation is an important factor to consider in future neuroimaging studies of populations with certain mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Abé
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qazi Rahman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Niklas Långström
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eleonore Rydén
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingvar
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikael Landén
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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207
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Roselli CE. Neurobiology of gender identity and sexual orientation. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12562. [PMID: 29211317 PMCID: PMC6677266 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sexual identity and sexual orientation are independent components of a person's sexual identity. These dimensions are most often in harmony with each other and with an individual's genital sex, although not always. The present review discusses the relationship of sexual identity and sexual orientation to prenatal factors that act to shape the development of the brain and the expression of sexual behaviours in animals and humans. One major influence discussed relates to organisational effects that the early hormone environment exerts on both gender identity and sexual orientation. Evidence that gender identity and sexual orientation are masculinised by prenatal exposure to testosterone and feminised in it absence is drawn from basic research in animals, correlations of biometric indices of androgen exposure and studies of clinical conditions associated with disorders in sexual development. There are, however, important exceptions to this theory that have yet to be resolved. Family and twin studies indicate that genes play a role, although no specific candidate genes have been identified. Evidence that relates to the number of older brothers implicates maternal immune responses as a contributing factor for male sexual orientation. It remains speculative how these influences might relate to each other and interact with postnatal socialisation. Nonetheless, despite the many challenges to research in this area, existing empirical evidence makes it clear that there is a significant biological contribution to the development of an individual's sexual identity and sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Roselli
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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208
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Timmins L, Rimes KA, Rahman Q. Minority stressors, rumination, and psychological distress in monozygotic twins discordant for sexual minority status. Psychol Med 2018; 48:1705-1712. [PMID: 29108521 DOI: 10.1017/s003329171700321x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals report higher levels of depression and anxiety than heterosexual people. Genetic factors may be a 'common cause' of sexual minority status and psychological distress. Alternatively, these may be correlated because of non-genetic environmental factors (e.g. minority stressors). This study investigated minority stressors and distress in monozygotic twins discordant for sexual minority status. This design provides a test of the role of non-shared environmental factors while minimizing differences due to genetics. METHODS Thirty-eight twin pairs in which one was heterosexual and the other was LGB completed a survey. Differences between twin pairs in minority stressors, rumination, psychological distress, and gender non-conformity were examined. Associations between these variables were also tested. RESULTS Although there were no significant group differences for distress, LGB twins had higher rumination, a vulnerability factor for distress, than heterosexual co-twins. LGB twins also had higher scores than heterosexual co-twins on expectations of rejection, active concealment, self-stigma, prejudice events, childhood gender non-conformity, and lower scores on sexual orientation disclosure. Differences between twin pairs in rumination were positively associated with differences in acceptance concerns and self-stigma. Finally, self-stigma was positively associated with rumination in the full sample of heterosexual co-twins and microaggressions were positively associated with rumination when looking at exclusively heterosexual co-twins. CONCLUSIONS These results support environmental factors as a causal explanation for disparities in rumination between LGB and heterosexual individuals. These factors likely include minority stressors. Rumination may also be associated with minority stressors in heterosexual MZ co-twins of LGB individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Timmins
- Department of Psychology,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London,5th Floor, Bermondsey Wing,Guy's Hospital Campus,London SE1 9RT,UK
| | - Katharine A Rimes
- Department of Psychology,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London,5th Floor, Bermondsey Wing,Guy's Hospital Campus,London SE1 9RT,UK
| | - Qazi Rahman
- Department of Psychology,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London,5th Floor, Bermondsey Wing,Guy's Hospital Campus,London SE1 9RT,UK
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209
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Mao JM, Haupert ML, Smith ER. How Gender Identity and Transgender Status Affect Perceptions of Attractiveness. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/1948550618783716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Can a perceiver’s belief about a target’s transgender status (distinct from gender nonconforming appearance) affect perceptions of the target’s attractiveness? Cisgender, heterosexual men and women ( N = 319) received randomly assigned labels (cisgender cross-gender, transgender man, transgender woman, or nonbinary) paired with 48 cross-sex targets represented by photos and rated the attractiveness and related characteristics of those targets. The gender identity labels had a strong, pervasive effect on ratings of attraction. Nonbinary and especially transgender targets were perceived as less attractive than cisgender targets. The effect was particularly strong for male perceivers, and for women with traditional gender attitudes. Sexual and romantic attraction are not driven solely by sexed appearance; information about gender identity and transgender status also influences these assessments. These results have important implications for theoretical models of sexual orientation and for the dating lives of transgender people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Mao
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - M. L. Haupert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Eliot R. Smith
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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210
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West K. Understanding and Reducing Sexual Prejudice in Jamaica: Theoretical and Practical Insights From a Severely Anti-Gay Society. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2018; 55:472-485. [PMID: 29411998 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2017.1416055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Jamaica has earned an international reputation for severe sexual prejudice-perhaps disproportionately so compared to other severely anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) societies. Until recently, however, no quantitative empirical research had investigated Jamaica's sexual prejudice, leaving the prejudice poorly understood and methods of reducing it unclear. This article reviews empirical research on Jamaican anti-LGBT prejudice from the past 15 years. It situates Jamaica within the global context, explains the current understanding of the severity and nature of the problem, evaluates solutions currently being explored, and suggests promising strategies based on available evidence. Importantly, this article also reflects on lessons learned from Jamaica that are relevant for other severely anti-LGBT societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keon West
- a Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths , University of London
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211
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Gómez FR, Semenyna SW, Court L, Vasey PL. Familial patterning and prevalence of male androphilia among Istmo Zapotec men and muxes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192683. [PMID: 29466410 PMCID: PMC5821324 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to other adult males) is known to cluster within families. Some studies demonstrate that male androphilia clusters in both the paternal and maternal familial lines, whereas other studies demonstrated that it clusters only in the latter. Most of these studies were conducted in Euro-American populations where fertility is low and the sexual orientation of male relatives can sometimes be difficult to ascertain. These two factors can potentially confound the results of such studies. To address these limitations, we examined the familial patterning of male androphilia among the Istmo Zapotec of Oaxaca, Mexico--a high fertility, non-Euro-American population where androphilic males are known locally as muxes, a third gender category. The Istmo Zapotec recognize two types of muxes--muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu--who typify the transgender and cisgender forms of male androphilia, respectively. We compared the familial patterning of male androphilia between muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu, as well as between gynephilic men and muxes (both cisgender and transgender forms combined). Istmo Zapotec muxe gunaa and muxe nguiiu exhibit similar familial patterning of male androphilia. Overall, muxes were characterized by significantly more muxe relatives than gynephilic men. This familial patterning was equivalent in both the paternal and maternal lines of muxes. The population prevalence rate of male androphilia was estimated to fall between 3.37-6.02% in the Istmo Zapotec. This is the first study that has compared cisgender and transgender androphilic males from the same high fertility population and demonstrated that the two do not differ with respect to the familial patterning of male androphilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco R. Gómez
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Scott W. Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lucas Court
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paul L. Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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212
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Valdiserri RO, Holtgrave DR, Poteat TC, Beyrer C. Unraveling Health Disparities Among Sexual and Gender Minorities: A Commentary on the Persistent Impact of Stigma. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2018; 66:571-589. [PMID: 29297774 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2017.1422944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) populations experience disparities in health outcomes, both physical and mental, compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. This commentary confronts the view held by some researchers that the disparate rates of mental health problems reported among LGBT populations are the consequences of pursuing a particular life trajectory, rather than resulting from the corrosive and persistent impact of stigma. Suggesting that mental health disparities among LGBT populations arise internally, de novo, when individuals express non-heterosexual and non-conforming gender identities ignores the vast body of evidence documenting the destructive impact of socially mediated stigma and systemic discrimination on health outcomes for a number of minorities, including sexual and gender minorities. Furthermore, such thinking is antithetical to widely accepted standards of health and wellbeing because it implies that LGBT persons should adopt and live out identities that contradict or deny their innermost feelings of self.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald O Valdiserri
- a Department of Health, Behavior, and Society , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - David R Holtgrave
- a Department of Health, Behavior, and Society , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Tonia C Poteat
- b Department of Epidemiology , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
| | - Chris Beyrer
- b Department of Epidemiology , Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , Maryland , USA
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213
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Safron A, Klimaj V, Sylva D, Rosenthal AM, Li M, Walter M, Bailey JM. Neural Correlates of Sexual Orientation in Heterosexual, Bisexual, and Homosexual Women. Sci Rep 2018; 8:673. [PMID: 29330483 PMCID: PMC5766543 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18372-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We used fMRI to investigate neural correlates of responses to erotic pictures and videos in heterosexual (N = 26), bisexual (N = 26), and homosexual (N = 24) women, ages 25–50. We focused on the ventral striatum, an area of the brain associated with desire, extending previous findings from the sexual psychophysiology literature in which homosexual women had greater category specificity (relative to heterosexual and bisexual women) in their responses to male and female erotic stimuli. We found that homosexual women’s subjective and neural responses reflected greater bias towards female stimuli, compared with bisexual and heterosexual women, whose responses did not significantly differ. These patterns were also suggested by whole brain analyses, with homosexual women showing category-specific activations of greater extents in visual and auditory processing areas. Bisexual women tended to show more mixed patterns, with activations more responsive to female stimuli in sensory processing areas, and activations more responsive to male stimuli in areas associated with social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Safron
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
| | - Victoria Klimaj
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - David Sylva
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA
| | - A M Rosenthal
- Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Eberhard Karls University, Tubingen, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Eberhard Karls University, Tubingen, Germany
| | - J Michael Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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214
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Vásquez-Amézquita M, Leongómez JD, Seto MC, Bonilla FM, Rodríguez-Padilla A, Salvador A. No relation between digit ratio (2D:4D) and visual attention patterns to sexually preferred and non-preferred stimuli. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2017.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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215
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Early life conditions, reproductive and sexuality-related life history outcomes among human males: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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216
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James WH, Grech V. Homosexual Sons and the Fraternal Birth Order Effect: The Role of Elevated Maternal Intrauterine Testosterone. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:33-36. [PMID: 29159753 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1113-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William H James
- Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6HH, UK.
| | - Victor Grech
- Paediatric Department, University of Malta Medical School, Msida, Malta
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217
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Blanchard R. Response to Commentaries: Meta-Analysis of Probability Samples and Other New Evidence. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:49-57. [PMID: 29256150 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1134-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ray Blanchard
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
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218
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Sanders AR, Beecham GW, Guo S, Dawood K, Rieger G, Badner JA, Gershon ES, Krishnappa RS, Kolundzija AB, Duan J, Gejman PV, Bailey JM, Martin ER. Genome-Wide Association Study of Male Sexual Orientation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16950. [PMID: 29217827 PMCID: PMC5721098 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15736-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Family and twin studies suggest that genes play a role in male sexual orientation. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of male sexual orientation on a primarily European ancestry sample of 1,077 homosexual men and 1,231 heterosexual men using Affymetrix single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. We identified several SNPs with p < 10-5, including regions of multiple supporting SNPs on chromosomes 13 (minimum p = 7.5 × 10-7) and 14 (p = 4.7 × 10-7). The genes nearest to these peaks have functions plausibly relevant to the development of sexual orientation. On chromosome 13, SLITRK6 is a neurodevelopmental gene mostly expressed in the diencephalon, which contains a region previously reported as differing in size in men by sexual orientation. On chromosome 14, TSHR genetic variants in intron 1 could conceivably help explain past findings relating familial atypical thyroid function and male homosexuality. Furthermore, skewed X chromosome inactivation has been found in the thyroid condition, Graves' disease, as well as in mothers of homosexual men. On pericentromeric chromosome 8 within our previously reported linkage peak, we found support (p = 4.1 × 10-3) for a SNP association previously reported (rs77013977, p = 7.1 × 10-8), with the combined analysis yielding p = 6.7 × 10-9, i.e., a genome-wide significant association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan R Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, United States of America.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America.
| | - Gary W Beecham
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33136, United States of America
| | - Shengru Guo
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33136, United States of America
| | - Khytam Dawood
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, United States of America
| | - Gerulf Rieger
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, England, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom
| | - Judith A Badner
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States of America
| | - Elliot S Gershon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America
| | - Ritesha S Krishnappa
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Elmhurst, New York, 11373, United States of America
| | - Alana B Kolundzija
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, United States of America
| | - Jubao Duan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America
| | - Pablo V Gejman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, NorthShore University HealthSystem Research Institute, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America
| | - J Michael Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 60208, United States of America
| | - Eden R Martin
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33136, United States of America
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219
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Xu Y, Norton S, Rahman Q. Sexual orientation and neurocognitive ability: A meta-analysis in men and women. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:691-696. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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220
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Apostolou M. Are Women Sexually Fluid? The Nature of Female Same-Sex Attraction and Its Evolutionary Origins. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-017-0128-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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221
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Bramble MS, Lipson A, Vashist N, Vilain E. Effects of chromosomal sex and hormonal influences on shaping sex differences in brain and behavior: Lessons from cases of disorders of sex development. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:65-74. [PMID: 27841933 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in brain development and postnatal behavior are determined largely by genetic sex and in utero gonadal hormone secretions. In humans however, determining the weight that each of these factors contributes remains a challenge because social influences should also be considered. Cases of disorders of sex development (DSD) provide unique insight into how mutations in genes responsible for gonadal formation can perturb the subsequent developmental hormonal milieu and elicit changes in normal human brain maturation. Specific forms of DSDs such as complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), and 5α-reductase deficiency syndrome have variable effects between males and females, and the developmental outcomes of such conditions are largely dependent on sex chromosome composition. Medical and psychological works focused on CAH, CAIS, and 5α-reductase deficiency have helped form the foundation for understanding the roles of genetic and hormonal factors necessary for guiding human brain development. Here we highlight how the three aforementioned DSDs contribute to brain and behavioral phenotypes that can uniquely affect 46,XY and 46,XX individuals in dramatically different fashions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Bramble
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Allen Lipson
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Neerja Vashist
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Eric Vilain
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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222
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Jones A, Robinson E, Oginni O, Rahman Q, Rimes KA. Anxiety disorders, gender nonconformity, bullying and self-esteem in sexual minority adolescents: prospective birth cohort study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2017; 58:1201-1209. [PMID: 28569044 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexual minority adolescents (i.e. youth not exclusively heterosexual) report more anxiety than heterosexual youth on symptom questionnaires but no research has used standardised diagnostic tools to investigate anxiety disorder risk. This study uses a UK birth cohort to investigate the risk of anxiety disorders in sexual minority and heterosexual youth using a computerised structured clinical interview and explores the influence of gender nonconformity, bullying and self-esteem. METHODS Participants were 4,564 adolescents (2,567 girls and 1,996 boys) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between sexual orientation at 15.5 years and the presence of an anxiety disorder at 17.5 years. Covariates including maternal occupation, ethnicity, mother-reported childhood gender nonconformity at 30, 42 and 57 months, child-reported gender nonconformity at 8 years, child-reported bullying between 12 and 16 years and self-esteem at 17.5 years were added sequentially to regression models. RESULTS Sexual minority adolescents (i.e. those not exclusively heterosexual) had higher early childhood gender nonconformity (CGN), lower self-esteem and reported more bullying than adolescents identifying as 100% heterosexual. Minority sexual orientation at 15.5 years was associated with increased risk of an anxiety disorder at 17.5 years for girls (OR 2.55, CI 1.85-3.52) and boys (OR 2.48, CI 1.40-4.39). Adjusting for ethnicity, maternal occupation, mother-reported and child-reported CGN had minimal impact on this association. Adjusting for bullying between 12 and 16 years and self-esteem at 17.5 years reduced the strength of the associations, although the overall association remained significant for both sexes (girls OR 2.14 and boys OR 1.93). CONCLUSIONS Sexual minority youth are at increased risk of anxiety disorders relative to heterosexual youth at 17.5 years. Bullying between 12-16 years and lower self-esteem may contribute to this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbeygail Jones
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emily Robinson
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Olakunle Oginni
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Qazi Rahman
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Katharine A Rimes
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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223
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Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran MB, Barradas-Moctezuma M, Herrera-Covarrubias D, Carrillo P, Corona-Morales AA, Perez CA, García LI, Manzo J, Coria-Avila GA. Olfactory conditioned same-sex partner preference in female rats: Role of ovarian hormones. Horm Behav 2017; 96:13-20. [PMID: 28867385 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The dopamine D2-type receptor agonist quinpirole (QNP) facilitates the development of conditioned same-sex partner preference in males during cohabitation, but not in ovariectomized (OVX) females, primed with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P). Herein we tested the effects of QNP on OVX, EB-only primed females. Females received a systemic injection (every four days) of either saline (Saline-conditioned) or QNP (QNP-conditioned) and then cohabited for 24h with lemon-scented stimulus females (CS+), during three trials. In test 1 (female-female) preference was QNP-free, and females chose between the CS+ female and a novel female. In test 2 (male-female) they chose between the CS+ female and a sexually experienced male. In test 1 Saline-conditioned females displayed more hops & darts towards the novel female, but QNP-conditioned females displayed more sexual solicitations towards the CS+ female. In test 2 Saline-conditioned females displayed a clear preference for the male, whereas QNP-conditioned females displayed what we considered a bisexual preference. We discuss the effect of dopamine and ovarian hormones on the development of olfactory conditioned same-sex preference in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - P Carrillo
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | | | - C A Perez
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | - L I García
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
| | - J Manzo
- Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
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224
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Hoffmann H. Situating Human Sexual Conditioning. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:2213-2229. [PMID: 28698969 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1030-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 04/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Conditioning is often thought of as a basic, automatic learning process that has limited applicability to higher-level human behavior. In addition, conditioning is seen as separable from, and even secondary to, "innate" processes. These ideas involve some misconceptions. The aim of this article is to provide a clearer, more refined sense of human sexual conditioning. After providing some background information and reviewing what is known from laboratory conditioning studies, human sexual conditioning is compared to sexual conditioning in nonhumans, to "innate" sexual responding, and to other types of human learning processes. Recommendations for moving forward in human sexual conditioning research are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Hoffmann
- Department of Psychology, Knox College, Galesburg, IL, 61401, USA.
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225
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Twin Research and the Arts: Interconnections / Twin Research: Twin Studies of Sexual Orientation; A Historical Biological Twin Gem; GWAS Approach to Who Has Twins / Newsworthy: Twins on College Campuses; 'Brainprint': Personal Identification by Brain Waves. Twin Res Hum Genet 2017; 19:397-401. [PMID: 27436054 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2016.51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The interrelatedness between twin research and the arts is explored via a new play about a famous case. In the 1960s, identical twin David Bruce Reimer was accidentally castrated as an infant during circumcision to correct a urinary problem. The decision to raise him as a girl, and the consequences of that decision, are explored in the new theatrical production of Boy. Other examples of the arts mirroring science, and vice versa, are described. Next, brief reviews and summaries of twin research on sexual orientation, 1860s' knowledge of placental arrangements and twinning mechanisms, and genes underlying multiple birth conception and fertility related measures are provided. This article concludes with a look at twins on college campuses and the identification of individuals by their brain waves. A correction and clarification regarding my article on the Brazilian Twin Registry in the last issue of THG (Segal, 2016) is also provided.
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Moreno A, Laoch A, Zasler ND. Changing the culture of neurodisability through language and sensitivity of providers: Creating a safe place for LGBTQIA+ people. NeuroRehabilitation 2017; 41:375-393. [DOI: 10.3233/nre-172187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Moreno
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), Canada
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal, Canada
| | - Ari Laoch
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Nathan D. Zasler
- Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, Ltd. and Tree of Life Services, Inc., Henrico, VA, USA
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227
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Balthazart J, Court L. Human Sexual Orientation: The Importance of Evidentiary Convergence. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1595-1600. [PMID: 28500563 PMCID: PMC5532062 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-0997-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Balthazart
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, 15 Avenue Hippocrate, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Lucas Court
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, 15 Avenue Hippocrate, 4000, Liège, Belgium
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229
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Breedlove SM. Prenatal Influences on Human Sexual Orientation: Expectations versus Data. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1583-1592. [PMID: 28176027 PMCID: PMC5786378 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0904-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In non-human vertebrate species, sexual differentiation of the brain is primarily driven by androgens such as testosterone organizing the brains of males in a masculine fashion early in life, while the lower levels of androgen in developing females organize their brains in a feminine fashion. These principles may be relevant to the development of sexual orientation in humans, because retrospective markers of prenatal androgen exposure, namely digit ratios and otoacoustic emissions, indicate that lesbians, on average, were exposed to greater prenatal androgen than were straight women. Thus, the even greater levels of prenatal androgen exposure experienced by fetal males may explain why the vast majority of them grow up to be attracted to women. However, the same markers indicate no significant differences between gay and straight men in terms of average prenatal androgen exposure, so the variance in orientation in men cannot be accounted for by variance in prenatal androgen exposure, but may be due to variance in response to prenatal androgens. These data contradict several popular notions about human sexual orientation. Sexual orientation in women is said to be fluid, sometimes implying that only social influences in adulthood are at work, yet the data indicate prenatal influences matter as well. Gay men are widely perceived as under-masculinized, yet the data indicate they are exposed to as much prenatal androgen as straight men. There is growing sentiment to reject "binary" conceptions of human sexual orientations, to emphasize instead a spectrum of orientations. Yet the data indicate that human sexual orientation is sufficiently polarized that groups of lesbians, on average, show evidence of greater prenatal androgen exposure than groups of straight women, while groups of gay men have, on average, a greater proportion of brothers among their older siblings than do straight men.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program and Departments of Psychology, Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, Giltner Hall Room 108, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1110, USA.
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230
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Rahman Q, Sharp J, McVeigh M, Ho ML. Sexual Orientation-Related Differences in Virtual Spatial Navigation and Spatial Search Strategies. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1279-1294. [PMID: 28401317 PMCID: PMC5487905 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-0986-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Spatial abilities are generally hypothesized to differ between men and women, and people with different sexual orientations. According to the cross-sex shift hypothesis, gay men are hypothesized to perform in the direction of heterosexual women and lesbian women in the direction of heterosexual men on cognitive tests. This study investigated sexual orientation differences in spatial navigation and strategy during a virtual Morris water maze task (VMWM). Forty-four heterosexual men, 43 heterosexual women, 39 gay men, and 34 lesbian/bisexual women (aged 18-54 years) navigated a desktop VMWM and completed measures of intelligence, handedness, and childhood gender nonconformity (CGN). We quantified spatial learning (hidden platform trials), probe trial performance, and cued navigation (visible platform trials). Spatial strategies during hidden and probe trials were classified into visual scanning, landmark use, thigmotaxis/circling, and enfilading. In general, heterosexual men scored better than women and gay men on some spatial learning and probe trial measures and used more visual scan strategies. However, some differences disappeared after controlling for age and estimated IQ (e.g., in visual scanning heterosexual men differed from women but not gay men). Heterosexual women did not differ from lesbian/bisexual women. For both sexes, visual scanning predicted probe trial performance. More feminine CGN scores were associated with lower performance among men and greater performance among women on specific spatial learning or probe trial measures. These results provide mixed evidence for the cross-sex shift hypothesis of sexual orientation-related differences in spatial cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qazi Rahman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| | - Jonathan Sharp
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Meadhbh McVeigh
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Man-Ling Ho
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Guy's Hospital Campus, London, SE1 9RT, UK
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231
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Chivers ML. The Specificity of Women's Sexual Response and Its Relationship with Sexual Orientations: A Review and Ten Hypotheses. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:1161-1179. [PMID: 28074394 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0897-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Category-specific sexual response describes a pattern wherein the individual shows significantly greater responses to preferred versus nonpreferred categories of sexual stimuli; this pattern is described as gender specific for sexual orientation to gender, or gender nonspecific if lacking response differentiation by gender cues. Research on the gender specificity of women's sexual response has consistently produced sexual orientation effects, such that androphilic women (sexually attracted to adult males) typically show gender-nonspecific patterns of genital response and gynephilic women (sexually attracted to adult females) show more gender-specific responses. As research on the category specificity of sexual response has grown, this pattern has also been observed for other measures of sexual response. In this review, I use the Incentive Motivation and Information Processing Models as complementary frameworks to organize the empirical literature examining the gender specificity of women's sexual response at each stage of sexual stimulus processing and response. Collectively, these data disconfirm models of sexual orientation that equate androphilic women's sexual attractions with their sexual responses to sexual stimuli. I then discuss 10 hypotheses that might explain variability in the specificity of sexual response among androphilic and gynephilic women, and conclude with recommendations for future research on the (non)specificity of sexual response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith L Chivers
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
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232
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Semenyna SW, Belu CF, Vasey PL, Lynne Honey P. Not Straight and Not Straightforward: the Relationships Between Sexual Orientation, Sociosexuality, and Dark Triad Traits in Women. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-017-0111-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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233
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Sexual Orientation Change Efforts, Conservative Christianity and Resistance to Sexual Justice. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci6020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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234
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Need for Alloparental Care and Attitudes Toward Homosexuals in 58 Countries: Implications for the Kin Selection Hypothesis. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-017-0105-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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235
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Schiffer B, Amelung T, Pohl A, Kaergel C, Tenbergen G, Gerwinn H, Mohnke S, Massau C, Matthias W, Weiß S, Marr V, Beier KM, Walter M, Ponseti J, Krüger THC, Schiltz K, Walter H. Gray matter anomalies in pedophiles with and without a history of child sexual offending. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1129. [PMID: 28509903 PMCID: PMC5534964 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder that is inter-related with but distinct from child sexual offending (CSO). Neural alterations reportedly contribute to both pedophilia and CSO, but until now, no study has distinguished the brain structural anomalies associated with pedophilia from those specifically associated with CSO in pedophilic men. Using high-resolution T1-weighted brain images and voxel-based morphometry, we analyzed the gray matter (GM) volume of the following 219 men recruited at four acquisition sites in Germany: 58 pedophiles with a history of CSO, 60 pedophiles without any history of CSO and 101 non-pedophilic, non-offending controls to control for the effects of age, education level, verbal IQ, sexual orientation and the acquisition site. Although there were no differences in the relative GM volume of the brain specifically associated with pedophilia, statistical parametric maps revealed a highly significant and CSO-related pattern of above vs below the 'normal' GM volume in the right temporal pole, with non-offending pedophiles exhibiting larger volumes than offending pedophiles. Moreover, regression analysis revealed that the lower GM volume of the dorsomedial prefrontal or anterior cingulate cortex was associated with a higher risk of re-offending in pedophilic child molesters. We believe our data provide the first evidence that CSO in pedophilia rather than pedophilia alone is associated with GM anomalies and thus shed new light on the results of previous studies on this topic. These results indicate the need for new neurobehavioral theories on pedophilia and CSO and may be potentially useful for treatment or prevention approaches that aim to reduce the risk of (re)offending in pedophilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Schiffer
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - T Amelung
- Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - A Pohl
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - C Kaergel
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - G Tenbergen
- Hannover Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Hannover, Germany
| | - H Gerwinn
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - S Mohnke
- Division of Mind and Brain Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - C Massau
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL-University Hospital, Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - W Matthias
- Hannover Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Hannover, Germany
| | - S Weiß
- Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Duisburg, Germany
| | - V Marr
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department for Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - K M Beier
- Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Walter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Clinical Affective Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department for Behavioral Neurology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - J Ponseti
- Institute of Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - T H C Krüger
- Hannover Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Hannover, Germany
| | - K Schiltz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - H Walter
- Division of Mind and Brain Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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236
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Motta-Mena NV, Puts DA. Endocrinology of human female sexuality, mating, and reproductive behavior. Horm Behav 2017; 91:19-35. [PMID: 27866819 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Hormones orchestrate and coordinate human female sexual development, sexuality, and reproduction in relation to three types of phenotypic changes: life history transitions such as puberty and childbirth, responses to contextual factors such as caloric intake and stress, and cyclical patterns such as the ovulatory cycle. Here, we review the endocrinology underlying women's reproductive phenotypes, including sexual orientation and gender identity, mate preferences, competition for mates, sex drive, and maternal behavior. We highlight distinctive aspects of women's sexuality such as the possession of sexual ornaments, relatively cryptic fertile windows, extended sexual behavior across the ovulatory cycle, and a period of midlife reproductive senescence-and we focus on how hormonal mechanisms were shaped by selection to produce adaptive outcomes. We conclude with suggestions for future research to elucidate how hormonal mechanisms subserve women's reproductive phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie V Motta-Mena
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - David A Puts
- Department of Anthropology, Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Human Evolution and Diversity, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802¸ United States.
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237
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Semenyna SW, VanderLaan DP, Vasey PL. Birth order and recalled childhood gender nonconformity in Samoan men and fa'afafine. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:338-347. [PMID: 28261795 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Having a greater than average number of older biological brothers is a robust correlate of male androphilia (i.e., sexual attraction and arousal to adult males). Previous investigations have sought to understand whether this fraternal birth order (FBO) effect is also systematically related to recalled indicators of childhood gender nonconformity (CGN). However, these investigations have relied on data from low-fertility Western populations in which expressions of femininity in male children are routinely stigmatized and consequently, suppressed. The present study examined the FBO effect (among other sibship characteristics) and recalled indicators of CGN in Samoa, a high-fertility population, whose members are relatively tolerant of male femininity. Indeed, Samoans identify feminine androphilic males as belonging to an alternative gender category, known locally as fa'afafine. The present study compared the sibship characteristics of 231 fa'afafine and 231 opposite-sex attracted men from Samoa, as well as how these characteristics related to recalled CGN. Results replicated the well-established FBO effect for predicting male sexual orientation, with each older brother increasing the odds of being androphilic by 21%. However, no relationship was found between the number of older brothers (or other siblings) a participant had and their recalled CGN. Although fa'afafine reported significantly more CGN than Samoan men, CGN did not mediate the FBO effect, nor did the FBO effect and CGN interact to predict male sexual orientation. These findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that the FBO effect is associated with male sexual orientation, but not childhood female-typical gender expression among androphilic males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Underserved Populations Research Program, Child, Youth, and Family Division, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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238
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Bailey JM, Hsu KJ. Orienting Basic Research on Chronophilias. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:23-26. [PMID: 27815643 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0885-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J Michael Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | - Kevin J Hsu
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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239
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Savin-Williams RC, Cash BM, McCormack M, Rieger G. Gay, Mostly Gay, or Bisexual Leaning Gay? An Exploratory Study Distinguishing Gay Sexual Orientations Among Young Men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:265-272. [PMID: 27752856 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0848-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This exploratory study assessed physiological, behavioral, and self-report measures of sexual and romantic indicators of sexual orientation identities among young men (mean age = 21.9 years) with predominant same-sex sexual and romantic interests: those who described themselves as bisexual leaning gay (n = 11), mostly gay (n = 17), and gay (n = 47). Although they were not significantly distinguishable based on physiological (pupil dilation) responses to nude stimuli, on behavioral and self-report measures a descending linear trend toward the less preferred sex (female) was significant regarding sexual attraction, fantasy, genital contact, infatuation, romantic relationship, sex appeal, and gazing time to the porn stimuli. Results supported a continuum of sexuality with distinct subgroups only for the self-report measure of sexual attraction. The other behavioral and self-report measures followed the same trend but did not significantly differ between the bisexual leaning gay and mostly gay groups, likely the result of small sample size. Results suggest that romantic indicators are as good as sexual measures in assessing sexual orientation and that a succession of logically following groups from bisexual leaning gay, mostly gay, to gay. Whether these three groups are discrete or overlapping needs further research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian M Cash
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-4401, USA
| | | | - Gerulf Rieger
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
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240
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Gómez FR, Semenyna SW, Court L, Vasey PL. Recalled Separation Anxiety in Childhood in Istmo Zapotec Men, Women, and Muxes. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:109-117. [PMID: 28050743 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0917-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The Istmo Zapotec are a pre-Columbian cultural group indigenous to the Istmo region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Istmo Zapotec recognize three genders: men, women, and muxes. Like Istmo Zapotec men, muxes are biological males. However, unlike Istmo Zapotec men, most muxes are exclusively androphilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult males), relatively feminine, and routinely adopt the receptive role during anal intercourse. Furthermore, the Istmo Zapotec recognize two types of muxes: muxe gunaa, who resemble the transgender androphilic males that are common in many non-Western cultures, and muxe nguiiu, who resemble the cisgender androphilic males ("gay" men) common in Western cultures. Retrospective research conducted in Canada and Samoa demonstrates that cisgender and transgender androphilic males recall elevated indicators of childhood separation anxiety (i.e., feelings of distress related to separation from major attachment figures) when compared to males who are gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult females). The present study compared recalled indicators of childhood separation anxiety among Istmo Zapotec men, women, muxe gunaa, and muxe nguiiu (N = 454). Men recalled significantly lower levels of childhood separation anxiety compared to all other groups (all p < .042). No additional group differences were found. Our results are consistent with previous research conducted in Canada and Samoa, suggesting that elevated childhood separation anxiety is a developmental correlate of male androphilia that is cross-culturally universal. This research is also consistent with the conclusion that cisgender and transgender male androphiles share a common biological and developmental foundation despite being different in appearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco R Gómez
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Scott W Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Lucas Court
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
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241
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Imhoff R, Banse R, Schmidt AF. Toward a Theoretical Understanding of Sexual Orientation and Sexual Motivation. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2017; 46:29-33. [PMID: 27787637 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0881-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Roland Imhoff
- Social and Legal Psychology, Department of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Binger Str. 14-16, 55122, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Rainer Banse
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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242
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Apostolou M. Is Homosexuality more Prevalent in Agropastoral than in Hunting and Gathering Societies? Evidence from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-016-0056-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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243
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Pollock SL, Meek GS. What about Our Lesbian/Gay Students? Results of a Survey Exploring the Experiences of Counseling Students Who Are Lesbian and Gay. JOURNAL OF LGBT ISSUES IN COUNSELING 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/15538605.2016.1233841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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244
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Apostolou M. The evolution of same-sex attractions: Parental and intimate partners' reactions to deviations from exclusive heterosexual orientation. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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