Examining the Fraternal Birth Order Effect and Sexual Orientation: Insights from an East European Population

The development of human sexual orientation remains a complex and multifaceted subject. It is often studied but its origins continue to elude us. In this preregistered study, our primary objective was to demonstrate the fraternal birth order effect (FBOE), which assumes a higher prevalence of older brothers in gay men than in their straight counterparts and which has also been recently recorded in lesbian women. Our second aim was to explore any potential impact of the FBOE on anal-erotic role orientation (AERO), both in gay and straight men. Our study sample included 693 gay men, 843 straight men, 265 lesbian women, and 331 straight women from Czechia and Slovakia. Employing a conventionally parameterized logistic regression model, we substantiated the FBOE among both gay men (OR = 1.35 for maternal older brothers) and lesbian women (OR = 1.71). These outcomes were confirmed by a more nuanced parameterization recently proposed by Blanchard (2022). Nonmaternal older brothers did not exhibit a significant influence on their younger brothers' sexual orientation. Contrary to some earlier reports, however, our data did not establish the FBOE as exclusive to gay men with the receptive AERO. Furthermore, our observations indicated a lower offspring count for mothers of gay men compared to mothers of straight men. Emphasizing the positive FBOE outcomes, we acknowledge the need for caution regarding the various options that can be used to estimate the familial influences on sexual orientation.

Association of Recalled Childhood Sex-Typed Behavior with Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Iranian Adult Males and Females

Same-sex sexual attraction in both males and females has been associated with childhood sex-atypical behavior. Gynephilic females recall behaving in a manner that is less female-typical and more male-typical compared to cisgender androphilic females, whereas androphilic males recall behaving in a manner that is less male-typical and more female-typical compared to cisgender gynephilic males. In addition, male and female ambiphilic individuals exhibit intermediate levels of childhood sex-atypicality. In this study, we examined recalled childhood sex-typed behavior among Iranian cisgender gynephilic males (n = 236), cisgender ambiphilic males (n = 51), cisgender androphilic males (n = 191), transgender androphilic males (n = 60), cisgender androphilic females (n = 243), cisgender ambiphilic females (n = 96), cisgender gynephilic females (n = 32), and transgender gynephilic females (n = 122). Both cisgender androphilic males and cisgender gynephilic females recalled elevated childhood sex-atypicality, scoring intermediate between cisgender gynephilic males and cisgender androphilic females. Male and female ambiphilic participants scored intermediate between their other- and same-sex attracted cisgender counterparts. Transgender androphilic males exhibited hyper-feminized childhood behavior, scoring even more female-typical than cisgender androphilic females. Transgender gynephilic females recalled behaving as male-typical as cisgender gynephilic males. Consistent with previous research, our findings from Iran - a non-Western, Middle Eastern culture - provide cross-cultural support for the universality of childhood sex-atypicality as a normative developmental precursor of monosexual or ambisexual same-sex attraction in both males and females who are cisgender and transgender.

Carving the Biodevelopment of Same-Sex Sexual Orientation at Its Joints

Sexual orientation is a core aspect of human experience and understanding its development is fundamental to psychology as a scientific discipline. Biological perspectives have played an important role in uncovering the processes that contribute to sexual orientation development. Research in this field has relied on a variety of populations, including community, clinical, and cross-cultural samples, and has commonly focused on female gynephilia (i.e., female sexual attraction to adult females) and male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to adult males). Genetic, hormonal, and immunological processes all appear to influence sexual orientation. Consistent with biological perspectives, there are sexual orientation differences in brain development and evidence indicates that similar biological influences apply across cultures. An outstanding question in the field is whether the hypothesized biological influences are all part of the same process or represent different developmental pathways leading to same-sex sexual orientation. Some studies indicate that same-sex sexually oriented people can be divided into subgroups who likely experienced different biological influences. Consideration of gender expression in addition to sexual orientation might help delineate such subgroups. Thus, future research on the possible existence of such subgroups could prove to be valuable for uncovering the biological development of sexual orientation. Recommendations for such future research are discussed.

The fraternal birth-order effect as a statistical artefact: convergent evidence from probability calculus, simulated data, and multiverse meta-analysis

The fraternal-birth order effect (FBOE) is a research claim which states that each older brother increases the odds of homosexual orientation in men via an immunoreactivity process known as the maternal immune hypothesis. Importantly, older sisters supposedly either do not affect these odds, or affect them to a lesser extent. Consequently, the fraternal birth-order effect predicts that the association between the number of older brothers and homosexual orientation in men is greater in magnitude than any association between the number of older sisters and homosexual orientation. This difference in magnitude represents the main theoretical estimand of the FBOE. In addition, no comparable effects should be observable among homosexual vs heterosexual women. Here, we triangulate the empirical foundations of the FBOE from three distinct, informative perspectives, complementing each other: first, drawing on basic probability calculus, we deduce mathematically that the body of statistical evidence used to make inferences about the main theoretical estimand of the FBOE rests on incorrect statistical reasoning. In particular, we show that throughout the literature researchers ascribe to the false assumptions that effects of family size should be adjusted for and that this could be achieved through the use of ratio variables. Second, using a data-simulation approach, we demonstrate that by using currently recommended statistical practices, researchers are bound to frequently draw incorrect conclusions. And third, we re-examine the empirical evidence of the fraternal birth-order effect in men and women by using a novel specification-curve and multiverse approach to meta-analysis (64 male and 17 female samples, N = 2,778,998). When analyzed correctly, the specific association between the number of older brothers and homosexual orientation is small, heterogenous in magnitude, and apparently not specific to men. In addition, existing research evidence seems to be exaggerated by small-study effects.

New Data on Birth Order in Homosexual Men and Women and a Reply to Vilsmeier et al. (2021a, 2021b)

The fraternal birth order effect (FBOE) is the repeated finding that older brothers increase the odds of homosexuality in later-born males. It has been our working assumption, based on the majority of previous studies, that a similar FBOE does not occur in females. In an elaborate quantitative review posted last year to a preprint server, Vilsmeier et al. (2021a) concluded that there is no valid evidence for an FBOE in men or women. Ablaza et al. (2022) subsequently published a study of population-level data from the Netherlands with conclusions completely opposite to those of Vilsmeier et al., namely, that there is robust evidence of an FBOE in both men and women. The present research was initially undertaken to refute the assertion of Vilsmeier et al. that there is no proof of an FBOE in men and to investigate how they obtained such a discrepant conclusion. We found evidence that the discrepancy may relate to Vilsmeier et al.'s use of the large and demonstrably unreliable sample published by Frisch and Hviid (2006). After the publication by Ablaza et al., we expanded our article to address their finding of an FBOE in women. We argue that our preferred explanation of the FBOE in men-that it reflects the progressive immunization of some mothers to Y-linked antigen by each succeeding male fetus and the concomitantly increasing effects of anti-male antibody on sexual differentiation in the brain in each succeeding male fetus-could plausibly be extended to female homosexuality.

Confounds, Causality, and Sexual Orientation: The Implications of a Population-Level Study of Sibling Characteristics and Same-Sex Attraction

Representative samples, and especially population samples, are coveted sources of high-quality data in psychological science. In their recent article, Ablaza et al. (2021) used a population sample of marriages and registered partnerships in the Netherlands to examine the relationships between sibling characteristics and sexual orientation. We discuss the implications of this work for understanding the fraternal and sororal birth order effects on male and female same-sex attraction, and how both relate to maternal reproduction. The causal assumptions of these findings are explored, as well as the necessity of population-level data, and whether the data presented by Ablaza et al. are truly representative of the Dutch population.

Are Sibship Characteristics Predictive of Same Sex Marriage? An Examination of Fraternal Birth Order and Female Fecundity Effects in Population-level Administrative Data from the Netherlands

Despite historical increases in the number of individuals engaging in same-sex relations and entering same-sex unions, the causes of sexual orientation remain an open question. Two biological processes that have received some degree of empirical validation are the fraternal birth-order effect (FBOE) and the female-fecundity effect (FFE). Respectively, these processes posit that having a greater number of older brothers and being part of larger sibships independently increase the odds of male homosexuality. Nevertheless, previous studies have relied on suboptimal data and methods, including underpowered and selected samples, and models that fail to fully disentangle the two processes. In addition, they have rarely analyzed samples of women. We address these limitations using high-quality, population-level linked register data from the Netherlands (n = 9,073,496). Applying a novel multivariable approach, we jointly examine the FBOE and FFE by comparing the sibship characteristics of men (n = 26,542) and women (n = 33,534) who entered a same-sex union against those who did not (n = 4,607,785 men and 4,405,635 women). Our analyses yield robust evidence of an FBOE on both male and female homosexuality, but no support for the FFE. Additionally, we find that individuals' birth order affects the probability of entering a same-sex union, regardless of the sex of older siblings.

Facial Attractiveness of the Sisters of Istmo Zapotec Men and Muxes: Implications for the Evolution of Male Androphilia

Research shows that the female relatives of androphilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult males) males have more children than the female relatives of gynephilic (i.e., sexually attracted to adult females) males. The mechanisms by which this occurs are unclear. The hypergyny hypothesis suggests that the female relatives of androphilic males have elevated attractiveness which allows them to obtain male partners with higher socioeconomic status, which in turn, provide them with more resources to produce and sustain multiple offspring. We tested whether the female kin of male androphiles are characterized by elevated attractiveness compared to the female kin of male gynephiles. The research was conducted among the Istmo Zapotec from Oaxaca, Mexico, where androphilic males are recognized as a third gender, muxes. We recruited 115 gynephilic men who rated the facial attractiveness of 27 women with at least one muxe sibling and 27 women with only gynephilic male siblings (i.e., control sisters). The results showed that gynephilic men found the faces of control sisters more attractive than the faces of muxe sisters. This finding is inconsistent with the hypergyny hypothesis and suggests that elevated facial attractiveness is not the mechanism by which the female relatives of androphilic males achieve elevated reproduction.

Testing Women's Trust in Other Women and Same-Sex Attracted Males in Three Cultures

Heterosexual women trust mating-relevant advice received from gay men more than that received from heterosexual women. This trust is predicated on women's perception that gay men lack ulterior sexual motives and romantically pursue other gay men. However, this trust may not hold in all cultures. For example, in both Samoa and the Istmo Zapotec of Southern Mexico, women take part in mate competition against feminine same-sex attracted males-referred to as fa'afafine and muxe, respectively-who regularly engage in sexual activity with masculine men. The present studies sought to replicate and extend research on women's trust in males who are same-sex attracted. Experiments were conducted in Canada, Samoa, and the Istmo Zapotec, with women randomly assigned to consider the likelihood of various mate-poaching behaviors performed by either a rival woman or a same-sex attracted male. In Canada, women were more trusting of cisgender gay men than other women. Similarly, Samoan women were more trusting of fa'afafine than other women. In the Istmo Zapotec, women were equally distrustful of women and feminine muxe gunaa, whereas more masculine muxe nguiiu were rated as more trustworthy than women and muxe gunaa. These results illustrate that women's trust in same-sex attracted males varies both between and within cultural contexts, perhaps impacted by the relative femininity of the male in question.

Meta-Analyses of Fraternal and Sororal Birth Order Effects in Homosexual Pedophiles, Hebephiles, and Teleiophiles

This study investigated the relations between numbers of older brothers, numbers of older sisters, and the odds of homosexuality in later-born males, including males who are most attracted sexually to prepubescent or early pubescent children (pedohebephiles) and males who are most attracted sexually to adults (teleiophiles). The authors meta-analyzed data from 24 samples of homosexual and heterosexual men, originally reported in 18 studies, and totaling 18,213 subjects. The results confirmed that older brothers increase the odds of same-sex preference in pedohebephiles as they do in teleiophiles. They also replicated the recent finding that older sisters have a similar but weaker statistical association with the odds of homosexuality. These findings have two theoretical implications. First, the findings for older brothers and older sisters indicate some commonality in the factors that influence sexual preference in teleiophiles and those that influence sexual preference in pedohebephiles. Second, the finding for older sisters confirms a prediction stemming from the hypothesis that male fetuses stimulate maternal antibodies that increase the odds of homosexuality in later-born males. Such immunization could result from miscarried as well as full-term fetuses, and number of older sisters should correlate with number of male fetuses miscarried before gestation of the subject.