What is the role of heredity in sexual orientation?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: Heredity makes an important contribution to sexual orientation: Identical twins of both sexes are more likely than fraternal twins to share a homosexual orientation; so are biological (as opposed to adoptive) relatives. Furthermore, male homosexuality tends to be more common on the maternal than on the paternal side of families, suggesting that it may be X-linked. Indeed, one gene-mapping study found that among 40 pairs of gay brothers, 33 (82 percent) had an identical segment of DNA on the X chromosome. One or several genes in that region might predispose males to develop same-sex attraction. How might heredity influence sexual orientation? According to some researchers, certain genes affect the level or impact of prenatal sex hormones, which modify brain structures in ways that induce homosexual feelings and behavior. Keep in mind, however, that environmental factors can also alter prenatal hormones. Girls exposed prenatally to very high levels of androgens or estrogens—either because of a genetic defect or from drugs given to the mother to prevent miscarriage—are more likely to develop lesbian or bisexual orientations. Furthermore, gay men tend to be later in birth order and to have a higher-than-average number of older brothers. Perhaps mothers with several male children sometimes produce antibodies to androgens, reducing the prenatal impact of male sex hormones on the brains of later-born boys. The evidence to date indicates that genetic and prenatal biological influences contribute substantially to homosexuality. The origins of bisexuality are not yet known.

Psychology

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How did Latané, Williams, and Harkins, in their classic study of social loafing, distinguish between productivity loss caused by loafing, and loss caused by coordination problems?

  a.  They studied highly motivated people in one condition, and unmotivated people in another.   b.  They led some people to believe they were working in groups when they were alone.   c.  They had some people work at collective tasks, whereas others worked on a coaction task.   d.  They trained some groups to eliminate coordination problems, but did not train others.   e.  They set clear, difficult but attainable goals for some groups, but other groups had no goals.

Psychology

Holden, an engineer, was at his workspace trying to figure out how to design the brake system for a new car

He found himself continually going through the process of acquiring information and then storing it, retrieving it, and using it in order to complete his job. Which of the following concepts best describes the entire process in which Holden was engaging? a) perception b) information downloading c) cognition d) imagery

Psychology

Seeing is to "vision" as hearing is to "__________."

a. olfaction b. gustation c. audition d. tactition

Psychology

Guard against the automatic assumption that what is not "normal" is wrong, sick, or evil and in need of treatment or correction

Indicate whether the statement is true or false.

Psychology