Synonyms
Definition
The biological mechanisms that determine, at least in part, same sex versus opposite sex attraction.
Introduction
Homosexuality, the sexual attraction to members of the same sex (as opposed to heterosexuality) is commonly assumed be controlled by social interactions (constructivism), early learning (ethology/behaviorism), or blockade of sociosexual development (Freudism). Recent research in genetics or endocrinology has shown that genes and hormones, acting pre- or immediately postnatally, contribute to a large extent, if they do not completely determine, the sexual orientation of a subject.
Homosexuality can be viewed as a sex reversal of sexual preferences since homosexual males are sexually attracted by the sex that is normally the target of women’s attention and vice versa. Substantial evidence suggests that the mechanisms that control the development of sexually differentiated characteristics also participate to the determination of...
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References
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Balthazart, J. (2017). Genetic and Prenatal Components of Homosexuality. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3370-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3370-1
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