Date of Defense
5-1-2008
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Lester W. Wright Jr.
Second Advisor
Rebecca Klott
Abstract
Ideas concerning the origins of homosexuality have been wrought with politically and morally charged views. Despite the controversy, research on human differences including sexual orientation has a significant presence in the scientific literature and is useful for the factors in human development. Historically, there have been many polarizing ideas hypothesized on the subject. Theories ranged from Freud's idea of homosexuality as a psychological disorder to the findings of Hirschfeld who used brain biology as an explanation. Theories have also come from every realm of academia. The majority of the dominating views on homosexuality have fallen into one of two realms: psychosocial theories or biological. It is a classic nature vs. nurture debate. Simply put, is homosexuality a product of the environment and the social constructs surrounding the individual or is it inborn or prenatally determined?
Recommended Citation
Nguyen, Minh-Thu, "Brain Sex: Toward a Biological Understanding of Human Sexual Orientation" (2008). Honors Theses. 1337.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/1337
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Campus Only