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Purposes
- Learn to apply critical thinking skills to a controversy
in psychology.
- Gain an in-depth understanding of an area of psychological
science.
- Gain insight into the process and complexities of conducting
and interpreting psychological research.
- Consider the social and political implications of research
and theories about the origins of sexual orientation.
Major theories
about the origins of sexual orientation
Information
and research relevant to these theories
Examining common assumptions
about homosexuality:
Are children likely to be molested by homosexuals?
No. The vast majority of child
molesters, even men who molest boys, are men in heterosexual relationships.
Are homosexuals less well-adjusted psychologically
than heterosexuals?
No. Countless studies have shown
no significant differences based on sexual orientation in adults' psychological
well-being.
Do homophobic men have unconscious homosexual urges?
Possibly, according to one study
in which arousal was directly measured.
Is being a lesbian simply the opposite of being a gay
man?
No. Female sexual orientation is more
fluid than male sexual orientation. Bisexuality and “changes”
in sexual orientation are currently more common among females than among
males.
Is homosexuality essentially having characteristics
of the opposite sex? That is, are homosexual men like women? Are homosexual
women like men?
No. Research shows that gay
men do not have more feminine, or less masculine, personalities than do
other men. Lesbians do not have more masculine, or less feminine, personalities
than do other women.
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