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Burke FF, Hinks M, Salia S, Sparkes KM, Swift-Gallant A. Using Animal Models to Study the Interplay Between the Biodevelopmental Pathways Underlying Human Sexual Orientation. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:2979-2984. [PMID: 36477673 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02499-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Francine F Burke
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 230 Elizabeth Ave., St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Meagan Hinks
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 230 Elizabeth Ave., St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Stephanie Salia
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 230 Elizabeth Ave., St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Kerri M Sparkes
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 230 Elizabeth Ave., St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Ashlyn Swift-Gallant
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 230 Elizabeth Ave., St John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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2
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Balthazart J, Roselli CE. Hormonal, Genetic, Immunological: An Array of Mechanisms but How Do They Interact, If at All? ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:2963-2971. [PMID: 36376746 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02469-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles E Roselli
- Department of Chemical, Physiology & Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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VanderLaan DP, Skorska MN, Peragine DE, Coome LA. Carving the Biodevelopment of Same-Sex Sexual Orientation at Its Joints. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2023; 52:2939-2962. [PMID: 35960401 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02360-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Malvina N Skorska
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Diana E Peragine
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Coome
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
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Moskowitz DA, Alvarado Avila A, Kraus A, Birnholtz J, Macapagal K. Top, Bottom, and Versatile Orientations among Adolescent Sexual Minority Men. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:643-651. [PMID: 34309441 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.1954583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sexual role preference or self-label (i.e., top, versatile, or bottom) has been well studied in samples of sexual minority men (SMM) but lacks research among adolescent sexual minority men (ASMM). In response, data were collected from 302 ASMM (15-18 years old), measuring sexual self-label, relationship and sexual experience, sexually explicit media use, use of geosocial networking applications, penis size satisfaction, and gender atypicality. Results showed there was no significant difference in the distribution of sexual position self-identity in ASMM when compared with data from published, adult samples. A model that associated sexual socialization factors with adopting any self-label was significant, with greater number of partners, previous geosocial networking app use, and more relationship experience being positive predictors of having a label. Additionally, a model that tested the convergent validity between self-label and enacted sexual behaviors was significant. Both receptive and insertive sex enactments were highly correlated with corresponding labels. Lastly, gender atypicality and penis size satisfaction were significant predictors of sexual position self-identity. Data from our study supports sexual self-labeling occurring before adulthood, during adolescence for SMM. Furthermore, it shows that socialization factors (e.g., partner frequency, using apps) are important in the development of sexual position self-identity in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrés Alvarado Avila
- Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University
| | - Ashley Kraus
- Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
| | - Jeremy Birnholtz
- Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University
- Department of Communication Studies, Northwestern University
| | - Kathryn Macapagal
- Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
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Swift-Gallant A, Coome LA, Monks DA, VanderLaan DP. Recalled Childhood Separation Anxiety Differs by Anal Sex Role among Gay Men. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2022; 59:546-554. [PMID: 33821703 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.1903378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to adult males) is considered an evolutionary paradox because it is partially influenced by genes and associated with decreased reproduction. Traits associated with attachment to genetic relatives (i.e., kin) could prompt increased kin-directed altruism, thereby offsetting decreased reproduction by helping kin reproduce. These traits include childhood separation anxiety and adulthood neuroticism, which have been associated with feminine gender expression. In prior research, gay men with a receptive (Bottom or Versatile) anal sex role (ASR) reported greater childhood gender nonconformity (GNC) than those with an insertive (Top) ASR. We examined whether ASR groups also differed on recalled childhood separation anxiety and adulthood neuroticism. The Separation Anxiety Scale-Revised and Big-Five Personality Inventory - short form were completed by 350 gay and 146 heterosexual men. For neuroticism, ASR preference groups differed from heterosexual men but not from one another. Gay men who preferred a Bottom or Versatile ASR reported higher recalled childhood separation anxiety than Tops and heterosexual men. Recalled childhood GNC mediated ASR group differences with heterosexual men on childhood separation anxiety. These results indicate that subgroups of gay men delineated by ASR differ on an evolutionarily relevant developmental trait, childhood separation anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlyn Swift-Gallant
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland
| | | | - D Ashley Monks
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Department of Cells and Systems Biology, University of Toronto
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
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6
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Differences in digit ratios between gay men who prefer receptive versus insertive sex roles indicate a role for prenatal androgen. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8102. [PMID: 33854100 PMCID: PMC8046970 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87338-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Among non-human mammals, exposure to androgens during critical periods of development leads to gynephilia (attraction to females), whereas the absence or low levels of prenatal androgens leads to androphilia (attraction to males). However, in humans, retrospective markers of prenatal androgens have only been associated with gynephilia among women, but not with androphilia among men. Here, we asked whether an indirect indication of prenatal androgen exposure, 2D:4D, differs between subsets of gay men delineated by anal sex role (ASR). ASR was used as a proxy for subgroups because ASR groups tend to differ in other measures affected by brain sexual differentiation, such as gender conformity. First, we replicated the finding that gay men with a receptive ASR preference (bottoms) report greater gender nonconformity (GNC) compared to gay men with an insertive ASR preference (tops). We then found that Tops have a lower (male-typical) average right-hand digit ratio than Bottoms, and that among all gay men the right-hand 2D:4D correlated with GNC, indicating that a higher (female-typical) 2D:4D is associated with increased GNC. Differences were found between non-exclusive and exclusive same-sex attraction and GNC, and ASR group differences on digit ratios do not reach significance when all non-heterosexual men are included in the analyses, suggesting greater heterogeneity in the development of non-exclusive same-sex sexual orientations. Overall, results support a role for prenatal androgens, as approximated by digit ratios, in influencing the sexual orientation and GNC of a subset of gay men.
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Blanchard R, Beier KM, Gómez Jiménez FR, Grundmann D, Krupp J, Semenyna SW, Vasey PL. Meta-Analyses of Fraternal and Sororal Birth Order Effects in Homosexual Pedophiles, Hebephiles, and Teleiophiles. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:779-796. [PMID: 32895872 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01819-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Blanchard
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
| | - Klaus M Beier
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Dorit Grundmann
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jurian Krupp
- Department of Health and Human Sciences, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Scott W Semenyna
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - Paul L Vasey
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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Skorska MN, Coome LA, Saokhieo P, Kaewthip O, Chariyalertsak S, VanderLaan DP. Handedness and Birth Order Among Heterosexual Men, Gay Men, and Sao Praphet Song in Northern Thailand. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:2431-2448. [PMID: 32623540 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01774-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has examined handedness and birth order to inform sexual orientation and gender identity/role expression development; however, sexual orientation and gender identity/role expression have rarely been disentangled to provide a more nuanced perspective. In Thailand, we investigated sexual orientation and gender identity simultaneously via comparison of 282 heterosexual men, 201 gay men, and 178 sao praphet song-i.e., androphilic, markedly feminine males recognized as a "third" gender. Handedness was examined as: extremely left-handed, moderately left-handed, ambidextrous, moderately right-handed, or extremely right-handed. Birth order was examined as numbers of older and younger brothers and sisters, by using Berglin's, fraternal, and sororal indices, and by examining the older brother odds ratio and sibling sex ratio. Compared with heterosexual men, gay men and sao praphet song were more likely to be extremely right-handed. Sao praphet song were also more likely to be extremely left-handed than heterosexual and gay men. Heterosexual men and sao praphet song had later sororal birth order compared with the expected Thai population value, suggesting stopping rules influenced when probands' mothers ceased having children. These findings provide new insights and replicate previous findings in a non-Western sample. Regarding handedness, in males, mechanisms related to extreme right-handedness likely influence the development of androphilia, whereas mechanisms related to both extreme right- and extreme left-handedness likely explain the combination of androphilia and feminine gender identity/role expression. Regarding birth order, similar to the conclusions of some prior research, stopping rules pose a challenge for testing the fraternal birth order effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malvina N Skorska
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Lindsay A Coome
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Pongpun Saokhieo
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Oranitcha Kaewthip
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Suwat Chariyalertsak
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Faculty of Public Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Doug P VanderLaan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Child and Youth Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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9
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Gómez Jiménez FR, Semenyna SW, Vasey PL. The relationship between fraternal birth order and childhood sex‐atypical behavior among the Istmo Zapotec
muxes. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 62:792-803. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott W. Semenyna
- Department of Psychology University of Lethbridge Lethbridge Alberta Canada
| | - Paul L. Vasey
- Department of Psychology University of Lethbridge Lethbridge Alberta Canada
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Skorska MN, Bogaert AF. Fraternal Birth Order, Only-Child Status, and Sibling Sex Ratio Related to Sexual Orientation in the Add Health Data: A Re-analysis and Extended Findings. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:557-573. [PMID: 31802291 PMCID: PMC8241527 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01496-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The fraternal birth order (FBO) effect related to men's sexual orientation refers to the finding that the number of older brothers that a man has increases his chance of being androphilic. The FBO effect has generally been well replicated in diverse samples; one instance of non-replication was by Francis (2008) using Waves I and III of the Add Health data. We attempted to replicate the FBO effect in the Add Health data taking into account family size and other limitations of Francis' (2008) analyses. Also, we examined other sibling characteristics related to the FBO effect: sibling sex ratio and only-child status. We used two subsamples from Waves I (n = 20,745) and IV (n = 15,701) of the Add Health data, consisting of adolescents who were followed longitudinally from 1994 to 1995 until 2008. Wave I data were used to compute numbers of younger and older brothers and sisters from household roster information. Wave IV information about sexual orientation identity was used. Analyses were conducted within men and within women. We found modest support for the FBO effect in men, but not in women, using the older brother odds ratio, logistic regression analyses, and sibling sex ratio, which provided the strongest support for FBO. We found that gynephilic/biphilic women, but not androphilic/biphilic men, were more likely to be only-children compared to androphilic women and gynephilic men, respectively. We discuss limitations of the Add Health data and purported mechanisms for the FBO effect in men and the only-child effect in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malvina N Skorska
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road North, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
| | - Anthony F Bogaert
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
- Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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Apostolou M. Does Fraternal Birth Order Predict Male Homosexuality, Bisexuality, and Heterosexual Orientation with Same-Sex Attraction? Evidence from a Greek-Speaking Sample from Greece. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:575-579. [PMID: 31119421 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01466-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Studies have established that having older brothers is associated with an increased incidence of male homosexuality. This so-called fraternal birth order effect has been found in different times and cultural settings. The current study attempted to examine whether this effect was present in the Greek cultural context and whether it could also predict bisexuality or heterosexuality with occasional same-sex attractions. On the basis of an online sample of 1617 Greek-speaking participants, it was found that, for men, a higher number of older brothers were associated with an increased probability to be homosexual, but it had no effect on the probability to be bisexual or heterosexual with same-sex attractions. In women, the number of older brothers had not any effect on sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menelaos Apostolou
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Nicosia, 46 Makedonitissas Ave., 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
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12
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Blanchard R. Recent Findings on Fraternal Birth Order and Homosexuality in Males. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2019; 48:1899-1900. [PMID: 31236804 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01504-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ray Blanchard
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
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