Sexual Orientation Definition

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Pages: 4

This essay in mainly focused on finding out what determines sexual orientation and how people become aware of their sexual identity: using theoretical perspective and supporting research based evidence regarding origins of sexual orientation. According to the American Psychological Association "Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes.(Baldwin,2012) further goes on to define sexual orientation as the dimension of personality that describes the balance of our sexual attraction to the two sexes. In other words one would say sexual orientation is the sexual and emotional preference over the other sex.
What determines sexual orientation?
According to, (Pattatucci, 1995) it seems that sexual orientation also aggregates in families hinting towards a heritable basis, although not excluding a role for environment. Homosexual men have more homosexual brothers than do heterosexual men, whilst homosexual women have more homosexual sisters than heterosexual women(Pattatucci,1995).Studies report a rate of non-heterosexuality(a broader term that recognises bisexuality in female
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In the pre-coming out stage, individuals (as kids) are not conscious of same sex feelings, although they experience feeling of conflict. At the coming-out stage, individuals acknowledge their homosexual feelings and begging to tell others. In the exploration stage, individuals have their first major experiences of sexual and sexual activity with others. Their tasks at this stage include developing interpersonal skills, a sense of person attractiveness and a sense of sexual competence. The 4th stage encompasses stable, committed relationships. Finally at the stage of integration, individuals incorporate their public and private identities into one