Sexual identity The sex a person believes himself or herself to be
Sexual orientation
-Genetics Sexual orientation is part genetically (study with
homosexual twins)
-Hormones Perinatal hormones do influence sexual orientation
Perinatal estrogen expose does encourage
homosexuality in women (weak correlation)
No difference in amount of circling hormones in
adults
Fraternal Probability of a man’s being homosexual increases as a
birth order function of the number of older brothers he has
effect
o Matern Explains fraternal birth order effect
al Some mothers become more immune to some
immun masculinizing hormones in male fetuses mothers
e immune system might deactivate the masculinizing
hypoth hormone in younger brothers
esis
Hormones Travel via circulatory system until it reaches the targets on
which it exerts its effect
-Endocrine gland Organs with primary function to release hormones
Release hormones directly into circulatory system
Neuroendocrine system:
-Exocrine glands Release chemicals into ducts, which carry them to their
target
Mostly on surface of the body (e.g. sweat gland)
Other organs like stomach, liver etc. also release
hormones
-Three types of
hormones
1. Amino acid Synthesized from one amino acid molecule
derivatives
2. Peptides and Chains of amino acids (peptides small/ proteins long)
proteins
3. Steroids Synthesized from cholesterol
Sexual orientation
-Genetics Sexual orientation is part genetically (study with
homosexual twins)
-Hormones Perinatal hormones do influence sexual orientation
Perinatal estrogen expose does encourage
homosexuality in women (weak correlation)
No difference in amount of circling hormones in
adults
Fraternal Probability of a man’s being homosexual increases as a
birth order function of the number of older brothers he has
effect
o Matern Explains fraternal birth order effect
al Some mothers become more immune to some
immun masculinizing hormones in male fetuses mothers
e immune system might deactivate the masculinizing
hypoth hormone in younger brothers
esis
Hormones Travel via circulatory system until it reaches the targets on
which it exerts its effect
-Endocrine gland Organs with primary function to release hormones
Release hormones directly into circulatory system
Neuroendocrine system:
-Exocrine glands Release chemicals into ducts, which carry them to their
target
Mostly on surface of the body (e.g. sweat gland)
Other organs like stomach, liver etc. also release
hormones
-Three types of
hormones
1. Amino acid Synthesized from one amino acid molecule
derivatives
2. Peptides and Chains of amino acids (peptides small/ proteins long)
proteins
3. Steroids Synthesized from cholesterol
