Previous neuroimaging studies demonstrated sex and also sexual orientation related structural and functional differences in the human brain. Genetic information and effects of sex hormones are assumed to contribute to the male/female differentiation of the brain, and similar effects could play a role in processes influencing human's sexual orientation. However, questions about the origin and de...

OBJECTIVE Few population-based studies have explored differences in alcohol consumption by sexual orientation. This study examined the prevalence of abstinence, drinking, heavier drinking, alcohol-related problems, alcohol dependence and help-seeking among homosexual and bisexual women and men compared with heterosexuals. METHOD Data are from the 2000 National Alcohol Survey, a national popul...

With her sexual configurations theory (SCT), vanAnders (2015) wants to solve a number of problems with the current conceptualization of sexual orientation as defined by the sex of the partner(s) one is attracted toandhabitually indicatedwith theKinsey score varying from completely heterosexual to completely homosexual. I agree with van Anders that the conventional conceptualization of sexual or...

METHODS Subjects were 102 self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth aged 18-23 years. A confidential self-administered survey elicited demographic information, sexual orientation information, health care experiences, subjects' understanding of medical confidentiality during ages 14-18 years, and their suggestions for improving care to gay and lesbian adolescents. RESULTS Two-thirds of ...

OBJECTIVE Research has shown that sexual minority groups have higher prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders (both mental and substance use disorders) and that they may seek treatment at higher rates than heterosexuals. However, relationships between treatment need and treatment use are not well understood. This study examined the relationship of sexual orientation and gender to perceived nee...

An article recently published in this journal (Cox, Devine, Bischmann, & Hyde, 2016) questioned the validity of existing research on the accurate judgment of sexual orientation from photographs of faces. Specifically, those authors reported a confound in their stimuli whereby the photos of sexual minorities (gay men and lesbians) were of higher quality than the photos of heterosexuals. Based on...

As support for sexual reorientation therapy—the practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation—has lulled1, various therapists have been faced with the question of how to effectively and respectfully counsel their religious clients who are at odds with their sexual orientation. They appear to be faced with two options, a sexuality affirming approach and a newer approach known a...

There is minimal research on the effects of ‘outness’ (sexual orientation disclosure) on the work experiences of GLBT employees. Few empirically sound studies from the literature have compared the variable of outness, its effect on workplace heterosexism, the psychological well-being of GLBT employees and their general life and job satisfaction. Due to the stigmatized status of sexual minority ...

Summary Heterosexual males are reported to display higher levels of physical aggression and lower levels of empathy than homosexual males. A characteristic linked to both aggression and empathy is social dominance orientation (SDO). A significant sex difference has been reported for SDO, with heterosexual males scoring higher than heterosexual females. The precise relationship between dominance...

The present study aimed at determining the influence of sexual orientation in human spatial learning and memory. Participants performed the Boxes Room, a virtual reality version of the Holeboard. In Experiment I, a reference memory task, the position of the hidden rewards remained constant during the whole experiment. In Experiment II, a working memory task, the position of rewards changed betw...