From: kevvy@arapaho.ucsc.edu (Kevin Montgomery)
Newsgroups: alt.personals
Subject: Re: QUICK QUESTION
Date: 11 Nov 1992 04:50:04 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: arapaho.ucsc.edu
Keywords: causation; homosexuality; neurosci; lies, damn lies, and statistics

In article <1992Nov10.190003.2238@borland.com>, garnet@borland.com (Garnet Chaney) writes:
|> [...]
|> seem to be due to wiring differences. Could it be possible that these
|> wiring differences could affect sexual orientation and preferences? Perhaps
|> there is more going on than simple exploitation by the porn industry.  

Garnet (cool name, btw),
	please remember that in studies like this you're seeing a correllation,
not a causation effect.  It sounds like you're implying that BECAUSE someone's
brain is 'wired' a certain way, THEN they will exhibit certain behaviours.
The human nervous system is very dynamic- when you see that the brain is 
'wired' a certain way, it is 'wired' that way because of genetic (to be sure)
BUT ALSO environmental influences.  

	For example, if you are the child of artists and are raised in 
that environment, then you will develop more in those areas.  If someone 
subsequently looks for the level of development of those areas in your brain
(radioactive glucose use over time, etc), they will see an increase in 
development.  Does this mean that you're carrying some gene that makes your
brain more developed in that area?  Hey- you're more developed there, your 
father is more developed there- why not?  But it's the environmental 
influences that muck up the experiment.  

	I don't know of any studies looking at neonatal neurophysiology as it 
relates to _definitively_CAUSING_ things like later sexual orientation.  While
it is true that there are sometimes (but rarely) predispositions toward some 
conditions (alcoholism, perhaps, etc), these are so heavily overshadowed by
environmental influences that they're often not significant.  

	Anyway, sorry for the diversion from us all getting cuddly and personal
and all and I hope no one takes this as a flame (cuz a.p is already at big in
that department- swell.).  It's just that we all have to keep our eyes open
when we hear this pop sound-bite science stuff...


						kevin

ps: this is the first time I've read this group and I've noticed a few
	(imho) amusing things:
	1) realistically, about 40% of the group are flames of one kind or 
		another.
	2) about 40% of the other postings are direct "Begging for Boinking"
		posts from guys that are so specific about what they want 
		that they actually specify the person's GENDER *AND* SPECIES!
		(intended sarcastically- c'mon guys, be a little more specific
		than "needs to be female and at least remotely human" :)  What
		is it that's important to you?  Do you prefer MOTAS to be more
		independent, or are looks more important, or is being intel-
		ligent a preference, or someone that's athletic, or someone
		financially self-sufficient?  Figure out what you want and
		ask for it, but be prepared for it to take some time.  It does
		beat dating someone that you're not compatible with.
	3) it's the other 20% that's interesting discussion, posts, etc. that
		keep my hope of finding something interesting alive.  So, I 
		give this group a 20/80 signal-to-noise ratio.  All in all,
		it's still higher than some usenet groups, though...

Newsgroups: alt.personals