Homosexuality and the psychological field

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

7 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

11/06/2008

Category :

Social studies

Sub category :

Psychology

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Summary :

Introduction.
Homosexuality - controversial topic throughout western history.
Homosexuality - viewed as a sickness.
The etiology of homosexuality.
The ability to isolate sex hormones.
The American followers of Freud - Lionel Ovesey, Irving Bieber and Charles Socarides.
The behaviorists - school of psychology advocating that homosexuality was not biologically based.
The views of the psychological community.
Conclusion.

Abstract

Throughout the history of the psychological field, homosexuality has been viewed in a variety of different, and often contradictory ways. In the very beginning of the profession homosexuality was not viewed as within its realm of interest. Homosexual acts were considered, first as sins, and second as crimes. But as the field of psychology became more prominent and influential the "problem" of homosexuality was passed on to them, which had profound implications for the GLBT community and society as a whole. With prestige came the ability to decide what is normal in all of human behavior, as well as what is healthy, what is a perversion, a disease, or a pathological condition. Thus, the GLBT community had to go through them if they wanted to achieve any measure of social acceptance. After deciding that homosexuality was not normal, a tremendous amount of energy was spent trying to discover the cause of homosexual behavior, particularly whether it was biologically based, or if it was learned through the individual's life experiences. Each view had a corresponding cure.