Psychology

People in general have diverse forms of sexual behavior from heterosexuality to homosexuality one must wonder then what causes differences in human sexual behavior and why isnt there just one standard Human sexuality has always been attached to the act of procreation wherein people have sex in order to conceive a child however these days the act of sex has become so much more wherein people connote sex with expressing love for another person, to satisfy base desires, to feel good and ironically as a form of recreation(Abramson 1995). It is due these developments that different methods of sexual behaviors have come about however instead of just one generic behavior what is seen is a multitude of different sexual behaviors ranging from homosexuality, transexualism to the normal heterosexual interactions. The purpose of this is paper is to determine the biological aspects of human sexuality, to describe the different forms of sexual behavior and to find out how this diversity came to be.

Biological Aspects of Human Sexuality
All aspects dealing with human reproduction and actions taken to carry it out can be classified under the biological aspects of human sexuality(Abramson 1995). Biologically speaking human sexuality can be described as a drive to reproduce. While there are several other factors behind human sexuality than just the need to reproduce the biological drive behind it is one of its most important factors. It can be said that the human sexual drive was a result of the necessity  to propagate the species in that there was a need to create a drive, a need, going so far as to call it an ambition to propagate and have ones genetic information be imparted to the next generation(Abramson 1995).

This drive can be so overwhelming that at times there is no other choice than to give into it which can lead to sex between two individuals or the act of masturbation when no sexual partner is present. The human sexual drive does not come without risks though, as of late the rise in the number of individuals who have contracted sexually transmitted diseases has risen this is due in part to the lackluster means in which education regarding abstinence as the best form of protection against such diseases is barely working. This is due to the fact that the human sexual drive is an overwhelming one wherein once an individual reaches a point wherein they have to choose between satiating their sexual lust and adhering to common sense most individuals choose to give into their baser desires. It can even be said that love is nothing more than a combination of chemical responses in the brain brought about by chemical reactions designed to create a feeling of attachment and sexual desire all for the sake of procreation(Abramson 1995). While people would argue that love goes beyond that the fact remains that love is an effective means of procreation and the chemicals associated with it as well as the parts of the brain which cause it have been scientifically proven to exist as such it can be said that love in its biological essence without the psychological undertones involved is the result of biological factors for the sake of reproduction. Sexual orientation though is not a result of biological factors, who a person finds sexually desirable is all a result of psychological processes which have developed as a result of numerous experiences that a person has had which influence what they find desirable either with the opposite sex or with the same sex (Zerilli 2010).

Different Types of Human Sexual Behavior
Acceptable Types of Sexual Behavior
Abstinence
Abstinence can refer to the means in which a person refrains from having sexual intercourse with another individual for the sake of either delaying potential pregnancy or acquiring a form of sexually transmitted disease. Most of the time though abstinence is supposedly due to a moral choice done by a person as a result of parental influences or religion. Unfortunately though as mentioned earlier under the biological aspects of human sexual behavior those who advocate abstinence are no less likely not to have sex than those who dont believe in abstinence but have not have sex yet this is due to the fact that the human sexual drive is a strong one which at times can overwhelm a psychological process which means that even though a person knows it goes against their morals to have sex they do so anyway because of the drive to do so.

Masturbation
Masturbation refers to act in which an individual pleasures himself herself through the act of genetic stimulation. Such an act is caused by the human sexual drive which at times solicits a need for release in the brain which results in the self stimulation of the person in question in order to obtain said release. Masturbation is actually quite common among a lot of individuals with most people having had masturbated in the past or are currently masturbating.

Heterosexual Intercourse
Heterosexual intercourse refers to acts such coitus or oral sex performed between two members of the opposite sex. This is the usual and most widely accepted for of sexual interaction in the world today. Often involving different positions the goal of sexual intercourse between the two parties is mutual orgasm or pregnancy depending on the reasons behind the intercourse.

Abnormal Types of Sexual Behavior
Child Abuse
Child abuse is widely considered the most heinous form of abnormal sexual behavior which can cause untold psychological damage to a young child. Child abuse involves sexual intercourse between an adult man or woman and a child usually in the pre-puberty or semi-adolescent stage, acts committed can range from vaginal intercourse to oral stimulation. It must be noted that at this age most children are not mentally or physically ready for intercourse as such sex with a child has a lasting and sometimes detrimental effect on the way they express themselves. This behavior is thought to originate from individuals who experienced a similar trauma during their own childhood and inflicts the same actions onto another individual for the sake of easing their own mental anguish.

Homosexual intercourse
Homosexual intercourse is the act of two individuals of the same gender having sexual intercourse with each other. Usually involving anal and oral sex for men and oral and vaginal stimulation for women. The origins of homosexuality are supposedly based on a psychological choice wherein a man or woman chooses this particular orientation due to a feeling of belongingness and acceptance they feel when interacting with individuals of the same gender.

Transsexualism
Is a form of human sexual behavior wherein the individual feels that he she belongs to the gender of the opposite sex. In such cases transsexuals take female hormones or even undergo surgery wherein their genitals are altered all in name of becoming more like their supposed true selves.

Theories Behind Human Sexual Behavior
Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalytic theory states that the nature behind the relationship of a parent and child is behind the cultivation of a persons sexual identity (McConaghy 1987). When describing the nature of a childs psychological state during the early years of development it can be compared to a highly malleable piece of clay wherein as the child learns and grows this shapes the clay into what the child will become when he or she is fully matured. Parents, being the closest mentors to life that are near the child on a daily basis are often the people that a child emulates his her behavior from this is evidenced by traits and characteristics in certain individuals that seem to mimic those of their parents i.e. a love for the same type of sports, intellectual pursuits, domestic violence towards women etc (McConaghy 1987). As such the attitudes, behaviors and actions that a parent displays in front of or to a child shapes the child into who they will become. Studies have shown that individuals have a high chance of developing homosexual tendencies depending on the relationships they have with either parent (McConaghy 1987). In the case of males having a neglectful father who is rarely at home causes a yearning for a relationship akin to male bonding which was absent from their lives resulting in tendencies of homosexual behavior. The same can be said for girls and absentee mothers wherein they lack the normal forms of female emulation resulting in them adopting the traits and characteristics of their father. Unfortunately though the problem with the psychoanalytic theory is that while it does base its tenets on the relationship between parent and child this is still an insufficient explanation for developments in sexual orientation (McConaghy 1987). For one thing the recent rise in single mothers has not caused their male children to become homosexual due to the lack of fathers. Not only that but due to the recent work culture wherein both parents are working in order to earn a sufficient living the normal parent-child standard of relationship is virtually nonexistent yet this hasnt turned the majority of individuals into homosexuals.

Biological Theory
Biological theory states that the reason behind a persons sexual orientation is a biological one wherein their predilection towards a certain relationship whether with the opposite or same sex is determined by persons genetics (McConaghy 1987). It states that certain individuals have an inheritable predilection towards homosexual behavior that is either genetically inherited or biologically manifested due to outside interference in the womb in the form of certain chemicals that influences that growth of the brain resulting in a different sexual orientation. A problem with this theory is that there are insufficient studies to draw an accurate conclusion based on this and not only that but sexual orientation has always been known to be choice based, that a person chooses to become a homosexual not have it thrust upon them due to a genetic quirk as such it can be said that the origin of homosexuality is psychologically based and not as a result of genetics (McConaghy 1987).

Learning theory
Learning theory states that sexual orientation is a process which is learned through a system of rewards and punishments wherein an individuals sexual orientation is developed based on sort of male female relationships that they developed as a child all the way to maturity (McConaghy 1987). Based on this theory bad heterosexual experiences that happened to an individuals might cause disagreeable associations with the other sex however if the person develops a rewarding experience with a gay or lesbian then this might incorporate itself into fantasies later on leading to masturbation which received positive reinforcement through orgasm leading a person to believe that homosexual behavior is more preferential to heterosexual behavior (McConaghy 1987). An example of this would when a girl has recently broke up with an abusive boyfriend a cheating boyfriend an over bad guy and goes to her female friend for emotional support. The acceptance and care that she receives might in turn make her think that the opposite sex is a highly abusive one and that continuing to have relationships with guys would result in more heartbreak for her in the future since they would just abusecheat give her an overall bad experiences again. If this sort of relationship has happened to her multiple times in the past and if she received love and acceptance from her female friends as compared to the bad experiences she has had with men this might result in her thinking that it would be a lot better if she had a relationship with someone who would give her love and acceptance like her female friends resulting in thoughts of potential homosexuality which may culminate in a full blown acceptance in wanting to be a homosexual in order to receive the love and acceptance that she yearns for in a relationship (Wentland 2009). One problem with this theory is that homosexuality is usually not held in high esteem in todays culture, in fact it carries with it a form of cultural stigma and isolation wherein people considering to become homosexuals would think that the benefits dont outweigh the costs since the inevitable cost of such an action would be the potential of alienating friends and family. Another factor to consider is that while children of homosexual parents do in fact receive a lot of love and support from them it is rarely the case that such children would chose to become homosexuals themselves, this factor is also due to the stigma of having such parents and the cultural ridicule and abuse that sometimes accompanies it (McConaghy 1987).

Conclusion
Based on learning theory which seems the most relevant in explaining human sexual behavior and combining it with the psychoanalytic theory it can be said that the diversity of human sexual behavior is a result of both the choice of the individual combined with the numerous experiences they have had since they were children. What orients a person towards a certain sexual preference and type of behavior is caused by a gradual process of learning from when they were children up till the point they mature wherein they make the inevitable choice as to what sort sexual distinction they want to be part of. As such this explains why there isnt just one form of sexual behavior human choice plays a factor which causes the diversity of sexual behavior due to the diverse choices are person can choose to head towards.