Although the role of genes in homosexuality has been studied much more extensively, there have also been studies done to assess the importance of certain environmental factors. Freud and the psychoanalysts, in treating their patients, noticed that male homosexuality seemed to be correlated with childhood exposure to 'close-binding-intimate' mothers and 'detached or hostile' fathers. Other psychiatrists more recently have examined statistics and ended up with similar findings: that many homosexual males had close relationships with their mothers and more distant and hostile relationships with their fathers. However, since most of these findings came from psychiatric patients, researchers believed that more studies were necessary.
Saghir and Robins (1973) conducted their own study of homosexuals without a history of psychiatric illness. They found that 67% of homosexual men, as compared to only 3% of heterosexuals, described themselves as having been girl-like or effeminate during childhood. Saghir and Robins also studied the family lives of their subjects, finding that significantly more homosexuals reported frequent fighting between their parents. Although their study did not support the previous interpretation that gay men were more attached to their mothers, it did show that more of the gay subjects were unsatisfied with the relationships between themselves and their fathers.
Although studies have found connections between unsatisfactory childhood relationships and homosexuality, the findings do not necessarily indicate that these relationships caused the subjects to become gay. It is possible that their hostile relationships with their fathers were a result of their girl-like behaviors rather than a cause. After completing their study, Saghir and Robins concluded, "We believe that the association of a poor parental relationship and male homosexuality is not necessarily a causative association although it might have been an important contributing factor." Researchers realize that, because genes do not completely account for homosexuality, there must be some environmental factors at work, but the specific factors have not yet been identified.
References:
Mellen, S.L.W. (1981). The evolution of love. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company.
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