Editing Alfred Kinsey (section)

== Early life and education ==
Alfred Kinsey was born on {{#formatdate:1894-06-23|mdy}}, in [[wikipedia:Hoboken, New Jersey|Hoboken, New Jersey]], the eldest of the three children of Sarah Ann (née Charles) and Alfred Seguine Kinsey.<ref name="Timeline">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kinsey/timeline/index.html|title=American Experience &verbar; Kinsey &verbar; Timeline|publisher=Public Broadcasting System|access-date=2014-04-15|df=mdy-all}}</ref> His mother received little formal education and his father was a professor at [[wikipedia:Stevens Institute of Technology|Stevens Institute of Technology]].

Kinsey's parents were poor for most of his childhood, often unable to afford proper medical care. This may have led to a young Kinsey receiving inadequate treatment for a variety of diseases including [[wikipedia:Rickets|rickets]], [[wikipedia:Rheumatic fever|rheumatic fever]], and [[wikipedia:Typhoid fever|typhoid fever]]. His health records indicate that Kinsey received suboptimal exposure to sunlight (often the cause of rickets, before milk and other foods were fortified with [[wikipedia:Vitamin D|vitamin D]]) and lived in unsanitary conditions for at least part of his childhood. Rickets led to a curvature of the spine, which resulted in a slight stoop that prevented Kinsey from being [[wikipedia:The Draft|drafted]] in 1917 for [[wikipedia:World War I|World War I]].

Kinsey's parents were devout Christians. His father was known as one of the most devout members of the local [[wikipedia:Methodism|Methodist]] church. Most of Kinsey's social interactions were with other members of the church, often as a silent observer, while his parents discussed religion.<ref name="events">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kinsey/peopleevents/p_kinsey.html|title=American Experience &verbar; Kinsey &verbar; People & Events|publisher=Public Broadcasting System|access-date=2013-12-04|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Kinsey's father imposed strict rules on the household, including mandating Sunday as a day of prayer and little else.

At age 10, Kinsey moved with his family to [[wikipedia:South Orange, New Jersey|South Orange, New Jersey]].<ref name="Timeline" /> Also at a young age, he showed great interest in nature and camping. He worked and camped with the local [[wikipedia:YMCA|YMCA]] throughout his early years, and enjoyed these activities to such an extent that he intended to work for the YMCA after completing his education. Kinsey's senior undergraduate thesis for psychology, a dissertation on the [[wikipedia:Group dynamics|group dynamics]] of young boys, echoed this interest. He joined the [[wikipedia:Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scouts]] when a troop was formed in his community. His parents strongly supported this (and joined as well) because the Boy Scouts was an organization that was based on the principles of Christianity. Kinsey worked his way up through the Scouting ranks to earn [[wikipedia:Eagle Scout rank (Boy Scouts of America)|Eagle Scout]] in 1913, making him one of the earliest Eagle Scouts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kinsey/peopleevents/p_kinsey.html|title=Alfred Charles Kinsey (1894–1956)|access-date=2006-11-09|work=American Experience: Kinsey|publisher=Public Broadcasting System|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061221010804if_/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/kinsey/peopleevents/p_kinsey.html|archive-date=2006-12-21|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Despite earlier disease having weakened his heart, Kinsey followed an intense sequence of difficult hikes and camping expeditions throughout his early life.

In high school, Kinsey was a quiet but hard-working student. While attending [[wikipedia:Columbia High School (New Jersey)|Columbia High School]], he devoted his energy to academic work and playing the piano. At one time, Kinsey had hoped to become a concert pianist, but decided to concentrate on his scientific pursuits instead. Kinsey's ability to spend immense amounts of time deeply focused on study was a trait that would serve him well in college and during his professional career. He seems not to have formed strong social relationships during high school, but earned respect for his academic ability. While there, Kinsey became interested in [[wikipedia:Biology|biology]], [[wikipedia:Botany|botany]] and [[wikipedia:Zoology|zoology]]. Kinsey was later to claim that his high school biology teacher, Natalie Roeth, was the most important influence on his decision to become a scientist.

Kinsey approached his father with plans to study botany at college. His father demanded that he study engineering at [[wikipedia:Stevens Institute of Technology|Stevens Institute of Technology]] instead. At Stevens, he primarily took courses related to English and engineering, but was unable to satisfy his interest in biology. Kinsey was not successful there, and decided engineering was not a field he was good at. At the end of two years at Stevens, Kinsey gathered the courage to confront his father about his interest in biology and his intent to continue studying at [[wikipedia:Bowdoin College|Bowdoin College]] in Brunswick, Maine, where he majored in biology.<ref name="newton">{{Cite book|last=Newton|first=David E.|date=2009-12-22|title=Sexual Health: A Reference Handbook|url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/sexual-health-9798216144137/|page=133|publisher=[[wikipedia:Bloomsbury Publishing|Bloomsbury Academic]]|location=[[wikipedia:New York City|New York City]]|isbn=978-1-59884-366-8|access-date=2024-11-23|df=mdy-all}}</ref>