Final answer:
Sexual orientation refers to an individual's emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to others, which can fall within various categories such as heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, and more. It is a key part of one's sociocultural identity and is usually recognized from middle childhood to early adolescence but can be realized at any age.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person's sexual orientation is described as their physical, mental, emotional, and sexual attraction to a particular sex (male or female). It is a component of one's sexuality and can encompass a range of categories including heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, asexuality, pansexuality, omnisexuality, and others. Sexual orientation is distinct from gender identity, which refers to the personal sense of one's own gender.
Societies interpret sexual orientation differently, with attitudes and norms influencing how it is expressed and accepted. Sexual orientation is considered a significant aspect of a person's sociocultural identity, and people often become aware of their orientation during middle childhood to early adolescence, although it can happen at any stage of life.