The mismeasure of hands?

Leslie, Mitch

doi:10.1126/science.364.6444.923

Cited by 38 publications

(35 citation statements)

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“…Other authors consider that the differences between the sexes are due only to the fact that the hands of men are larger than those of women (Leslie, 2019). Nonetheless, in the present study all the participants were women and no significant differences in the size of the hands were observed.…”

Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

Lower 2D:4D digit ratio is associated with reduced impulse control in women

Rodríguez-Ramos¹,

García-Torres

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Sex hormones induce sexual differentiation of the brain which might result in sex-specific behaviors. 2D:4D digit ratio is commonly used as a marker of the balance between prenatal testosterone and estrogen. In this study we analyzed if there was an association between 2D:4D and personality in women. We found that 2D:4D might be related with emotional stability, and specifically with its subdimension impulse control; while no associations were found with the dimensions energy, friendliness, conscientiousness and openness.

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Section: Introductioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

Lower 2D:4D digit ratio is associated with reduced impulse control in women

Rodríguez-Ramos¹,

García-Torres

et al. 2019

Preprint

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“…A growing number of studies question the validity of 2D:4D as a reliable marker and its usefulness in predicting both the early hormonal environment and later-life traits. It is suggested that its' rather low predictive value, measurement constraints and difficulties with repeatability of the results (Leslie, 2019; but see Richards's reply [Richards, 2019]) raise a concern about the predictive value of this marker.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomarkers of fetal conditions: Finger ridge‐counts, facial fluctuating asymmetry, and digit ratio (2D:4D)—are they correlated in women?

Klimek

Galbarczyk

Nenko

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives: Fetal environmental conditions are crucial for lifelong health. Direct measurements of developmental conditions are limited in humans; thus, several biomarkers of those conditions have been proposed: that is, finger ridge-counts, level of facial fluctuating asymmetry (FA), and digit ratio (2D:4D). Since all of these biomarkers share a similar gestational time of formation, we hypothesize that their values are significantly correlated. Materials and methods: Data were collected at the Mogielica Human Ecology Study Site in southern Poland among 234 women. Finger ridge-counts, level of facial FA, and 2D:4D have been measured. The two-step analyses included Pearson's correlations of simple values of the biomarkers and correlations of composite variables calculated based on principal component analysis. Results: We did not find any statistically significant correlations between finger ridge-counts, FA, and 2D:4D in women. Similarly, we did not observe any correlations between three composites created from the biomarkers. Discussion: Our results indicate that there are no relationships between the biomarkers, suggested as proxies of the quality of prenatal conditions, in a single population. This is the first study analyzing three different markers simultaneously. The lack of correlations may indicate that the tested biomarkers reflect, in fact, different environmental conditions, occurring in separate "critical windows" of development, or that the biomarkers are not valid as proxies of developmental conditions.

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“…In order to draw conclusions about the prenatal androgen load, 2D:4D is used as a proxy 8 , as explained in the “ Introduction ” section. Recently, criticism has emerged on the use of 2D:4D as a biomarker of prenatal testosterone 72 – 75 . This is—among other things—due to a lack of X-linked inheritance in classical genetic studies 76 , 77 or in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) 78 , even though the androgen receptor is located on the X chromosome.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and transgender identity: new original data and a meta-analysis

Siegmann

Müller

Dziadeck

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Previously reported associations between second-to-fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D), a proxy for prenatal androgen load, and transgender identity have been inconsistent. The objectives of the present study were to provide additional original data and an updated meta-analysis concerning this association. In a study of 464 participants, we compared the 2D:4D of transgender individuals with age- and sex-matched controls. Patients were recruited at a specialized psychiatrist’s medical office, whereas controls were hired via flyers, advertisements, and as convenience sample. A random-effects meta-analysis of the literature (17 samples, n = 3674) also quantifies the overall magnitude of the difference in 2D:4D between transgender individuals and controls. In our study providing new original data, we found a significantly higher (i.e. feminized) left-hand 2D:4D in the male-to-female transgender (MtF) identity [mean age: 32.3 (18; 61)] than in the male control group [mean age: 34.5 (18; 65)] with a Cohen’s d = 0.271. Concordantly, the meta-analytic results suggest a significant difference in 2D:4D among MtF individuals compared to male controls [g = 0.153; 95% CI (0.063; 0.243)], which was even more pronounced when individuals had been diagnosed by a clinician instead of self-identified as transgender [g = 0.193; 95% CI (0.086; 0.300)]. In both studies, no significant results were revealed for female-to-male transgender individuals [mean age: 26.1 (18; 53)] versus female controls [mean age: 27.2 (18; 55)]. This original investigation and the updated meta-analysis clarify the association between transgender identity and 2D:4D indicating the influence of prenatal androgen on the development of gender identity in subjects born as males.

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The mismeasure of hands?

Abstract: Some researchers say a simple ratio of finger lengths can predict personality and health. Others say that's wishful thinking.

Cited by 38 publications

References 0 publications

Lower 2D:4D digit ratio is associated with reduced impulse control in women

Lower 2D:4D digit ratio is associated with reduced impulse control in women

Biomarkers of fetal conditions: Finger ridge‐counts, facial fluctuating asymmetry, and digit ratio (2D:4D)—are they correlated in women?

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and transgender identity: new original data and a meta-analysis

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