Finger length ratio (2D:4D) correlates with physical aggression in men but not in women

Bailey, Allison A.; Hurd, Peter L.

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2004.05.001

Cited by 310 publications

(232 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…We also calculated the correlation between the SVL and digit ratios; for this purpose we used R Spearman test, a nonparametric test. We calculated size of the effect as in other digit ratio studies (Bailey and Hurd, 2004;Rubolini et al, 2006;Direnzo and Stynoski, 2012) with within-and between-sex comparisons of digit ratios. For effect size calculation, we used equation (Rosenthal, 1991): r 5 Z/ͱN, where Z is the score of Mann-Whitney U test, N is the number of total observations, and r is the effect size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Females Have Larger Ratio of Second‐to‐Fourth Digits Than Males in Four Species of Salamandridae, Caudata

Kaczmarski

Kubicka

Tryjanowski

et al. 2015

The Anatomical Record

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Digit ratio (2D:4D) denotes the relative length of the second and fourth digits. It is considered to be a suitable biomarker of the in utero balance of fetal sex hormones, which affect early development of individua ls behavioral and morphological characteristics. In recent decades, digit ratio attracted a great attention in biology and psychology. However, for unmasking the biological basis of the phenomenon, extensive studies on nonhuman animals are necessary. Despite it was hypothesized that digit ratio is well conserved in all Tetrapoda, and there exist studies on mammals, birds, and reptiles, there are only two such study on anuran amphibians. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the 2D:4D in the most basal salamanders, Caudata. We have studied digit ratio in four species of newts: Triturus cristatus, Mesotriton alpestris, Lissotriton montandoni, and Lissotriton vulgaris, using museum collection. We used computerized measuring of each limbs photos. We have found out that, in M. alpestris, females 2D:4D of all four limbs were significantly larger than in males. In L. montandoni and L. vulgaris, only 2D:4D of rear limbs significantly differed, in females being larger. In T. cristatus, digit ratios of males and females did not statistically differ. Thus, the results confirmed our hypothesis that at least in M. alpestris, L. montandoni, and L. vulgaris, females seem to have larger 2D:4D comparing to males, the pattern known from most mammals and opposite to birds, reptiles and anuran amphibians.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Females Have Larger Ratio of Second‐to‐Fourth Digits Than Males in Four Species of Salamandridae, Caudata

Kaczmarski

Kubicka

Tryjanowski

et al. 2015

The Anatomical Record

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“…Nevertheless, it would be necessary to conduct more studies to assess whether these participants have an abnormal metabolism of T (George et al, 2001), higher T levels (Soler et al, 2000), or more sensitivity to activation T effects (Pope et al, 2000). Indeed the 2D:4D ratio could be an indicator of this and so exposure to high T levels in the womb could increase the sensitivity to androgen in adulthood (van Honk et al, 2011) and facilitate physical aggression in men (Bailey & Hurd, 2005). In IPV perpetrators, the 2D:4D ratio of the left hand was smaller than controls.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IPV perpetrators would also present cognitive dysfunctions such as poor cognitive flexibility (Teichner et al, 2001) and poor recognition of emotions or thoughts (Holtzworth-Munroe & Smutzler, 1996), especially for neutral expressions (Babcock et al, 2008). Finally, we hypothesized that IPV perpetrators should report lower affective empathy (Covell et al, 2007) and a masculinized or smaller 2D:4D ratio (Bailey & Hurd, 2005). The 2D:4D ratio could explain the high levels of sensitivity to T effects (van Honk et al, 2011) and may predict T changes, especially in IPV perpetrators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Masculinization has a relatively stable anthropometric indicator throughout life which is the ratio between the length of the index finger and the ring finger, or the 2D:4D ratio (Manning & Bundred, 2000). Smaller ratios imply a higher prenatal masculinization (Manning, Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, & Sanders, 2001) that has been linked to male physical aggression (Bailey & Hurd, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High testosterone levels and sensitivity to acute stress in perpetrators of domestic violence with low cognitive flexibility and impairments in their emotional decoding process: A preliminary study

Romero‐Martínez

Lila

Sariñana-González

et al. 2013

Aggressive Behavior

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Hormonal and neuropsychological impairment in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators could play a role in domestic violence. For characterizing whether there is a specific psychobiological response to stress, participants who had previously been jailed for IPV and controls were compared for testosterone and cortisol levels, tested for 2D:4D ratio (as an indicator of masculinization), and given several trait questionnaires and neuropsychological tests related to executive functions and theory of mind. After performing the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), IPV perpetrators experienced decreases in salivary testosterone (T) levels, a moderate worsening of mood, slight anxiety, and a salivary cortisol (C) level increase. Moreover, high basal T was related with high levels of anger and anxiety and worse mood. However, that basal mood does not significantly alter T levels in response to stress. Nonetheless, controls experienced smaller changes in T and larger changes in C and psychological mood. With respect to neuropsychological and cognitive empathic features, IPV perpetrators showed poorer executive performance and emotional recognition than controls. In addition, deficits in both neuropsychological domains were positively associated. Regarding emotional empathy, IPV perpetrators showed higher levels of personal distress than controls. The 2D:4D ratio was lower in IPV perpetrators than in controls. Moreover, only in the former a smaller 2D:4D ratio was related to large increases in T in response to stress and poor emotional recognition. Together with social aspects involved in IPV, differences in psychobiological variables and their relationships could play a relevant role in the onset and perpetuation of violent behavior. Aggr. Behav. 9999:1-15, 2013.

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“…The 2D:4D ratio has been studied in the context of reproductive success (Manning et al, 2000), sex-typed behavior (Csathó et al, 2003a), spatial/cognitive abilities (Csathó et al, 2003b;Kempel et al, 2005;Manning, 2002; but see Coolican & Peters, 2003), adult personality characteristics (Austin, Manning, McInroy, & Matthews, 2002;Bailey & Hurd, 2005a;Fink, Manning, & Neave, 2004), and more recently in the context of psychopathology (Arato, Frecska, Beck, An, & Kiss, 2004;Bailey & Hurd, 2005b;Klump et al, 2006;Manning, BaronCohen, Wheelwright, & Sanders, 2001;McFadden, Westhafer, Pasanen, Carlson, & Tucker, 2005;Walder, Andersson, McMillan, Breedlove, & Walker, 2006). Generally, digit ratios show positive correlations with female-typical behaviors and negative correlations with male-typical behaviors (for review, see Putz, Gaulin, Sporter, & McBurney, 2004), and this pattern of results appears to generalize to sex-linked psychopathology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anxiety, Sex-Linked Behaviors, and Digit Ratios (2D:4D)

Evardone

Alexander

2007

Arch Sex Behav

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The second to fourth (2D:4D) digit ratio, a sexually dimorphic, phenotypic characteristic putatively associated with perinatal androgen action, has been used to evaluate the hypothesized relation between prenatal hormonal factors and a variety of sexually dimorphic behaviors, including sexlinked psychopathology. Smaller digit ratios, suggestive of stronger perinatal androgen action, have been associated with male-linked disorders (e.g., autism), and larger digit ratios, suggestive of weaker perinatal androgen action, have been associated with female-linked disorders (e.g., depression and eating disorders). To evaluate the possible relation between digit ratio and another traditionally female-linked disorder, anxiety, 2D:4D ratios were measured in a non-clinical sample (58 men, 52 women). Participants also completed a battery of anxiety and gender role measures and performed two spatial/cognitive tasks typically showing a male advantage (mental rotation and targeting) and two tasks typically showing a female advantage (location memory and spatial working memory). Men with a more feminine pattern of sex-linked traits and behaviors (including digit ratios) reported greater anxiety. In contrast, greater anxiety in women was associated with both female-typical and male-typical traits and behaviors, and no significant association between digit ratio and anxiety was found. This pattern of results suggests that the development of anxiety is multiply determined, with contributing factors varying by sex.

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Finger length ratio (2D:4D) correlates with physical aggression in men but not in women

Cited by 310 publications

References 30 publications

Females Have Larger Ratio of Second‐to‐Fourth Digits Than Males in Four Species of Salamandridae, Caudata

Females Have Larger Ratio of Second‐to‐Fourth Digits Than Males in Four Species of Salamandridae, Caudata

High testosterone levels and sensitivity to acute stress in perpetrators of domestic violence with low cognitive flexibility and impairments in their emotional decoding process: A preliminary study

Anxiety, Sex-Linked Behaviors, and Digit Ratios (2D:4D)

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