The digit ratio (2D:4D) and economic preferences: no robust associations in a sample of 330 women

Abstract

Many studies report on the association between 2D:4D, a putative marker for prenatal testosterone exposure, and economic preferences. However, most of these studies have limited sample sizes and test multiple hypotheses (without preregistration). In this study we mainly replicate the common specifications found in the literature for the association between the 2D:4D ratio and risk taking, the willingness to compete, and dictator game giving separately. In a sample of 330 women we find no robust associations between any of these economic preferences and 2D:4D. We find no evidence of a statistically significant relation for 16 of the 18 total regressions we run. The two regression specifications which are statistically significant have not previously been reported and the associations are not in the expected direction, and therefore they are unlikely to represent a real effect.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s40881-019-00076-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Do sex hormones at birth predict later-life economic preferences? Evidence from a pregnancy birth cohort study

“…Some studies use the left hand, others the right hand or the average of both hands. Some studies document effects only for men, whereas others only for women [ 21 , 22 ]. Besides 2D : 4D, other measures of testosterone around birth have been used in prior research and all measures have their own limitations.…”

“…A large literature links prenatal sex hormones with economic preferences. While several studies report significant relationships between prenatal testosterone exposure and risk preferences [15][16][17], time preferences [18], trust [19] and social preferences [20], other studies find null effects and conflicting evidence (for reviews, see Apicella et al [21], Parslow et al [22] and Neyse et al [23]). The role that hormones play in the development of preferences is, therefore, not well understood.…”

In and out of unemployment - labour market dynamics and the role of testosterone

“…Testosterone also plays a role for demographic outcomes, such as fertility, divorce and mating (e.g., Bütikofer et al, 2019), fitness and sport (e.g., Hsu et al, 2015), but also for labour market outcomes (e.g., Coates et al, 2009;Dabbs, 1992;Dabbs Jr. et al, 1990;Parslow et al, 2019). 1 For example, in a twin study on Dutch men, more prolonged prenatal testosterone exposure led to higher earnings during the working life (Gielen et al, 2016).…”

“…1 While testosterone is present in both sexes, most of the experimental studies in the literature have focused on men. Important exceptions looked at both sexes (Dabbs et al, 2001;Gielen et al, 2016;Nye et al, 2017;Sapienza et al, 2009) or exclusively at women (Bütikofer et al, 2019;Parslow et al, 2019).…”

“…6 Observational studies typically refer to levels of currently circulating testosterone, but recent studies have used prenatal testosterone levels, approximated by physiological conditions such as the length of the second to fourth manual digits (2D:4D) (Bütikofer et al, 2019;Coates et al, 2009;Gielen et al, 2016;Nye et al, 2017;Parslow et al, 2019;Stenstrom et al, 2011). In contrast to current testosterone levels, prenatal exposure is expected to be independent of early childhood environmental exposures (Nye et al, 2017).…”