Finger length in primates linked with cooperative, competitive, and sexual behavior!

Research at the universities of Liverpool and Oxford into the finger length of various primate species has revealed that cooperative, competive & sexual behavior is linked to exposure to hormone levels in the womb!

The British scientists used finger length ratio measurements as an indicator of the levels of exposure to the hormone and compared this data with social behaviour in primate groups.

Primates such as baboons and rhesus macaques, have a low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ (= a longer fourth finger [ring finger] compared to the second finger [pointer finger]), and these species tend to be highly competitive and promiscuous.

While gibbons and many New World monkey species have higher ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ (but still lower than the average human digit ratio), and these primate species were monogamous and less competitive than Old World monkeys.

The results also show that Great Apes, such as orangutans and chimpanzees, expressed a different finger ratio. The analysis suggests that early androgen exposure is lower in this groups compared to Old World monkeys. Lower androgen levels could help explain why Great Apes show high levels of male cooperation and tolerance.

Primate researcher Emma Nelson explains:

“It is thought that prenatal androgens affect the genes responsible for the development of fingers, toes and the reproductive system. High androgen levels from a foetus or mother during pregnancy, may alter gene function and lead to subtle changes in relative digit length and the functioning of the reproductive system. Finger ratios do not change very much after birth and appear to tell us something about how very early androgens affect adult behaviour, particularly behaviour linked to mating and reproduction.”

ILLUSTRATION: A comparison of the human hand with primate hands reveals that only the human hand is featured with a long opposable thumb!

SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING:

• Finger length linked with social behavior!
• Understanding our past: “the primate hand vs. the human hand”!
• Evolution of the human hand & the mystery of the 5 fingers!

Finger length & traffic violations: long ring fingers drive faster!!

New research from Germany has pointed out that men with long ring fingers (low 2D:4D ratio) may more easily get into trouble – by driving too fast, overtaking on dangerous roads, or parking illegally. For, men with long ring fingers reported more traffic violations!

Earlier research pointed out that men with long ring fingers show more: agression, assertiveness, and they take more financial risks!

Handedness & your finger length ratio

While a few years ago early studies had identified a link between various hand characteristics and handness, last year the link was ‘officially’ confirmed in an Australian study that had used a new method for measuring finger length ratio. Now a new BBC internet study by the ‘finger professor’ John T. Manning has confirmed the earlier findings.

TITLE OF THE STUDY:

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and hand preference for writing in the BBC Internet Study.

SUMMARY OF THE STUDY:

“The ratio of the length of the second to the fourth digit (2D:4D) may be negatively correlated with prenatal testosterone. Hand preference has been linked with prenatal testosterone and 2D:4D. Here we show that 2D:4D is associated with hand preference for writing in a large internet sample (n>170,000) in which participants self-reported their finger lengths.”

“A new significant correlation between left 2D:4D and writing hand preference was also shown (high left 2D:4D associated with left hand preference). There was a clear interaction between writing hand preference and 2D:4D: The left 2D:4D was significantly larger than the right 2D:4D in male and female left-handed writers, and the right hand 2D:4D was significantly larger than the left hand 2D:4D in male and female right-handed writers.”

READ FURTHER ABOUT FINGER LENGTH & HANDEDNESS:

The origins of handedness
Your fingers reveal so much about you
The finger book – BOOK
Your left handed child – BOOK

Usain Bolt has the long ring finger, a marker for sprint talent!

The 2008 olympics in Beijing pointed out that Jamaican sprinter Usain Bold is the fastest man on sprint ever! And last sunday he set another new world record 100m sprint at the Athletics World Championships 2009 Berlin.

How come that Jamaican sprinters run so fast?

Source: Why do Jamaicans run faster? It’s in their fingers!

Presidential palm readings: US presidents have a low 2D:4D finger ratio!

Earlier this year TIME presented a photo essay of the hands of the last 9 US presidents. Let’s take a look at the finger ratio of their right hand!

Barack Obama’s finger ratio:

Barack Obama’s right hand clearly shows a very low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’. An earlier report on his left hand presented a ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ estimation close to 0.90-0.92, and various photos indicate that the same zone is indicated for his right hand.

NOTICE: though his inauguration photo appears to present a slightly higher ratio – but in that photo his fingers are obviously not ’stretched’ and therefore that photo should be ignored).

George W. Bush’s finger ratio:

His inauguration photo shows that George W. Bush’s right hand shows a low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’, which is likely close to 0.90.

Bill Clinton’s finger ratio:

There are not many photos available that are suitable for measuring Bill Clinton’s finger length but various photos indicate that Bill Clinton’s ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ is close to 0.96-0.97, which could be described as normal for a white male.

George H.W. Bush’s finger ratio:

His inauguration photo shows that George H.W. Bush’s right hand shows a low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’, which is likely close to 0.95-0.96.

Ronald Reagan’s finger ratio:

Ronald Reagan’s right waving hand shows clearly a very low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’, which is likely close to 0.90.

Jimmy Carter’s finger ratio:

Jimmy Carter’s right waving hand shows also a very low ‘2D:4D digit ratio’, which is likely close to 0.90.

Gerald Ford’s finger ratio:

Gerald Ford’s inauguration photo shows that his ring finger is (much) longer than his index finger – confirmed by his right hand waving photo – but in his case it’s hard to make a more detailed estimation beyond that his finger length ratio can definitely be described as: ‘below average’.

Richard Nixon’s finger ratio:

Richard Nixon’s right hand waving photo shows that his ring finger is definitely longer than his index finger: ‘below average’ and close to 0.95-0.96.

Lyndon Johnson’s finger ratio:

Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration photo shows that lowest ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ of all presidential men – likely below 0.89.

Is finger ratio research misleading / deceptive?

This week Czech researchers presented a revision of their earlier reported results: “previously published results on the 2D:4D ratio are biased by its covariation with finger length”. But the Czech researchers also reported very explicitely: “We do not claim that the previous results for the finger length ratio are wrong”.

What can we conclude from the latests step in finger ratio research?

Are you tall, short, or got a small head?
Don’t forget to take a look at your fingers!

Recently Roger Dobson – author at MailOnline.co.uk presented an informative article with the title: ‘Tall, short – or got a small head? Here’s what your physique reveals about your health’. The article describes how various body dimensions – varying from body length to foot size – can indicate useful information about your risk of developing certain conditions, varying from cancer through to dementia & heart disease.
The continuation presents a quote from Roger Dobson’s article about the 2D:4D digit length ratio – the hand characterstic that has become very well-known in the past few years through the work and the 2 books of ‘the finger’ Professor John T. Manning

Roger Dobson wrote in his article about the hand:

“IF YOU HAVE LONG FINGERS

‘It has been suggested that autism may arise as the result of exposure to high concentrations of prenatal testosterone,’ say researchers at Liverpool University.”

Palmistry’s finger analogue: will the 2D:4D digit ratio become the new Chiromancy?

Chiromancy (cheiromancy), the notorious pseudoscience, has for two decades been creeping back into scientific favour. Is John T. Manning its new high priest?

The simplicity of the measure has inevitably launched a thousand research papers on hundreds of topics – including: heart attacks, breast cancer, running speed, football ability, sexual attraction, homosexuality, and schizophrenia.

‘The World’s Fastest Hand’ – research points out: long ring finger relates to a fast sprint!

The 2008 olympics in Beijing pointed out that Jamaican sprinter Usain Bold has the world’s FASTEST hand… ever!

How come that Jamaican sprinters run so fast? John Manning’s new finger research points out that a long ring finger (low 2D:4D ratio) relates to a fast sprint – other research indicates: Jamaicans have the longest ring finger!

Source: The world’s fastest hand: why Usain Bolt & other Jamaicans run faster!

Your five fingers relate to the Big Five of life: evolution, sports, behavior, diseases & your sex life:

John Manning is a professor at the University of Swansea and he wrote the book “The Finger Book”. Professor John Manning explains in his book how the ratio of the index finger and ring finger (= the ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ finger length) is related to the ‘Big five’ of life.