Your finger length, handedness & chirality! (part2)

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.” “We replicated a significant association between right 2D:4D and writing hand preference (low right 2D:4D associated with left hand preference) as well as a significant correlation between writing hand preference and the difference between left and right 2D:4D or Dr-l (low Dr-l associated with left hand preference).” “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

US Presidents usually have a low 2D:4D finger ratio!

Barack Obama. George W. Bush. Bill Clinton. George H.W. Bush. Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter. Gerald Ford. Richard Nixon. Lyndon Johnson.

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.

CONCLUSION:

Five out of the last nine US presidents (Obama, G.W. Bush, Reagan, Carter & Johnson) have a very low digit ratio – close to 0.90 or even lower!

Only in Clinton’s right hand the ‘2D:4D finger ratio’ can be described as normal.

SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING:

• Famous hands: the hand of celebrities!
• More news reports related tothe  ‘2D:4D digit ratio’
• The hands of Barack Obama: his finger length
• What does the hand of a celebrity reveal?

How your finger length relates to your body height!

Finger length appears to be related to body height.

Finger length relates to body height: Earlier this year a Turkish study reported that in a sample of 386 right handed students, body height was found to correlate negatively with the right- and left hand digit ratios (significant for the left hand in men, and the right hand in women). This implicates that in both males and females evidence was found that a ‘low digit ratio’ is more frequently found in people who has a long body height.

SOME ADDITIONAL POPULATION EVIDENCE: ‘Finger Guru’ John T. Manning presented in his first book Digit Ratio an overview of data related to the ‘digit ratio’ in various populations. This data (Manning, Barley, et al.; 2000) points out that e.g. in Spanish & British people (both populations for both men and women) a significant HIGHER ‘2D:4D digit ratio’ (the ratio between the index- and ring finger) was found, compared to for example the finger ratios in Finish & German people (again in both populations for both men and women). Interestingly, especially Spanish people, and in a lesser degree British people as well, are known for their (relatively) short body height – while Germans & Fins are known for their moderelately longer body height (compared to the Spanish & British): see the figure below. This implicates that there appears to be a strong link between the Turkish study which was published in 2008, and the earlier population evidence mentioned by Manning!! READ FURTHER ABOUT FINGER LENGTH & VARIOUS POPULATIONS: Height, digit ratio and sex differences The finger book 7 Milestones in the history of finger length research Finger & digit ratio news More hand news