Testosterone and finger length

[Brad Reddekopp]

I just heard about this recently but, apparently, it's been known for a while. If you're male, the difference between the length of your index finger and your ring finger says something about how much testosterone you were exposed to in the womb. In most men, the ring finger is longer than the index finger and the greater the difference between the two, the more testosterone you were exposed to in the womb -- and, presumably, the more masculine you are. Wikipedia has an article on it here. They call it the 2D:4D ratio, with a lower ratio referring to how much shorter your index finger is than your ring finger.

A 2003 study found that men with a lower 2D:4D ratio tend to be more physically aggressive but the ratio in women didn't seem to make any difference in aggression. That study abstract is here.


At first, I thought, well, that's interesting. Then I thought, oh great. Now guys are going to get competitive about digit ratios. They're going to start checking out each others' fingers. Some guys are going to look surreptitiously while others are going to come right out and ask you about your fingers. Some guys are going to wear mittens so you can't see while others will wear gloves that expose only the index finger, making it look smaller. I suppose it's only a matter of time until plastic surgeons start offering ring finger implants.


And, yes, my index finger is shorter than my ring finger.

[Bones]

Not as much as mine! My 4d:2d ratio is fucking huge!

[Brad Reddekopp]

Not possible.

[Bones]

Well, it could be, relatively speaking. But no, it's not really. Perhaps this ratio could explain why I'm a whole lot better at numbers than at reading comprehension http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_o ... ddab8752b9 , and hopefully it will result in making me more money http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... =pmcentrez .

A far more controversial topic might be the inverse ratio of intelligence and the size of genitalia http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/i ... mic-racism http://www.pioneerfund.org/Controversies.html

What do you think? Real or racist?

[Brad Reddekopp]

A far more controversial topic

Yeah, but not as funny.

[vertigo]

Mine are the same length, so what does that mean?

[Bones]

Lol

[Brad Reddekopp]

Mine are the same length, so what does that mean?

According to the articles I was looking at, it indicates you were exposed to less testosterone in the womb than most men and that you probably tend to be less physically aggressive than most men.

[vertigo]

Mine are the same length, so what does that mean?

According to the articles I was looking at, it indicates you were exposed to less testosterone in the womb than most men and that you probably tend to be less physically aggressive than most men.

Thanks for explaining that. I was wondering what the limit is, if some men have longer index fingers. Perhaps I'm near the bottom, almost not sensitive to androgens. Mike Tyson must have had two little fingers.