Dataset Information

How well does second-to-fourth-digit ratio in hands correlate with other indications of masculinity in males?

ABSTRACT: Low second-to-fourth-digit (2D:4D) ratios in hands have previously been used as a proxy for prenatal testosterone levels. Moreover, it has recently been suggested that prenatal testosterone levels may direct future masculinization. If true, 2D:4D ratios should negatively correlate with traits in males that are developed and maintained by testosterone at puberty such as facial and body masculinity and testes volume. We failed to find significant correlations between 2D:4D ratios and these traits.

SUBMITTER: Koehler N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1810055 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

How well does second-to-fourth-digit ratio in hands correlate with other indications of masculinity in males?

Koehler Nicole N Simmons Leigh W LW Rhodes Gillian G

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20040801

Low second-to-fourth-digit (2D:4D) ratios in hands have previously been used as a proxy for prenatal testosterone levels. Moreover, it has recently been suggested that prenatal testosterone levels may direct future masculinization. If true, 2D:4D ratios should negatively correlate with traits in males that are developed and maintained by testosterone at puberty such as facial and body masculinity and testes volume. We failed to find significant correlations between 2D:4D ratios and these traits. ...[more]

PMID: 15503999

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectivesTo explore whether random chance, weak research methodology, or inappropriate reporting can lead to claims of statistically significant (yet, biologically meaningless) biomarker associations, using as a model the relation between a common surrogate of prenatal testosterone exposure, second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), and a random indicator of good luck.DesignCross sectional study.SettingUniversity sports performance laboratory in the United States. Data were collected from May 2015 to February 2017.Participants176 adults (74 women, 102 men), including university students, faculty, and staff with no history of injuries, disease, or medical conditions that would affect digit length.Main outcome measures2D:4D, body composition parameters potentially influenced by androgens (bone mineral content, bone mineral density, body fat percentage), and good luck (using poker hands from randomly selected playing cards as a surrogate).Results2D:4D significantly correlated with select body composition parameters (Spearman's r s range -0.26 to 0.23; P<0.05), but the correlations varied by sex, participant hand measured, and the method of measuring 2D:4D (by photocopy or radiography). However, the strongest correlation observed was between right hand 2D:4D in men measured by radiograph and poker hand rank (r s=0.28, P=0.004).ConclusionsGreater prenatal exposure to testosterone, as estimated by a lower 2D:4D, significantly increases good luck in adulthood, and also modulates body composition (albeit to a lesser degree). While these findings are consistent with a wealth of research reporting that 2D:4D is related to many seemingly disparate outcomes, they are not meant to provide confirmatory evidence that 2D:4D is a universal biomarker of nearly everything. Instead, the associations between 2D:4D and good luck are simply due to chance, and provide a "handy" example of the reproducibility crisis within medical and scientific research. Biologically sound hypotheses, pre-registration of trials, strong methodological and statistical analyses, transparent reporting of negative results, and unbiased interpretation of data are all necessary for biomarker studies and other areas of clinical research.

Dataset Information

How well does second-to-fourth-digit ratio in hands correlate with other indications of masculinity in males?

Publications

How well does second-to-fourth-digit ratio in hands correlate with other indications of masculinity in males?

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets