Second to fourth digit ratio and male ability in sport: implications for sexual selection in humans
Section snippets
Study I
The participants were 128 men recruited from libraries and sports centres. Many were university students. Participants who reported injuries to their 2nd and/or 4th digits were excluded from the study. The length of the right and left 2nd and 4th digits was measured from the crease proximal to the palm to the tip of the digit. Vernier callipers, measuring to 0.01 mm, were used. The 2nd and 4th digits from 50 hands and 50 subjects were measured twice.
Subjects ranked their competitive level in
Study I
The repeatability of the 2D:4D ratio was high (r1=.93) and the differences between subjects greater than the measurement error (repeated measures ANOVA, F=29.96, P=.0001). We therefore concluded that our measurements reflected real between-subject differences in 2D:4D ratio.
The participants practiced seven sports (running 45% of the sample, football 14%, martial arts 10%, rugby 8%, tennis or squash 8%, swimming 7% and hockey 5%), while there were three subjects (2%) who practiced no sport.
Discussion
We have found that low 2D:4D ratio is associated with a high level of attainment across a number of sports and also with high mental rotation scores. Professional football players had lower 2D:4D ratios than controls; 1st team players had lower ratios than youth team members or reserves; international players had lower 2D:4D ratios than those who have not yet represented their Country; and in a one-tailed test, 2D:4D ratio was negatively related to number of international appearances after the
Acknowledgements
For permission to measure, we thank the Football Clubs and The Football League. Thanks also to our participants who generously gave their time.
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