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Without pointing any fingers , a new study suggests a way to take the measure of tough characters .
The inquiry , done at the University of Alberta and announced Wednesday , chance a connection between the length of the manly index finger relative to the anchor ring fingerbreadth and the trend to be aggressive .
Finger Length Predicts Aggression in Men
No such connection was establish in women .
scientist have know for more than a C that the finger - length proportion differs between men and woman . Recently , scientist found a link betweenfinger lengthsand the amount of testosterone that a fetus was expose to in the uterus : the shorter the index finger relative to the doughnut finger , the higher the amount of prenatal testosterone .
The new study found such a fetus is more likely to be a physically aggressive grownup , according to Peter Hurd and his graduate student Allison Bailey .
Hurd says he first think the idea was " a pile of hooey , " but he changed his creative thinker when he see the data , which is published in the March return of the journalBiological Psychology .
While the report finds a connector , fingerbreadth ratios only foretell conduct a small percentage of the time , the researchers monish . The inquiry was establish on sketch and hand measure of 300 undergrads at the university .
Other study have show that polish and upbringing regard tendency toward violence . Exposure to violent television has also been tie to violent behavior afterwards in life . Hurd pronounce the raw study support other research that propose biological science plays a role .
" More than anything , I think the findings reenforce and underscore that a large part of our personalities and our traits are determined while we ’re still in the uterus , " Hurd said . The connection was found only with physically strong-growing behaviour , not with verbal aggression or other forms of ill will .
A 2003 report inChemical & Engineering News , a hebdomadal newsmagazine published by the American Chemical Society , say " blemished brain chemistry , brainiac damage , genetic defects , an unhealthy psychological environment " all give to violent behavior .
Another written report by Hurd , to be published in the journalPersonality and Individual Differences , chance that men with more womanly finger ratios are more prone to depression .
" Finger lengths explain about 5 pct of the variation in these personality measures , so enquiry like this wo n’t allow you to draw off finish about specific multitude . For example , you would n’t require to screen people for certain jobs based on their fingerbreadth length , " Hurd said . " But finger duration can you tell you a little bit about where personality comes from , and that ’s what we are continue to explore . "
Hurd plans to mensurate the digits of hockey players next .
