Journal
EVOLUTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
Volume 22, Issue 1, Pages 61-69Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
DOI: 10.1016/S1090-5138(00)00063-5
Keywords
2nd : 4th digit ratio; sports ability; sexual selection
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Fetal and adult testosterone may be important in establishing and maintaining sex-dependent abilities associated with male physical competitiveness. There is evidence that the ratio of the length of the 2nd and 4th digits (2D:4D) is a negative correlate of prenatal and adult testosterone. We use ability in sports, and particularly ability in football, as a proxy for male physical competitiveness. Compared to males with high 2D:4D ratio, men with low ratio reported higher attainment in a range of sports and had higher mental rotation scores (a measure of visual-spatial ability). Professional football players had lower 2D:4D ratios than controls. Football players in Ist team squads had lower 2D:4D than reserves or youth team players. Men who had represented their country had lower ratios than those who had not, and there was a significant (one-tailed) negative association between 2D:4D and number of international appearances after the effect of country was removed. We suggest that prenatal and adult testosterone promotes the development and maintenance of traits which are useful in sports and athletics disciplines and in male:male fighting. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available