Using Finger Digit Ratios (2D:4D) to Determine the Sex Differences in Empathising and Systemising Behaviours
Introduction
Foetal Testosterone (fT) has been suggested to indicate different sex behaviours and play a large part in shaping the human brain, for example, a ‘male’ systematic brain or even extreme masculine brain conditions such as Autism. Studies have suggested that ‘male foetuses produce 2.5 times more testosterone than females’ (Auyeung et al, 2006), and this testosterone has been linked to specific male behaviours, such as ‘systemising’. This is the ‘drive to analyse or construct systems’ (Auyeung et al, 2006) and is commonly thought of as a male behaviour/trait. Females who have been born with an overproduction of male hormones …show more content…
Trivers et al, (2005) suggested that the ‘patterns of finger digit growth contain the information of exposure to prenatal sex hormones’. Robinson and Manning also found that the 2D:4D ratio was ‘significantly higher in females than males and correlated positively with oestrogen but negatively with testosterone’ (Malas et al, 2005), providing evidence that the 2D:4D ratio worked. The digit ratio developments allowed for a far easier way to measure foetal testosterone within grown adults, therefore allowing systemising and empathising scores to be measured and correlated based off hormonal …show more content…
They also disclosed their sex and mean finger digit ratios for both left and right hands. The measurement of 2D:4D ratio was determined using a ruler of Calipers and three measurements were taken on each finger. This was to determine the most reliable and valid result. The independent variable was the sex and the dependent variables measured were results for the three questionnaires and the finger digit
Introduction
Foetal Testosterone (fT) has been suggested to indicate different sex behaviours and play a large part in shaping the human brain, for example, a ‘male’ systematic brain or even extreme masculine brain conditions such as Autism. Studies have suggested that ‘male foetuses produce 2.5 times more testosterone than females’ (Auyeung et al, 2006), and this testosterone has been linked to specific male behaviours, such as ‘systemising’. This is the ‘drive to analyse or construct systems’ (Auyeung et al, 2006) and is commonly thought of as a male behaviour/trait. Females who have been born with an overproduction of male hormones …show more content…
Trivers et al, (2005) suggested that the ‘patterns of finger digit growth contain the information of exposure to prenatal sex hormones’. Robinson and Manning also found that the 2D:4D ratio was ‘significantly higher in females than males and correlated positively with oestrogen but negatively with testosterone’ (Malas et al, 2005), providing evidence that the 2D:4D ratio worked. The digit ratio developments allowed for a far easier way to measure foetal testosterone within grown adults, therefore allowing systemising and empathising scores to be measured and correlated based off hormonal …show more content…
They also disclosed their sex and mean finger digit ratios for both left and right hands. The measurement of 2D:4D ratio was determined using a ruler of Calipers and three measurements were taken on each finger. This was to determine the most reliable and valid result. The independent variable was the sex and the dependent variables measured were results for the three questionnaires and the finger digit