A large part of our body language is transmitted through our hands, which reveal what we do not say with words. President Donald Trump’s (small) movements are a recognizable feature. Now, a team of researchers from the Higher School of Economics (Russia) suggests that the length of the fingers can predict data as curious as the wealth of a person.
Previous studies have explored the relationship of the length between our index finger and the ring finger can reveal everything to us: from details about our health to properties of our physiology and personality. Thus, for example, the length of the ring finger indicates the amount of testosterone that was in the uterus when we were conceived ; if the ring finger is longer than the index finger, it is associated with an irresistible, attractive and aggressive personality; if the index finger is longer than the ring finger, it is associated with a person with leadership skills as well as ingenuity; if both fingers are the same length, it is associated with people with great communication skills.
In the new study, experts analyzed data from roughly 700 men and 900 women, ages 25 to 60, who participated in the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. The researchers measured the 2D (index): 4D (ring) ratio of each participant using an electronic caliper. Participants were asked to place their hands on a flat surface, palms up, and straighten their fingers to measure the length of the index and ring fingers of both hands, and they recorded the results. They also asked the participants about their income and financial situation.
The results revealed that the higher the salary, the lower the finger ratio. In women, there was a negative correlation between income and the 2D: 4D ratio, even after accounting for education level, employment, and age. This association was also seen in men, but only after taking their educational level into account.
The researchers note that the results obtained in men justify future research on broader and multidisciplinary topics, such as the connection between 2D: 4D and academic success, and the associations between the level of education and the 2D: 4D ratio.
Other studies
Previous research has observed that a lower ratio between the index and the ring finger can be a predictor of several traits ranging from monogamy to anxiety and depression.
A study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology found that men with a lower ratio between their index finger and ring finger were more likely to have a well-endowed penis. The shorter the ring finger, the longer the length of the penis . Another study published in the journal Behavioral Brain Research , observed that high levels of testosterone in the uterus (short index finger, longer ring finger) was related to an increased risk of developing diseases such as ADHD, Tourette Syndrome or autism ( which are more common in men). On the other hand, illnesses such as anxiety and depression are more frequent in women.
The study has been published in the journal Economics and Human Biology.
