<p>Well, I definitely have a longer ring finger than index finger and I'm more verbal than mathematically inclined.... and I happen to have a photo of my daughter holding both hands up, fingers splayed, palms out -- and her ring finger is clearly longer than the index finger.... she is the one with the 580 on the SAT math --- leans very strong toward languages, borders on inept with math. Oh, and we are both very definitely heterosexual. </p>
<p>So basically I figure that study belongs in the pseudoscience trash bin..... I think that the shape of our hands has a lot more to do with genes than in utero testosterone levels. I have long tapering fingers, as does my son, daughter, & brother. The boys are more inclined toward math, we girls are more caught up in a world of words. None of us are physically aggressive and none of us are gay. </p>
<p>Oh, and I've got better science for my theory:
[quote]
Lead researcher Professor Tim Spector said: "The reasons for these findings are unclear.</p>
<p>"Previous studies have suggested the change in finger length was due to changes in testosterone levels in the womb but we also found that finger length was 70% heritable with little influence of the womb environment.</p>
<p>"This suggests that genes are the main factor and that finger length is a marker of your genes."</p>
<p>The ratio between the two fingers is fixed before birth and remains constant during life.</p>
<p>As this is the case, the researchers suggest that examining finger length may help to identify talented individuals at an early, pre-competitive stage.</p>
<p>No specific genes have yet been identified that control finger length.</p>
<p>Experts believe it is likely that multiple genes are responsible
[/quote]
Quoting Prof. Tim Spector of King's College -
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5382814.stm%5B/url%5D">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5382814.stm</a></p>
<p>See also: Variation and inheritance of relative length of index finger in man, Annals of Human Biology, Volume 4, Issue 5 September 1977 , pages 479 - 484 - <a href="http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content%7Econtent=a739350490%7Edb=all%5B/url%5D">http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a739350490~db=all</a></p>
<p>and:
[quote]
The gene for short second finger, S', is also sex-influenced (chapter 5, p.135) in its expression (like baldness). It is dominant in males and recessive in females. That is, while all S'S' individuals have short second fingers, S'S'' males show short second fingers and S'S'' females do not. The gene for long second finger, S'', is dominant in females.
[/quote]