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2D: 4D Ratio

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The Effect of the 2D:4D Ratio on Fitness Is there a relationship between the 2D:4D digit ratio and human characteristics? The 2D:4D ratio is the length of the second finger divided by the length of the fourth finger (Hönekopp and Schuster 4). Many scholars have conducted studies to find relationships between this digit ratio and other traits. Bailey and Hurd found that a smaller digit ratio correlates to higher levels of prenatal testosterone which later in life has been found to lead to increased physical aggression in adult men (219). Kangassalo, Pölkki, and Rantala observed that non-heterosexual individuals had higher digit ratios than heterosexual individuals (505). In a study conducted by Kornhuber et al., they found that the ratio corresponds …show more content…

For instance, Kilduff, Cook, and Manning found that the smaller the 2D:4D ratio the greater the athletic performance of male surfers. Azam and Park report that there was no significant correlation between the digit ratio in South Korean children, aged 8 to 11, and their physical fitness level, except for during the 15 metre shuttle run and the sit and reach test (109). Manning and Hill studied the sprinting speed in boys and found that boys with a smaller 2D:4D ratio on average ran faster than boys with a larger digit ratio. They concluded that running speed could be the factor influencing the results of physical success in sports and the relationship to the digit ratio (212). Most sports tested in these studies, such as soccer, football, and rugby, require running as an integral component (Manning and Hill 212). Running speed is found to have the strongest relationship with the digit ratio, compared to other physical tests, such as strength (Manning and Hill 210). Similarly, Ranson, Stratton, and Taylor discovered that boys with smaller digit ratios scored higher on sprints and shuttle runs, but there was no pattern identified with the digit ratio and the standing broad jump (330). This relates to Hill and his colleagues findings that a smaller 2D:4D ratio corresponds to a greater maximum oxygen intake therefore causing the individual to have greater success in sports that require aerobic endurance, as opposed to sports requiring strength (Hill et al.

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