WurdBendur wrote:
Yes, it's mentioned in this article too. It says that those on the spectrum tend to have a ring finger that's shorter than their index finger. This is the case on my right hand, but not my left.
This ratio (2D:4D ratio) has been a pretty popular subject of study recently, with attempts to link it to things like gender role and sexual orientation. Apparently the more masculine condition has a ratio near 1 or lower (equal length or shorter index finger), and the more feminine condition has a higher ratio (shorter ring finger). It's supposed to have something to do with testosterone, I guess, though this seems to be at odds with what's known about autism.
It's also supposed to be related to various talents including mathematical and musical abilities among others that are often associated with ASD.
Bolding's mine.
But I've read exactly the opposite - that people with autism tend to have "ring fingers that are abnormally long compared with their index fingers":
The Economist
Both my ring fingers are considerably longer than my index fingers:
- 6mm of difference, if I measure each one from beginning to end
- 1 cm. longer (1.2 cm longer, if we get rigorous) is the (vertical) distance between the tip of my index finger and the tip of my ring finger
But I knew that even before measuring them, it's that obvious.
However, how does one measure the "ratio" (2D:4D)?
Last edited by hadapurpura on 10 Feb 2008, 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.