TY - JOUR
PY - 2019//
TI - The association between 2D:4D ratio and aggression in children and adolescents: cross-cultural and gender differences
JO - Early human development
A1 - Butovskaya, M.
A1 - Burkova, V.
A1 - Karelin, D.
A1 - Filatova, V.
SP - e104823
EP - e104823
VL - 137
IS -
N2 - BACKGROUND: Two recent meta-analyses have suggested the association between digit ratio (2D:4D) and aggression is weak. This conclusion has been criticised because the meta-analyses conflate forms of aggression that show strong sex differences with those that do not, and most studies have considered post-pubertal participants. AIMS: We test the influence of 2D:4D and ethnicity in the expression of aggression in children and adolescents in four ethnic groups of European and African origin. STUDY DESIGN: Buss and Perry aggression questionnaire. Direct measurement of the 2nd and 4th digits. SUBJECTS: 1296 children and adolescents from Tanzania and Russia from 4 ethnic groups - Datoga, Meru, Russians, Tatars.
RESULTS: There were ethnic and gender differences in ratings on aggression with boys consistently reporting more physical aggression. In all four samples right 2D:4D was significantly lower in boys, compared to girls. With regard to our total sample of boys, the right 2D:4D was significantly and negatively associated with self-ratings on physical aggression, but no association was found for left 2D:4D. No associations between 2D:4D and physical aggression were found for girls. Hostility was negatively correlated with 2D:4D for boys, and anger was positively correlated with 2D:4D in girls.
CONCLUSION: Sex differences were strongest for right 2D:4D (boysgirls). Right 2D:4D was negatively related to physical aggression in boys only, suggesting possible relationship to prenatal androgenization.
Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V. Language: en
LA - en
SN - 0378-3782
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.07.006
ID - ref1
ER -