Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations
Article
Watts, T. M., Holmes, L., Raines, J., Orbell, S. and Rieger, G. 2018. Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 47 (8), p. 2435–2444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-z
Authors | Watts, T. M., Holmes, L., Raines, J., Orbell, S. and Rieger, G. |
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Abstract | A proposed marker of prenatal androgen exposure is the ratio of the index finger to ring finger (2D:4D). Within each sex, this ratio may be lower for those who were exposed to higher levels of androgens and become attracted to women, as compared to those who were exposed to lower levels of androgens and become attracted to men. We examined these patterns in identical twins with discordant sexual orientations. Because these twins are enetically identical, differences in prenatal androgen exposure, as reflected in their different finger length ratios, might contribute to their discordance. For 18 female twin pairs, nonstraight (bisexual or lesbian) twins had significantly lower, or more masculinized, 2D:4D ratios than their straight co-twins, but only in the left hand. For 14 male pairs, non-straight twins had, contrary to our prediction, more masculinized finger length ratios than straight cotwins, but this difference was not significant. A reanalysis of present and previous data (Hall & Love, 2003; Hiraishi, Sasaki, Shikishima, & Ando, 2012) suggested that these patterns were robust. Furthermore, males had more masculinized 2D:4D ratios than females. This sex difference did not vary by sexual orientation. |
Keywords | sexual orientation; sexual differentiation; finger length ratio; 2D:4D; twins |
Journal | Archives of Sexual Behavior |
Journal citation | 47 (8), p. 2435–2444 |
ISSN | 0004-0002 |
Year | 2018 |
Publisher | Springer for International Academy of Sex Research |
Accepted author manuscript | License File Access Level Anyone |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-z |
Web address (URL) | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-z |
Publication dates | |
Online | 05 Jul 2018 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 19 Jun 2018 |
Deposited | 27 Jan 2020 |
Funder | American Institute of Bisexuality |
Copyright holder | © 2018 Springer |
Copyright information | This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Archives of Sexual Behavior. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-018-1262-z. |
https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/8785x
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Accepted author manuscript
Finger Length Ratios of Identical Twins with Discordant Sexual Orientations.pdf | ||
License: Springer Nature Terms of Use for accepted manuscripts of subscription articles, books and chapters | ||
File access level: Anyone |
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