Finger Length Key to Aggression
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James Joyner | Friday, March 4, 2005 |
Finger length ‘key to aggression’ (BBC)
The length of a man’s fingers can reveal how physically aggressive he is, Canadian scientists have said. The shorter the index finger is compared to the ring finger, the more boisterous he will be, University of Alberta researchers said. But the same was not true for verbal aggression or hostile behaviours, they told the journal Biological Psychology after studying 300 people’s fingers.
The trend is thought to be linked to testosterone exposure in the womb.
Interesting. My ring finger my left hand is substantially longer than my index finger, but only slightly so on my right hand.
My middle fingers are much longer than either, though, which is very helpful in negotiating Beltway traffic.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Maybe the Canadian Scientists can explain the beltway traffic behavior through a "nature vs. nurture" invistigation. Are Canadians - nurtured in the caring Canadian culture - less likely to rely on thier middle fingers in negotiating traffic?
my middle fingers are much longer than either, though, which is very helpful in negotiating Beltway traffic.
Ha, ... or at least helpful in editorializing on others' abilities to negotiate the Beltway traffic.
"Are Canadians â nurtured in the caring Canadian culture â less likely to rely on thier middle fingers in negotiating traffic?"
Probably not in parts of Toronto or Montreal :P
This sounds like "atavism" (I think that's the name), back in the day, which assserted that a person's criminality could be determine by feeling the shape of his skull.
That was disproven, and I have a feeling this will eventually be disproven too (though no certainity). It would be interesting to see us go back to trying to explain this stuff physiologically.
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