2D:4D digit ratio and religiosity in university student and general population samples

Richards, Gareth, Davies, William ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7714-2440, Stewart-Williams, Steve, Bellin, Wynford and Reed, Phil 2018. 2D:4D digit ratio and religiosity in university student and general population samples. Transpersonal Psychology Review 20 (1) , pp. 23-36.

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Abstract

The ratio of index to ring finger length (2D:4D) is used as a proxy for prenatal sex hormone exposure. It has been hypothesised to correlate with religiosity, though no published research has explored this possibility. Here, we initially examined 2D:4D in relation to self-reported religious affiliation and questionnaire measures of general religiosity, spirituality, religious fundamentalism, and religious commitment in male (N = 106) and female (N = 105) university students (Study 1). Although no significant correlations were observed between 2D:4D and the questionnaire measures, females who affiliated with organised religions had higher right and left hand digit ratios compared to agnostic or atheist females. Study 2 attempted to replicate these findings in an adult general population sample (N = 172 males, N = 257 females), but did not observe significant effects in either sex. Overall, these findings suggest that high 2D:4D may be relatively-specifically associated with increased religious affiliation in young, highly-educated, females.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics (CNGG) Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI) Psychology
Additional Information:	This is a prepublication version of the following article Richards, Gareth, Davies, William, Stewart-Williams, Steve, Bellin, Wynford and Reed, Phil 2018. 2D:4D digit ratio and religiosity in university student and general population samples. Transpersonal Psychology Review 20 (1) , pp. 23-36.
Publisher:	British Psychological Society
Funders:	European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association; Experimental Psychology Society; Medical Research Council
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 March 2018
Date of Acceptance:	12 March 2018
Last Modified:	24 Nov 2024 14:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/109852

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