The relationship among the digit ratio (2D:4D), physical activity, aggression and sensation seeking in mature and immature boys

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Sports Sciences, Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 M.Sc. in Sports Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shomal University, Amol, Iran

3 M.Sc. in Sports Sciences, Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Background: Digit ratio (2D:4D) is a marker of prenatal androgen exposure that has been associated with behavioral parameters. Individuals with low 2D:4D are more aggressive and tend to engage in more physical activity.
Aim: We examined the relationship between 2D:4D and physical activity, sensation seeking and aggression in mature and immature boys.
Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of Mazandaran male students aged 9 to 17 years in 2019-2020. The sample was 218 healthy, cluster randomly selected boys (13.77±2.4 y/o) from three schools with no health issues. 2D:4D digit ratio, physical activity, aggression, sensation seeking were measured. Pearson correlation analyzed variable associations. Significance was considered at P≤0.05.
Results: Low 2D:4D ratio was associated with higher physical activity (r≈-0.27), sensation seeking (r≈-0.3), and aggression (r≈-0.21), during childhood and adolescence (P<0.05). These relationships among right and left hand 2D:4D ratios with physical activity and sensation seeking remained consistent across maturity levels (P<0.05). Only immature boys had a significant association between 2D:4D ratios and aggression (r≈-0.29, P<0.05). Physical activity was positively associated with sensation seeking (r≈0.25, P<0.05), but not aggression in mature and immature boys.
Conclusion: Prenatal testosterone organizes boys' physical activity and behavioral parameters, influencing the later development of sensation-seeking and aggression and greater participation in physical activity. The study has limitations such as a small sample size and a self-report method for assessing aggression. Future research should focus on behavioral observation methods with larger sample sizes.

Keywords


[1] Mikac U, Buško V, Sommer W, Hildebrandt A. "Analysis of different sources of measurement error in determining second-to-fourth digit ratio, a potential indicator of perinatal sex hormones exposure". Review of Psychology. 2016; 23(1-2): 39-49. doi: 10.21465/rp0023.0004.

[2] Fink B, Neave N, Laughton K, Manning JT. "Second to fourth digit ratio and sensation seeking". Personality and Individual Differences. 2006; 41(7): 1253-62. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2006.05.002.

[3] Lutchmaya S, Baron-Cohen S, Raggatt P, Knickmeyer R, Manning JT. Lutchmaya S, Baron-Cohen S, Raggatt P, Knickmeyer R, Manning JT. "2nd to 4th digit ratios, fetal testosterone and estradiol". Early Human Development. 2004; 77(1-2): 23-8. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2003.12.002.

[4] Ventura T, Gomes MC, Pita A, Neto MT, Taylor A. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) in newborns: influences of prenatal testosterone and maternal environment". Early Human Development. 2013; 89(2): 107-12. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2012.08.009.

[5] Nave G, Koppin CM, Manfredi D, Richards G, Watson SJ, Geffner ME, Yong JE, Kim R, Ross HM, Serrano-Gonzalez M, Kim MS. "No evidence for a difference in 2D: 4D ratio between youth with elevated prenatal androgen exposure due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia and controls". Hormones and Behavior. 2021; 128: 104908. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104908.

[6] Richards G, Browne WV, Constantinescu M. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) and amniotic testosterone and estradiol: An attempted replication of Lutchmaya et al. (2004)". Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease. 2021; 12(6): 859-64. doi: 10.1017/S2040174420001294.

[7] Morris JA, Jordan CL, Breedlove SM. "Sexual differentiation of the vertebrate nervous system". Nature Neuroscience. 2004; 7(10): 1034-9. doi: 10.1038/nn1325.

[8] Fink B, Manning JT, Neave N. "Second to fourth digit ratio and the ‘big five’ personality factors". Personality and Individual Differences. 2004; 37(3): 495-503. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2003.09.018.

[9] Perez KL, Boisvert DL, Cooke EM, Connolly EJ, Wells J, Lewis RH, Woeckener M, Armstrong TA. "The association between the 2D: 4D ratio and psychopathic characteristics". Heliyon. 2022; 8(12): e12171.

[10] Motlagh FZ, Jouybari TA, Jalilian F, Alavijeh MM, Aghaei A, Shirazi KK. "The prevalence and factors associated with aggression among adolescences of Yasuj, Iran". Health System Research. 2013; 9(3): 312-9. http://hsr.mui.ac.ir/article-1-606-en.html.

[11] Vigil P, Del Rio JP, Carrera B, Aranguiz FC, Rioseco H, Cortés ME. "Influence of sex steroid hormones on the adolescent brain and behavior: An update". The Linacre Quarterly. 2016; 83(3): 308-29. doi: 10.1080/00243639.2016.1211863.

[12] Bailey AA, Hurd PL. "Digit length ratio (2D: 4D) correlates with physical aggression in men but not in women". Biological Psychology. 2005; 68(3): 215-22. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2004.05.001.

[13] Butovskaya M, Burkova V, Karelin D, Fink B. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D), aggression, and dominance in the Hadza and the Datoga of Tanzania". American Journal of Human Biology. 2015; 27(5): 620-7. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22718.

[14] Butovskaya M, Burkova V, Karelin D, Filatova V. "The association between 2D: 4D ratio and aggression in children and adolescents: cross-cultural and gender differences". Early Human Development. 2019; 137: 104823. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.07.006.

[15] Babarro I, Andiarena A, Fano E, García-Baquero G, Lebeña A, Arranz-Freijo EB, Ibarluzea J. "Do prepubertal hormones, 2D: 4D index and psychosocial context jointly explain 11-year-old preadolescents’ involvement in bullying?". Biological Psychology. 2022; 172: 108379. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108379.

[16] Turanovic JJ, Pratt TC, Piquero AR. "Exposure to fetal testosterone, aggression, and violent behavior: A meta-analysis of the 2D: 4D digit ratio". Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2017; 33: 51-61. doi: 10.1016/j.avb.2017.01.008.

[17] Hilgard J, Engelhardt CR, Rouder JN, Segert IL, Bartholow BD. "Null effects of game violence, game difficulty, and 2D: 4D digit ratio on aggressive behavior". Psychological Science. 2019; 30(4): 606-16. doi: 10.1177/0956797619829688.

[18] Joyner B, Beaver KM. "Evaluating the potential association between prenatal exposure to testosterone and criminal involvement and criminogenic traits". American Journal of Criminal Justice. 2021; 46: 232-49. doi: 10.1007/s12103-020-09542-4.

[19] Voracek M, Tran US, Dressler SG. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) and sensation seeking: New data and meta-analysis". Personality and Individual Differences. 2010; 48(1): 72-7. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2009.08.019.

[20] Campbell BC, Dreber A, Apicella CL, Eisenberg DT, Gray PB, Little AC, Garcia JR, Zamore RS, Lum JK. "Testosterone exposure, dopaminergic reward, and sensation-seeking in young men". Physiology & Behavior. 2010; 99(4): 451-6. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.12.011.

[21] Kerschbaum HH, Ruemer M, Weisshuhn S, Klimesch W. "Gender-dependent differences in sensation seeking and social interaction are correlated with saliva testosterone titre in adolescents". Neuroendocrinology Letters. 2006; 27(3): 315-20. PMID: 16807524 NEL270306A04.

[22] Ranson R, Stratton G, Taylor SR. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) and physical fitness (Eurofit test battery) in school children". Early Human Development. 2015; 91(5): 327-31. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.03.005.

[23] Hönekopp J, Manning JT, Müller C. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) and physical fitness in males and females: Evidence for effects of prenatal androgens on sexually selected traits". Hormones and Behavior. 2006; 49(4): 545-9. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.11.006.

[24] Crewther BT, Pastuszak A, Sadowska D, Górski M, Cook CJ. "The digit ratio (2D: 4D) and testosterone co-predict vertical jump performance in athletic boys: Evidence of organizational and activational effects of testosterone on physical fitness". Physiology & Behavior. 2022; 251: 113816. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113816.

[25] Peeters MW, Van Aken K, Claessens AL. "The left hand second to fourth digit ratio (2D: 4D) is not related to any physical fitness component in adolescent girls". PloS One. 2013; 8(4): e59766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059766.

[26] Koziel S, Kociuba M, Chakraborty R, Ignasiak Z. "Physical fitness and digit ratio (2D: 4D) in male students from Wrocław, Poland". Collegium Antropologicum. 2017; 41(1): 31-7. https://hrcak.srce.hr/180637.

[27] Pasanen BE, Tomkinson JM, Dufner TJ, Park CW, Fitzgerald JS, Tomkinson GR. "The relationship between digit ratio (2D: 4D) and muscular fitness: A systematic review and meta‐analysis". American Journal of Human Biology. 2022; 34(3): e23657. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23657.

[28] Tso MK, Rowland B, Toumbourou JW, Guadagno BL. "Overweight or obesity associations with physical aggression in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis". International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2018; 42(1): 116-31. doi: 10.1177/0165025417690265.

[29] Visnapuu M, Jürimäe T. "Handgrip strength and hand dimensions in young handball and basketball players". The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2007; 21(3): 923-9. doi: 10.1519/15334287(2007)21[923:HSAHDI]2.0.CO;2.

[30] Rabbani A, Noorian S, Fallah JS, Setoudeh A, Sayarifard F, Abbasi F. "Reliability of pubertal self assessment method: an Iranian study". Iranian Journal of Pediatrics. 2013; 23(3): 327. PMID: 23795257; PMCID: PMC3684479.

[31] Amirkhanloo A, Dousti Y, Donyavi R. "Comparing the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy with emotional intelligence training on reducing aggression among adolescents with conduct disorder". 2022; 9(1): 25-35. doi: 10.22037/ch.v9i1.31323.

[32] Rezazadeh M, Nazarzadeh F, Aghamohammadian-Sha’arbaf HR, Karshki H. "Investigate the Relationship between sensation seeking and self-regulation in normal and delinquent boys in Mashhad, Iran". Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. 2015; 22(6): 705-16. https://jkmu.kmu.ac.ir/article_16072.html.

[33] http://ijem.sbmu.ac.ir/article-1-1404-en.html.

[34] Crocker PR, Bailey DA, Faulkner RA, Kowalski KC, McGrath R. "Measuring general levels of physical activity: Preliminary evidence for the physical activity questionnaire for older children". Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 1997; 29(10): 1344-9. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199710000-00011.

[35] Hönekopp J, Schuster M. "A meta-analysis on 2D: 4D and athletic prowess: Substantial relationships but neither hand out-predicts the other". Personality and Individual Differences. 2010; 48(1): 4-10. doi :10.1016/j.paid.2009.08.009.

[36] Stoyanov Z, Marinov M, Pashalieva I. "Digit length ratio (2D: 4D) in left-and right-handed males". International Journal of Neuroscience. 2009; 119(7): 1006-13. doi:10.1080/03008200802323883.

[37] Tomkinson JM, Tomkinson GR. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D) and muscular strength in adolescent boys". Early Human Development. 2017; 113:7-9. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2017.07.013.

[38] Kociuba M, Kozieł S, Chakraborty R, Ignasiak Z. "Sports preference and digit ratio (2D: 4D) among female students in Wrocław, Poland". Journal of Biosocial Science. 2017; 49(5): 623-33. doi: 10.1017/S0021932016000523.

[39] Ramos S, García A, Ayala F, Álzate D, Aguirre-Loaiza H. "Variation of digit ratio (2D: 4D) in athletes and differences with sports groups. Journal of Sport & Health Research. 2022; 14(3): 453-464. doi: 10.58727/jshr.87631.

[40] de Dios Benítez-Sillero J, Corredor-Corredor D, Portela-Pino I, Raya-González J. "Relationships between birth weight, breastfeeding and digit ratio with physical activity and physical fitness in school adolescents". Kinesiology. 2022; 54(2): 316-24. doi: 10.26582/k.54.2.13.

[41] Austin EJ, Manning JT, McInroy K, Mathews E. "A preliminary investigation of the associations between personality, cognitive ability and digit ratio". Personality and Individual Differences. 2002; 33(7): 1115-24. doi: 10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00002-8.

[42] Weisman O, Pelphrey KA, Leckman JF, Feldman R, Lu Y, Chong A, Chen Y, Monakhov M, Chew SH, Ebstein RP. "The association between 2D: 4D ratio and cognitive empathy is contingent on a common polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR rs53576)". Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2015; 58: 23-32. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.007.

[43] Lynne-Landsman SD, Graber JA, Nichols TR, Botvin GJ. "Is sensation seeking a stable trait or does it change over time?". Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 2011; 40: 48-58. doi: 10.1007/s10964-010-9529-2.

[44] Wilkinson AV, Gabriel KP, Wang J, Bondy ML, Dong Q, Wu X, Shete S, Spitz MR. "Sensation‐seeking genes and physical activity in youth". Genes, Brain and Behavior. 2013; 12(2): 181-8. doi: 10.1111/gbb.12006.

[45] Minkwitz J, Chittka T, Schuster S, Kirkby KC, Sander C, Hegerl U, Himmerich H. "Sensation seeking and physical activity". Health Behavior and Policy Review. 2016; 3(6): 528-34. doi: 10.14485/HBPR.3.6.2.

[46] Jago R, Brockman R, Fox KR, Cartwright K, Page AS, Thompson JL. "Friendship groups and physical activity: qualitative findings on how physical activity is initiated and maintained among 10–11 year old children". International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2009; 6(1): 1-9. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-6-4.

[47] Pratt TC, Turanovic JJ, Cullen FT. "Revisiting the criminological consequences of exposure to fetal testosterone: A meta‐analysis of the 2D: 4D digit ratio". Criminology. 2016; 54(4): 587-620. doi: 10.1111/1745-9125.12115.

[48] Kilduff LP, Hopp RN, Cook CJ, Crewther BT, Manning JT. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D), aggression, and testosterone in men exposed to an aggressive video stimulus". Evolutionary Psychology. 2013; 11(5): 147470491301100502. doi: 10.1177/147470491301100502.

[49] Ribeiro Jr E, Neave N, Morais RN, Kilduff L, Taylor SR, Butovskaya M, Fink B, Manning JT. "Digit ratio (2D: 4D), testosterone, cortisol, aggression, personality and hand-grip strength: Evidence for prenatal effects on strength". Early Human Development. 2016; 100: 21-5. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2016.04.003.

[50] Fite PJ, Vitulano M. "Proactive and reactive aggression and physical activity". Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment. 2011; 33: 11-8. doi: 10.1007/s10862-010-9193-6.

[51] Ubago-Jiménez JL, Cepero-González M, Martínez-Martínez A, Chacón-Borrego F. "Linking emotional intelligence, physical activity and aggression among undergraduates". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(23): 12477. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312477.