Is Palm Reading for Real?

Hundreds of studies have shown that the ratio of index-finger to ring-finger length correlates with many traits. Most researchers believe that this is because the ring finger’s length indicates prenatal testosterone exposure, which is known to have a lasting influence. Compared with a man who has a shorter ring finger, a man whose ring finger is longer than his index finger is likely to have a more attractive face, greater athletic talent, a longer penis and—perhaps not coincidentally—more children. A male whose index fingers are longer, meanwhile, is more prone to schizophrenia and early heart disease. Then again, he is less likely to be autistic or to have ADHD. Digit ratio may even reveal something about a person’s propensity for self-control: research inspired by the famous “marshmallow study”—which measured preschoolers’ ability to delay gratification—found that kids with longer index than ring fingers were more likely to resist temptation.

From “Palm Reading is Real?” by Eleanor Smith for The Atlantic, 2015; Photo from RetroRoadsidePhoto

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