Screen Readers Skip to Content

What a Mans Finger Size Says About Him

Author: McGill University
Published: 18th Feb 2015 - Updated: 9th Feb 2016
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Additional References: Male Dating and Romance Publications

Summary: Study finds link between relative lengths of index and ring fingers in men and behavior towards women.


Main Document

Maybe you should take a good look at your partner's fingers before putting a ring on one. Men with short index fingers and long ring fingers are on average nicer towards women, and this unexpected phenomenon stems from the hormones these men have been exposed to in their mother's womb, according to a new study by researchers at McGill University. The findings might help explain why these men tend to have more children. The study, showing a link between a biological event in fetal life and adult behaviour, was published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences.

Men's index fingers are generally shorter than their ring fingers. The difference is less pronounced in women. Previous research has found that digit ratio - defined as the second digit length divided by the fourth digit length - is an indication of the amount of male hormones, chiefly testosterone, someone has been exposed to as a fetus: the smaller the ratio, the more male hormones. The McGill study suggests that this has an impact on how adult men behave, especially with women.

"It is fascinating to see that moderate variations of hormones before birth can actually influence adult behaviour in a selective way," says Simon Young, a McGill Emeritus Professor in Psychiatry and coauthor of the study.

Smiles and compliments

Several studies have been conducted previously to try to assess the impact of digit ratio on adult behaviour. This one is the first to highlight how finger lengths affect behaviour differently depending on the sex of the person you are interacting with. "When with women, men with smaller ratios were more likely to listen attentively, smile and laugh, compromise or compliment the other person," says Debbie Moskowitz, lead author and Professor of Psychology at McGill. They acted that way in sexual relationships, but also with female friends or colleagues. These men were also less quarrelsome with women than with men, whereas the men with larger ratios were equally quarrelsome with both. For women though, digit ratio variation did not seem to predict how they behaved, the researchers report.

Digit ratio and children

For 20 days, 155 participants in the study filled out forms for every social interaction that lasted 5 minutes or more, and checked off a list of behaviours they engaged in. Based on prior work, the scientists classified the behaviours as agreeable or quarrelsome. Men with small digit ratios reported approximately a third more agreeable behaviours and approximately a third fewer quarrelsome behaviours than men with large digit ratios.

A previous study had found that men with smaller digit ratios have more children. "Our research suggests they have more harmonious relationships with women; these behaviors support the formation and maintenance of relationships with women," Moskowitz says. "This might explain why they have more children on average."

The researchers were surprised to find no statistically relevant link between dominant behaviours and digit ratios. They suggest future research could study specific situations where male dominance varies - such as competitive situations with other men - to see whether a correlation can be established.

This study was funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Canada.

"Fetal exposure to androgens, as indicated by digit ratios (2D:4D), increases men's agreeableness with women" D.S. Moskowitz, Rachel Sutton, David C. Zuroff, Simon N. Young, Personality and Individual Differences, March 2015 (available online 27 November 2014) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886914006400

Post to Twitter Add to Facebook

Latest Male Dating and Romance Publications

The above information is from our reference library of resources relating to Male Dating and Romance that includes:

Woman, with her arms folded, looks at her partner hiding under the bed covers. thumbnail image
When a partner breaks up with them, men often try to make sense of it by telling themselves stories about how it happened.
Publish Date: 30th Nov 2022
Confused man and a red broken heart symbol. thumbnail image
Revisited and Revised by a Woman who was a Girl.
Publish Date: 10th Nov 2022
Watching Porn Makes Men Better in Bed thumbnail image.
A UCLA and Concordia University study reveals viewing erotic stimuli is associated with enhanced male sexual responsiveness.
Publish Date: 30th Oct 2022 - Updated: 8th Oct 2024
Breaking-up: A woman sits in bed glaring at her partner, hiding under the bed covers. thumbnail image
Males can be resourceful and resilient as they work their way through painful relationship change.
Publish Date: 14th Jul 2022 - Updated: 16th Jul 2022


1Local Dating for Adults
Find like minded people locally.

2Am I Gay? Questions to Ask
Think you may be gay or bisexual?

3Glossary of Sexuality Terms
Definitions of sexual terms & acronyms.

4LGBTQ+ Pride Flags
Symbols of Identity and Inclusion.

5LGBT Awareness Dates
Important LGBTQ community awareness days, remembrance dates, and coming pride events.

• Submissions: Send us your coming events and LGBTQ related news stories.


• Report Errors: Please report outdated or inaccurate information to us.



• (APA): McGill University. (2015, February 18). What a Mans Finger Size Says About Him. SexualDiversity.org. Retrieved June 13, 2025 from www.sexualdiversity.org/sexuality/love/men/417.php


• Permalink: <a href="https://www.sexualdiversity.org/sexuality/love/men/417.php">What a Mans Finger Size Says About Him</a>