Next time someone gives you the finger while trying to beat you out of a business deal, check out how long that digit is. It may be the reason why you lost and the other guy won.
At least if you believe a new study from the
University of Cambridge, where researchers claim the length of your ring finger may determine your chance of being a hard nosed but successful financial type in the competitive world of the stock market.
How can size matter so much? The scientists claim men with longer ring fingers were exposed to a male hormone called androgen in the womb, accounting for the extended digit.
But that substance has also been linked to increased confidence, persistence, better reaction times and a predilection for judging risks. Similar studies have tied the hormone to great athletes in sports like basketball and soccer.
Building on previous research, the doctors measured the right hands of 44 male stock traders involved in high pressure and quick decision making jobs on the floor of the London Stock Exchange. They watched them over a 20 month period and then analyzed who did the best in turning bigger profits.
Those with longer ring fingers wound up earning 11 times more money than the guys who came up a bit shorter. And the men with significant experience earned five times more than their less well-endowed hand counterparts.
Their conclusion? Sometimes being the best at certain jobs isn't just based on skill. "The success and longevity of traders exposed to high levels of prenatal androgens further suggests that financial markets may select for biological traits rather than rational expectations," they note in their report.
But there's another side to this. The same study makes it clear that while these researchers believe the long fingered gents make quicker profits, they may not be the best when it comes to rationally assessing a situation over a long term and nurturing an investment.
And the findings didn't conclude that the "ring leaders" would be better at other kinds of financial tasks.
"We should not conclude from this that to succeed in all types of trading you need high levels of prenatal testosterone," warns lead researcher Dr. John Coates. "There are different market segments and trading styles and each of these may select for different traits. Indeed the traits that benefit high-frequency traders may prove a hindrance in positions involving more long-term investments.
"Banks, like an Olympic team, need both sprinters and marathon runners. Problems arise when the short-term trading mentality spreads into banking activities where long term value needs to be assessed. When it comes to long-run investments we may well find that successful individuals have higher, more feminine digit ratios."
So check out those fingers if you're going into the roller coaster stock market. If this study is true, it could wind up giving you a real helping hand.