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Digit Ratios and Social Preferences: A Comment on Buser (2012)

Author

Listed:
  • Pablo Brañas-Garza

    (Middlesex University London, Business School)

  • Jaromír Kovárík

    (Dpto. Fundamentos Analisis Economico I & BRiDGE, University of the Basque Country)

Abstract

Buser (2012) reports an association between the second-to-fourth digit ratio, a biomarker of the exposure to prenatal sex hormones, and behavior in several classic experimental games designed to elicit prosocial attitudes. His subjects self-report whether they have shorter, equal, or larger ring than index nger. We argue that this elicitation method is inappropriate. It generates a poor proxy for the digit ratio as it su ers from measurement errors. As a result, using this variable in the regression analysis may lead to inconsistent estimates.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo Brañas-Garza & Jaromír Kovárík, 2013. "Digit Ratios and Social Preferences: A Comment on Buser (2012)," Working Papers 13-31, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:chu:wpaper:13-31
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    File URL: http://www.chapman.edu/research-and-institutions/economic-science-institute/_files/WorkingPapers/BuserWorkingPaper.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:dgr:uvatin:20110046 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Antoni Bosch-Domènech & Pablo Brañas-Garza & Antonio M. Espín, 2013. "Can exposure to prenatal sex hormones (2D:4D) predict cognitive reflection?," Working Papers 698, Barcelona School of Economics.
    3. Pablo Brañas-Garza & Jaromír Kovářík & Levent Neyse, 2013. "Second-to-Fourth Digit Ratio Has a Non-Monotonic Impact on Altruism," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(4), pages 1-10, April.
    4. Buser, Thomas, 2012. "Digit ratios, the menstrual cycle and social preferences," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 457-470.
    5. Schipper, Burkhard C., 2023. "Sex hormones and choice under risk," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    6. Ellen Garbarino & Robert Slonim & Justin Sydnor, 2011. "Digit ratios (2D:4D) as predictors of risky decision making for both sexes," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 1-26, February.
    7. Andreas C. Drichoutis & Rodolfo M. Nayga, 2015. "Do risk and time preferences have biological roots?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 82(1), pages 235-256, July.
    8. Santiago Sanchez-Pages & Enrique Turiegano, 2009. "Testosterone, Facial Symmetry and Cooperation in the Prisoners' Dilemma," Edinburgh School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 192, Edinburgh School of Economics, University of Edinburgh.
    9. John V C Nye & Gregory Androuschak & Desirée Desierto & Garett Jones & Maria Yudkevich, 2012. "2D:4D Asymmetry and Gender Differences in Academic Performance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(10), pages 1-16, October.
    10. J. T. Manning & R. L. Trivers & D. Singh & R. Thornhill, 1999. "The mystery of female beauty," Nature, Nature, vol. 399(6733), pages 214-215, May.
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    Citations

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    1. Brañas-Garza, Pablo & Espín, Antonio M. & Garcia, Teresa & Kovářík, Jaromír, 2018. "Digit ratio (2D:4D) predicts pro-social behavior in economic games only for unsatisfied individuals," MPRA Paper 86166, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Digit ratio; measurement errors; endogeneity; social preferences; non-monotonicity; altruism;
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