Digit ratio as an indicator of numeracy relative to literacy in 7-year-old British schoolchildren
Digit ratio as an indicator of numeracy relative to literacy in 7-year-old British schoolchildren
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DOI：
10.1348/000712607x197406
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发表时间：
2008-02-01
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Brosnan, Mark J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Brosnan, Mark J.
最近的大量研究集中在产前睾酮暴露的假设指数，手指比例与健康，社会和认知功能之间的关系。在数字比率和认知能力绝对水平之间的关系中，发现了许多不一致的发现模式。最近的研究已经确定了数字比率和基本数字能力之间的关系。这种基本的数字能力被认为是受生物因素的影响。本研究将这一发现扩展到学术评估，即英国7岁儿童在算术和识字方面进行的标准化评估测试。本研究假设数字比率与计算能力和识字能力之间的相对差异相关。对75名（主要是白人）年龄在6到7岁之间的就读于一所国家资助的幼儿学校的儿童进行了数字比率的计算。然后将这些数字比率与他们的国家标准评估测试（SAT）的结果相关联。正如假设的那样，发现了显著的相关性。此外，男性的指数比与计算能力呈负相关（表明产前睾酮暴露量较高与计算能力SAT分数较高相关），女性的指数比与识字率呈正相关（表明产前睾酮暴露量较低与识字能力SAT分数较高相关）。这些影响很小，并讨论了使用数字比例，以促进了解激素对学业成绩的影响的影响。
A great deal of recent research has focused upon the relationship between a hypothesized index of prenatal testosterone exposure, digit ratio and health, social and cognitive functioning. Many inconsistencies within the pattern of findings have been identified in the relationship between digit ratio and absolute levels of cognitive ability. Recent research has identified a relationship between digit ratio and basic numeric competency. This basic numerical competency has been argued to be influenced by biological factors. The present study extended this finding to academic assessment, namely the Standardized Assessment Tests undertaken in numeracy and literacy by children in the UK at the age of 7. The present study hypothesized that digit ratio would correlate with the relative difference between numeracy and literacy abilities. Digit ratios were calculated for 75 (mainly Caucasian) children aged between 6 and 7 attending a state funded infant school. The digit ratios were then correlated with the results from their National Standard Assessment Tests (SATs). A significant correlation was found as hypothesized. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between digit ratio and numeracy for males (indicating higher prenatal testosterone exposure related to higher numeracy SAT scores) and a positive correlation between digit ratio and literacy for females (indicating lower prenatal testosterone exposure related to higher literacy SAT scores). These effects were small and the implications for using digit ratio to facilitate understanding of hormonal influences upon academic attainment are discussed.