engleski

Analysis of different sources of measurement error in determining second-to-fourth digit ratio, a potential indicator of perinatal sex hormones exposure

Sex hormones influence human behaviour in two ways ; their effects can be activational, i.e., related to hormonal fluctuations, and organisational, i.e., reflecting consistent changes in brain structures due to perinatal and pubertal sex hormones exposure. Activational effects can be explored by determining the relationship of the behaviour in question with sex-hormone blood concentration levels and their natural fluctuations. One of the rare potential indicators of organisational effects is second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D). There is evidence concerning its validity as a measure of organisational effects (McIntyre, 2006) and some research on its reliability indicating that software methods of determining finger length and the 2D:4D, are more reliable than direct measurements with rulers (e.g., Hönekopp & Watson, 2010). Previous research also showed that inter-rater reliability varied from , 60 to , 90. The research presented here was one of the first to test both the retest reliability of software measures and to compare a new software method using a balanced design. As a part of a larger study two pictures each of both left and right hands of 213 participants were scanned using methodological recommendations from previous research on 2D:4D. Length measurements were based on a balanced design with at least six ratings per participant varying with regard to picture and software method used (GIMP or AutoMetric) and made by at least two raters. Reliability analysis mostly indicated strong concordance between different raters, methods, and measures. Practical implications for assessing multiple sources of measurement error on continuous rating measures and for measuring 2D:4D will be discussed based on the presented data.

2D:4D measurement; reliability; rater effects; software

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