Dermatoglyphics, handedness sex, and sexual orientation
1. • Dermatoglyphics, Handedness Sex, and Sexual Orientation
• Journal article by J. Michael Bailey, Sarah Kaspar, Brian S. Mustanski; Archives of Sexual
Behavior, Vol. 31, 2002
Dermatoglyphics, handedness, sex, and
sexual orientation
by Brian S. Mustanski , J. Michael Bailey , Sarah Kaspar
Brian S. Mustanski (1,3)
J. Michael Bailey (2)
Sarah Kaspar (2)
INTRODUCTION
A growing body of evidence implicates biological influences on the development of
sexual orientation in humans. This evidence includes studies from a variety of
disciplines: behavior genetics (Bailey & Pillard, 1991), molecular genetics (Hamer,
Hu, Magnuson, Hu, & Pattatucci, 1993; Hu et al., 1995; see Rice, Anderson, Risch,
& Ebers, 1999 for failed replication), neuroanatomy (Byne et al., 2001; LeVay,
1991), neuropsychology (McCormick & Witelson, 1991), endocrinology (Zucker et
al., 1996), and anthropometry (Williams et al., 2000). However, there is still little
understanding of the time period during which sexual orientation is programmed into
the developing neural circuitry. Furthermore, the precise biological mechanisms
remain controversial (Dyne & Parsons, 1993). One way to localize the timing of
sexual orientation differentiation is to examine correlated characteristics for which
the critical period of formation is known. This study focuses on dermatoglyphics and
handedness as characteristics that may h elp in localizing the timing of sexual
orientation differentiation and further inform the route through which it occurs.
Furthermore, it represents an attempt to replicate and extend prior findings.
Timing of Fingerprint Formation and Handedness Differentiation
Skin ridges, or dermatoglyphics, are found on the palms and soles of all primates
and, in humans, are determined between the 8th and 16th week of fetal life (Holt,
1968). In the postnatal period, the ridge patterns are not affected by development or
the environment and can only be altered by severe mechanical damage (Cummins &
Midlo, 1961), making them a good source of information about the timing of
prenatal events that are correlated with their eventual pattern.
At present, less is known about the timing of handedness development. Increasingly,
however, handedness has been hypothesized to depend primarily on prenatal factors,
such as genetics (Annett, 1985; Gangestad et al., 1996; McManus, 1985; Yeo,
Gangestad, & Daniel, 1993) and prenatal or perinatal environmental events (Bishop,
1990; for a critical review see Searleman, Porac, & Coren, 1989). Indirect evidence
for the early ontogeny of handedness includes studies of fetuses that
disproportionately move their right hands (McCartney & Hepper, 1999) and suck
their right thumbs (Hepper, Shahidullah, & White, 1991).
Theoretical Associations Among Dermatoglyphic Asymmetry, Handedness, and
Sexual Orientation
Two distinct mechanisms might account for an association between sexual
orientation and either dermatoglyphic asymmetry or handedness: neurohormonal
influences and developmental instability. The most influential theory about the
origins of sexual orientation is that homosexuality is caused by atypical androgen