Road to Research

The moment that sparked my idea for my research project was during my time at Oxford University this past summer studying Neuroscience & Psychology. My mentor had mentioned that the ratio between your pointer finger and ring finger was indicative of how much testosterone you were exposed to while in the womb. The brief comment remained in my mind until I returned to school, and it was the first thing I looked into while doing my preliminary research. 

My initial guiding research goal was to understand the relationship between testosterone and intelligence. As far as measuring testosterone, the data collection parameters prevent me from taking saliva samples, which would have been my method of taking current testosterone levels. Instead, I found a non-invasive way to measure testosterone(prenatal androgenization) through the 2D:4D finger ratio. Then, I narrowed my research scope to the 2D:4D finger ratio and gathered as much information I could about it. The 2D:4D finger ratio is indicative of prenatal testosterone exposure and is constant throughout your life. 

So, I wanted to see if there was a correlation with intelligence. I wasn’t sure which way to take intelligence at first, so I thought about IQ. I remembered that IQ tests measured spatial intelligence, and after learning that fluid testosterone levels can be indicative of spatial ability, I realized I had found a gap. No one had measured prenatal androgenization exposure with spatial intelligence yet. I thought this information was important to understand because it can further be related to IQ and success in STEM fields. However, I was not sure if this was too narrow.

 So I simultaneously looked into Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: Logical and Mathematical Intelligence, Linguistic-Verbal Intelligence, Visual-Spatial Intelligence, Naturalistic Intelligence, Musical Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence, Intrapersonal Intelligence, and Body-Kinesthetic Intelligence. I had two potential methodologies: the connection between 2D:4D finger ratio and your spatial intelligence, or the connection between 2D:4D finger ratio and your top intelligence(from the 8). 

Unable to decide between these two methodologies, I focused on the other aspects including confidentiality/anonymity and measurement of 2d:4d ratio. In more than two studies I looked at, Adobe Photoshop was used to measure the 2D:4D ratio, so I decided I would also use Adobe Photoshop to do the same. I could acquire this for free using Mr.McClurg’s membership. For confidentiality/anonymity, I decided I would create a system where each participant was in no way connected to any of their data. I would do this by taking their parent-consent form and writing their name down to administer their community service hours. After taking their parent-consent form, I will give them a randomized ticket with a number on it that they will put on their test. This way, their results will be connected to just a number, and not their identity. 

Once I had that figured out, I gave my presentation in class and asked my peers for their feedback on which methodology would be best. Overwhelmingly, the answer was to narrow my scope to spatial intelligence only. Then, I began working on formulating a spatial intelligence test that I would administer to my participants. I wanted to provide multiple angles of spatial intelligence testing, by using a series of different styles from already existing tests. I will then combine these questions into one test to have a well-rounded test to administer to my participants. For taking the picture of the hand to then measure from, I decided on propping plexi-glass, having participants put their right palm face down on the plexi-glass, and have a picture taken from my ipad underneath. Since I will be conducting an observational study, I will take a Simple Random Sample of seminars from our high school that is large enough to generalize to the population.

I was just approved by the IRB board to move forward with my research, so I cannot wait to dive in and begin progress on my methodolody!!