Aggression, gender-typical childhood play, and a prenatal hormonal index

• Leslie A. Burton

  University of Connecticut and Weill Medical College of Cornell University

• Debra Henninger

  Fordham University

• Jessica Hafetz

  Fordham University

• John Cofer

  Fordham University

An evaluation was conducted of 134 university students (93 female, 41 male) with the Aggression Questionnaire of Buss and Perry (1992) and a Gender-Typical Play Behavior Questionnaire constructed for this study. Measurements were taken of an index of prenatal androgen activity − finger length ratios − for which gender differences have been reported. Gender differences in aggression and in the finger length ratios were found, in the directions reported in the literature. Correlations between greater current report of aggression and play style more typical of boys during childhood were found in both the male and female samples. This relationship between current level of aggression and gender-typical childhood play across time was notable. Gender-typical finger length ratios were associated with gender-typical patterns of play for several indices. The current findings provide support for the idea that physical aggression, childhood play style, and finger length ratios may reflect prenatal androgenic influence.

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