Review of psychology, Vol. 23 No. 1-2, 2016.
Original scientific paper
Analysis of different sources of measurement error in determining second-to-fourth digit ratio, a potential indicator of perinatal sex hormones exposure
Una Mikac
orcid.org/0000-0001-9369-6462
; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb
Vesna Buško
; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Zagreb
Werner Sommer
; Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Andrea Hildebrandt
; Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Abstract
Brain structures change in a consistent way due to perinatal and pubertal sex hormones exposure. Data on these changes and their influence on human behaviour, called organisational effects of sex hormones, are difficult to obtain. One potential indicator is the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D). Measurement of 2D:4D has recently gathered support based on evidence concerning its validity. Available research on its reliability indicated that software methods of determining finger length are more reliable than direct measurements and that inter-rater reliability varied .60–.90. The present research focused on both of these aspects simultaneously, the retest reliability of software measures, and the comparison of software methods using a balanced design. Two scans, each of left and right hands of 213 participants, were collected following methodological recommendations from previous research. Length estimates followed a balanced design with at least six ratings per participant, varying with regard to scan, software method (GIMP or AutoMetric) and the number of raters. At least two raters were involved for each participant. Reliability analysis mostly indicated strong concordance between raters, methods, and scans. We discuss implications for assessing multiple sources of measurement error on continuous rating measures in general, and for measuring 2D:4D in special.
Keywords
2D:4D measurement; reliability; rater effects; software
Hrčak ID:
167569
URI
Publication date:
5.9.2016.
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