Palm Reading Perspectives

 

You probably heard about the ’2D:4D finger ratio’ (digit ratio), which has widely been recognized as a measure for prenatal hormonal life.  Over the past years quite a few studies have revealed that this ratio between the pointer finger (2D) and the ring finger (4D) represents e.g. a correlation with various aspects of human behavior. But how about the other fingers and their ratios? An introduction about the key-role of the pinky finger (5th finger).

So far, out of the hundreds of finger-length-studies published so far, only a couple of those have been focussed on other fingers as well.

 Interestingly, the pinky finger has turned out often to play a key-role in the most significant results. A quick overview of some issues to remember:

• De Bruin et al. (2011) found that a high 3D:5D ratio (= relatively short pinky finger) may reveal a clue that correlates with psychopathology. The 3D:5D ratio in boys and in girls was positively associated with scores on Externalizing Problems. Further, in girls only, the 3D:5D ratio was positively correlated to scores on Internalizing Problems.

• McFadden & Bracht (2009) found that the largest effect sizes related to sexe differences (males versus females) were demonstrated in ratios that involved the pinky finger.

• Gosh (2005) found that pinky finger ratio may reveal a personality clue related to the dimensions Neuroticism & Psychoticism: a tip ending below the interphalangeal crease of the ring finger (4th finger) correlates in men & women with high scores on Neuroticism & Psychoticism.

• Wolff (1951) found that both an extraordinary short pinky finger and an extraordinary long pinky finger is often seen in schizophrenia. 

Additionally, one should also be aware that beyond the length of the pinky finger, quite a few other dimensions of the 5th finger (incl. clinodactyly) have been associated with various types of  medical- and neurological disorders – such as: autism. Which makes the pinky finger an important aspect to be considered in the perspective of Multi-Perspective Palm Reading.

Many more details are presented in the article:
Do not underestimate your little finger!

A pair of hands of a female person who has Fragile-X syndrome.

- THE TOP 10 HAND SIGNS FOR RECOGNIZING FRAGILE-X SYNDROME -

This TOP 10 is composed from a list of 34 hand signs for Fragile-X syndrome, and the hand signs are ranked by Log Odds Ratio – which are calculated from the prevalence (%) among people who have Fragile-X syndrome & controls.

1 - Sydney line [Log Odds Ratio = +3.63]
2 - Ridge line A: ends btw. finger 5 & heart line [Log Odds Ratio = + 3.44]
3 - Triradius b: missing (or ridge line B is ‘abortive’) [Log Odds Ratio = +3.32]
4 - Fingerprints: radial loop on thumb [Log Odds Ratio = +3.28]
5 - Ridge line C: ‘abortive’ [end close to triradius c] [Log Odds Ratio = +3.22]
6 - Simian crease [Log Odds Ratio = +3.08]
7 - Double-jointed thumbs (hypermobility) [Log Odds Ratio = +2.73]
8 - Fingerprints: arch on ring finger [Log Odds Ratio = +2.24]
9 - Fingerprints: arch on pinky finger (in males only) [Log Odds Ratio = +2.14]
10 - Palmar triradius d: missing [Log Odds Ratio = +2.10]

It is interesting to notice here that 7 of the 10 hand signs relate to the upper half of the hand (the zone below the finger + the fingerprints), and additionally the major palmar lines (head line & heart line often manifest as a simian crease or Sydney line) play a significant role.

And it is fascinating to notice that these TOP 10 hand signs significant for Fragile-X syndrome is a mix of hand features that relate to both the palm (7 hand signs) and fingers (3 hand signs).

And these 10 hand signs also relate to five of the seven perspectives described by Multi-Perspective Palm Reading, including: the dermatoglyphics (7 hand signs), major palmar lines (2 hand signs), and hand motorics (1 hand sign).

NOTICE: At a later moment a likewise TOP 10 will be presented for hand signs that are indicative for autism – about 3% of people who have autism also have fragile-X syndrome!

Normal palm creases - simian crease - Sydney line.

 Many people are fimiliar with the concept of a simian crease, but there is a likewise fascinating line that has a likewise significance: the Sydney line. In modern medical science both the simian crease & the Sydney line became known as a ‘minor physical anomaly’!

In a 1967 Belgian study Vrydagh-Laoureux pointed out that next to the well-known simian crease (or ‘simian line’ - which became well-known for it’s significance in Down syndrome), there is actually another hand line variant that is associated with related to Down’s syndrome. In the Belgian study this line was described as an ‘extended proximal palmar crease’.

NOTICE: In the traditional palmistry vocabulary this line is often described as: an ‘extended’ or very long head line.

Interestingly, only one year later Australian researchers (Purvis-Smith & Menser, 1968) found that this fascinating palmar line is also frequently found in the hands of patients with congenital rubella – and from that point this ‘fraternal twins line’ of the simian crease has been named: the Sydney line (or sometimes named: ‘Sydney crease’). This twin-analogy could become valuable because many people often find it difficult to discriminate a simian line from a Sydney line!

Example of the Sydney line presented by Purvis-Smith (1972).

Purvis-Smith defined the Sydney line as follows:

“A sydney line occurs where the proximal transverse crease extends beyond the midline axis of the fifth finger towards the ulnar border of the palm the ulnar border of the palm.” (Purvis-Smith, 1972) 

MINOR PHYSICAL ANOMALIES:

At the end of 20 century a new trend became appearant within the medical scientific community. Researchers began study so-called ‘minor physical anomalies‘ - which concern typically harmless inborn physical markers (that are typically associated with a specific prenatal period) – that have been associated in various disorders.

And especially in the 21 century this approach became popular among researchers who are studying the etiology of e.g. autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, hypoxia & schizophrenia.

MULTI-PERSPECTIVE PALM READING:

Multi-Perspective Palm Reading demonstrates how the Sydney line & simian crease can be understood as a likewise hand line markers. Because (so far) a wide range of studies indicates that in far most diseases & syndromes where the simian crease has been recognized as a significant body marker… the Sydney line became recognized as a likewise significant body marker.

This pattern is seen e.g. in: diabetes mellitus, Down syndrome, fragile-X syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and schizophrenia!

Finally, discussion in the Modern Hand Reading Forum have shown that – despite the fact that a Sydney line and a simian line can never be observed in one hand - for many people it quite hard to discriminate a Sydney line from a simian crease. The picture below presents a few fundamental clues which could become helpful to understand the essential components of both lines.

NOTICE: A ‘common hand’ is featured with a life line [I], a head line [II], and a heart line [III]; and various hand line variations can be summarized with the following formulas [IIx = extended head line; II+III = simian crease]:

• COMMON HAND = I + II + III
• SYDNEY LINE = I + IIx + III
• SIMIAN LINE = I + II-III

Obviously, there is a fundamental difference between the Sydney line and simian crease – therefore it appears more appropriate to describe them as ’fraternal twin lines’ instead of ‘identical twin lines’; because while they have a common nature… their manifestion shape is definitiely not identical.

More details are discussed in the following discussion:
http://www.modernhandreadingforum.com/t861p120-how-to-discriminate-a-simian-crease-from-a-sydney-line-and-a-suwon-crease

The palmar lines

Despite the fact that the hand lines (creases) have been on the scientific anvil during the past centrury, most people still associate these mysterious wrinkles with gypsies & the stigma of fortune-telling.

 

The relationship between hands & behavior had already been notice in the early days of the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) - who e.g. debated the cause-and-effect relationship in the hand’s development and the emergence of the superior human intellect. Later the Roman physician Galen (129 – 199) became known for advocating the view that physical features could reflect inner characteristics of behavior. And more later the concept of the ’physiognomy’ suggested that deviant behavior could be predicted from certain physical characteristics of the head and hands.

The simian line (a.k.a. single palmar transverse crease)

DSM IV: Hand biting can signal e.g. anxiety & autism.

Can the language of the hands serve as a ‘diagnostic indicator’? This question should not be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. First of all, most people are aware of the significance of body language. However, it is not a public secret that body language can also be misleading. Therefore it is interesting to focuss a little bit more on the role of hands in the DSM IV – the international academic system for classifying psychopathology & mental disorders.

Interestingly, the book ‘DSM IV diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders‘ presents quite a few passage which describe how hands play a significant role in the classification of various serious mental disorders.

A few examples:

1 – Hand biting can signal AUSTISTIC DISORDERS (page 71);
2 – Hand tapping can signal HYPERACTIVITY (page 86);
3 - Inabilities related to the touching of objects can signal DEMENTIA (page 149);
4 – Trembling hands can signal SOCIAL PHOBIAS (page 451);
5 – Cold, clammy hands can signal ANXIETY (page 452);
6 – Sleeping on the hands can signal BREATHING-RELATED SLEEP DISORDERS (page 619);
7 – Wringling of the hands can signal AGITATION (page 819).

Needless to say, of course one should be aware that such hand behaviors should not associated in isolation of other significant clues with mental disorders!

For example, if you haven’t eaten for quite a while … it might just be perfectly normal if you observe that your hands are ’trembling’. In that situation ’trembling hands’ will typically  indicate: ’time for a meal’! And generally, no reason at all to get woried about your social life, or to associate it with autism or anxiety.

Additionally, hand-behavior experts like psychologist Susan Goldin-Meadow are generally more focussed on the question ‘why do people use hand gestures?’ instead of answering ‘what is the meaning of a specific gesture?’ Because context is usually decisive regarding the motives why people start using body language.

So reading the ‘language of the hands’ may not be as easy as palm reading books may suggest. 

Read more about the work of Susan Goldin-Meadow via:

Hand Gestures Help Grade School Children Solve Math Problems

In ‘hand diagnostics’ context always matters!