Prenatal hormones (2D:4D), intrasexual competition, and materialism in women

We explore the relationship between digit ratios (2D:4D) and materialism in women. Digit ratio is a sexually dimorphic trait that is indicative of prenatal testosterone and estrogen exposure. Across two studies, we found that masculinized digit ratios (i.e., exposure to a high testosterone-to-estrogen ratio) were associated with the happiness dimension of materialism. Furthermore, we show that women with feminized digit ratios (i.e., high estrogen-to-testosterone ratio) who were assigned to an intrasexually competitive condition scored higher on the success dimension of materialism. Overall, these findings suggest that prenatal testosterone exposure promotes stronger beliefs that possessions are an important source of happiness, while prenatal estrogen exposure promotes stronger beliefs that possessions are an important means of signaling success. Thus, prenatal hormone exposure not only influences masculinized and feminized behavior but also shapes consumers' materialistic beliefs.