Hand clasping

Hand clasping is the superposition of each finger of one hand over the corresponding finger of the opposite hand. When clasping the hands, a person tends to interlace the fingers in one of two ways. People who hold the fingers of the right hand above the left fingers are classified as phenotype R (right), while those who hold the fingers of the left hand above those of the right are phenotype L (left).

L phenotype of hand clasping
(Bill Clinton)

Although some people do not exhibit a preference for one type of hand clasping, most do. Once adopted, the method of hand clasping tends to be consistent throughout life. When an individual attempts to clasp the hands in the opposite configuration from the usual one, that person may feel a sense that something is out of the ordinary.

Lai and Walsh (1965) suspect that genetic factors are important in determining these characteristics. They looked at a sample of 18 families.[1]

Based on the comparison of a series of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, Freire-Maia (1961) concluded that the preference in the type of hand clasping was affected by certain genetic factors, and (perhaps) to a significant extent.[2]

Falk and Ayala (1971) found a significant correlation between parent-offspring and for this feature suggested model polygenic inheritance.[3]

Martin (1975) presented the results of studies of twins and found that genetic factors are still determining the phenotypic expression of this trait.[4]

Reiss (1999) found that 55% of the population belongs to the phenotype L, and 44% have a "right type" clasping; the remaining 1% did not care.[5][6]

In support of the hypothesis about the significant influence of genetic factors on the phenotypic expression of the extreme dimorphism clearly demarcated by the data on a very wide range of variation in the frequency of phenotypes tested parts of the world's population.

R phenotype distribution
Population N R (%) References
Belgium 644 48.1 Leguebe (1967)[7]
Bosnia and Herzegovina 10,073 55.1 Hadžiselimović et al. (1979)[8]
Bulgaria ? 70.1 Boev, Todorov (1970)[9]
Greece ? 81.2 Pelecanos (1969)[10]
Poland 771 48.0 Wolanski et al. (1973)[11]
Scotland 598 60.0 Lutz (1908)[12]
Serbia: Užice 2,217 54.0 Hadžiselimović et al.(1979)[13]
Serbia: Voivodina 2,686 51.9 Gavrilović, Božić (1972)[14]
Spain 486 52.1 Pons (1961)[15]
Sweden 981 52.1 Beckman, Elston (1962)[16]

See also

References
  1. Lai, LY; Walsh, RJ (1965). "The patterns of hand clasping in different ethnic groups". Hum Biol. 37: 312–9. PMID 5836191.
  2. Freire-Maia A. (1961): Twin data on hand clasping: a reanalysis. Acta Genet. Statist. Med. 10: 207-211.
  3. Falk, C. T.; Ayala, F. J. (1971). "Genetic aspects of arm folding and hand clasping". Jpn. J. Hum. Genet. 15: 241–247.
  4. Martin, N. G (1975). "No evidence for a genetic basis of tongue rolling or hand clasping". J. Hered. 66: 179–180. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a108608. PMID 1236879.
  5. Pons, J (1961). "Hand clasping". Annals of Human Genetics. 25: 141–144. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1809.1961.tb01511.x. PMID 14487797.
  6. Reiss, M (1999). "The genetics of hand-clasping-a review and a familial study". Ann. Hum. Biol. 26: 39–48. doi:10.1080/030144699282967. PMID 9974082.
  7. Leguebe 1967 hand clasping: étude anthropologique et génétique. Bull. Soc. Roy. Antrop. Préhist., 78: 81-107.
  8. Hadžiselimović, R.; Berberović, Lj.; Sofradžija, A. (1979). "Distribucija fenotipova načina sklapanja šaka i prekrštanja ruku u stanovništvu Bosne i Hercegovine". God. Biol. Inst. Univ. u Sarajevu. 32: 101–116.
  9. Boev, Todorov, 1970, in: Gavrilović Ž., Božić V. (1972): Proučavanje načina sklapanja šaka i pekrštanja ruku kod stanovništva u Vojvodini. Genetika, 4 (1): 59-61.
  10. Pelecanos 1969, in: Pyżuk M. (1976): Hand clasping, and arm- and leg-folding in Polish rural population. Acta F. R. N. Univ Come., Anthropologia, 23: 219-223.
  11. Wolanski et al 1973, in: Pyżuk M. (1976): Hand clasping, and arm- and leg-folding in Polish rural population. Acta F. R. N. Univ Come., Anthropologia, 23: 219-223.
  12. Lutz, F. E. (1908). "The inheritance of the manner of clasping the hands". Am. Nat. 42: 195–196. doi:10.1086/278920.
  13. Hadžiselimović R., Berberović Lj., Sofradžija A. (1979): Distribucija fenotipova načina sklapanja šaka i prekrštanja ruku u stanovništvu Bosne i Hercegovine. God.Biol. inst. Univ. u Sarajevu, 32: 101-116.
  14. Gavrilović, Ž.; Božić, V. (1972). "Proučavanje načina sklapanja šaka i pekrštanja ruku kod stanovništva u Vojvodini". Genetika. 4 (1): 59–61.
  15. Pons, J (1961). "Hand clasping (Spanish data)". Ann. Hum. Genet. 25: 141–144. doi:10.1111/j.1469-1809.1961.tb01511.x. PMID 14487797.
  16. Beckman, L. Elston R. (1962). "Data on bilateral variations in man: handedness, hand clasping and arm folding in Swedes". Hum. Biol. 34: 99–103.
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