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Genetic Differences between People

It can no be disputed that there is a high degree of diversity between human beings. Besides the sexual differences, there are genetic as well as physical and intellectual differences. These differences can be attributed to the various environments that the individual live. In addition, the differences can be caused b varied genes that characterize individual living in different areas. Usually, these differences are instrumental in helping the individuals to cope with the environmental conditions with ease. Further, these differences are useful in enhancing growth and continuity of the human race because they enable the humans to respond to external conditions with ease. In other words, the diversity boosts human immunity to social as well as environmental conditions that can be potentially harmful.

As aforementioned there are various differences between men and women which have diverse implications on their functioning and general way of life. Genetic variations between these two sexes have diverse implications on their physical as well as biological performance. One of the genetic differences that have increasingly come under analysis pertains to the differences in the length of the index as well as ring finger between men and women. From a theoretical point of view, it is widely agreed that women have a longer index finger and a shorter ring finger while men have a shorter index finger and a longer ring finger. The findings of the experiment carried out ascertain that indeed, women have longer index fingers and shorter ring fingers while men have shorter index fingers and longer ring fingers. From a genetic point of view, this trait is sex influenced and the gene that controls the respective trait is dominant. However, the findings of an individual study also relate the differences in the index and ringer fingers length in men and women to familial inheritance.

According to Wilson, the dominant gene that determines these variations is called the allele (111). In men, this influences the development of short index fingers as compared to their ring fingers. While in women, the allele influences development of a longer index finger as compared to the ring finger. In some instances, the index finger in women tends to be equal to their ring finger. Basically, women require two short-finger alleles in order to produce the determinant short-finger effect. Men on the other hand require only one short-finger allele for them to have the effect. In his review, Brooker indicates that this gene is found in the X chromosome (52). This is based on the fact that in most instances, sex influenced traits are usually automosal. It is widely agreed that the gene that the gene that influences the development of the short index finger is dominant in males but recessive in females.

Fundamentally, the traits that are solely controlled by one gene locus are categorized as monogenic traits. Naturally, every individual has to genes or alleles for the respective monogenic trait. The alleles may either be different or identical. In instances where the genes or alleles are different, they may in some cases interact in different ways to develop a distinct phenotype. If one allele manages to mask the attributes of another allele, the former becomes a dominant allele while the later is a recessive allele.

According to the experiment, the sex of an individual plays an important role in determining the length of the individual’s index finger. However, this trait also has a familial relationship in the sense that it can be inherited. In this regard, Elrod and Stanfield argue that sex influenced traits can in some instances be inherited (67). Statistical evidence indicates that three out of five siblings inherited these sexually influenced attributes from their parents. However, it is worth appreciating that unlike other automosal traits, sex influenced traits exhibit distinct differences during inheritance. The differences are apparent in the frequencies of occurrence in the offspring as well in the nature of the traits that re inherited. With regards to the comparisons in lengths of the index and ring finger, inheritance of this is greatly depended on the family histories too. This can be used to explain why there were differences in the experiment that was carried out initially. Of the three parents that I examined, their children exhibited similar traits regarding index finger length. Arguably, the fact that similar attributes were exhibited by the children can be attributed to incidences of family histories.

As it has come out from the study, women have longer index fingers and shorter ring fingers while men have shorter index fingers and longer ring fingers. These genetic differences are vital for effective functioning of both genders. The determinant dominant allele tends to be dominant in men and recessive in women. The fact that the trait is sex influenced also explains this state of affairs. As identified, the differences can also be attributed to familial inheritance. The resultant attributes however differ considerably from similar attributes exhibited by other automosal traits.

Works Cited

Brooker, Robert. Genetics: Analysis and Principles. USA: Mc-Graw Hill Science, 2008. Print.

Elrod, Susan and Stanfield, William. Schaum’s Outline of Genetics. USA: McGraw Hill Publishers, 2010. Print.

Wilson, Glenn. Finger-Length as An Index of Assertiveness in Women. Personality and Individual Differences, 4.1 (1983): 111-112. Print.