Scientists reveal how you can tell if your girlfriend is a cheat simply by checking her fingers

Scientists have revealed that a woman's fingers can tell if she's a cheat or if she's likely to become one.

A new study has shown that women with long index fingers on their left hands are more likely to have affairs. The findings have surprised scientists as having a longer index finger is associated with having more typical female characteristics.

The longer index finger and shorter ring finger have been linked to being exposed to higher levels of female sex hormones in the womb.

It was assumed that women who were "more feminised" would be more likely to be satisfied with their romantic relationships, and to be less impulsive, Daily Mail reports. But the findings of the recent study proved this to be wrong.

Being more exposed to the sex hormone oestrogen in the womb leads to women's index fingers growing longer than their ring finger.

By contrast, being exposed to more of the male sex hormone testosterone in the womb has a more "masculinising" effect and results in a longer ring finger and a shorter index finger.

Men with longer ring fingers than index fingers have been found to be better sportsmen.

Eiluned Pearce of Oxford University carried out the research which has been published in a Royal Society Journal.

She took measurements of the finger lengths of 274 female volunteers and also sampled their DNA. They also completed psychological tests on their relationship quality.

She found that "women with higher (more feminine) left hand digit ratios are more impulsive and rate their romantic relationships less favourably." She added that the finding is "intriguing, because the opposite might be expected".

In the research paper, she speculates that women with the higher index finger to ring finger ration are likely to be "more feminized" and more highly sought after by males. Because they know they have a lot of options, "this might be associated with dissatisfaction with current partners" and this might lead to flings - or as the scientists call it "opportunistic mating" and "impulsive" mating with men who are not their husband or partner.

The researchers also looked at the ratio of index finger to ring finger lengths in males, but did not find any connection with relationship quality.