Dermatoglyphic Traits in Koreans

The frequencies of finger print patterns and the pattern intensity index among 2, 925 Koreans (804 males, 2, 121 females) are analyzed. Total finger ridge counts was calculated for 776 Koreans (426 males and 350 females). Comparisons are made with results among other racial populations in a review of the literature. Certain differences exist between males and females in both qualitative (finger print pattern) and quantitative (total ridge count) dermatoglyphic traits. Males have higher frequences of whorls (53.6% for males, 45.7% for females), and radial loops (2.9% for males, 2.2% for females), while the frequencies of archs (1.9% for males, 2.9% for females) and ulnar loops (41.6% for males, 49.2% for females) are higher in females. The pattern intensity index for males (15.2) was higher than that for females (14.3). The mean of the total ridge count was higher (140.4$\\pm$41.2) in males than in females (129.8$\\pm$40.6). There was no correlation between total ridge count and IQ (r=-0.0027, N=343). Total ridge count among different racial groups was found to vary slightly.