Right, I've had 2 cans of beer - prior to repetitive data collection tomorrow... And I've noticed something! On my right hand, if I hold up my hand straight in the air, I can move my little finger and the next one to it independently. But, if I hold up my left hand the same way, I can move the finger next to my little finger independently but not my little finger. So when I move my little finger, the finger next to it moves as well and there's nothing I can voluntarily do about it. Have I had a mini-stroke - or is it the same for some of you other forumites? Even, could doing a PhD have caused this? A poll is entirely necessary! I'll run it until May 2011 (when I should have finished my PhD at the rate I'm going).

Wally! My fingers are really very tired today so I have chosen 'I can't do it on either'. I guess it happened due to the adverse usage, especially of the middle one during a recent Road Rage Incident.

I'll admit, it is more difficult with my left hand, but I can do it if I really concentrate! yay!

Can do it easily on both hands..

At the rate it is going, I will be seeing my Neurologist very soon. Wally you did not mention how far the little finger has to move.
I will give a Grand to anyone who can close the little one without moving the next. Will Just need a youtube.

I can't do it on either, either, so that makes three out of four PhD students with the same finger predicament:: Clearly, this is PhD related and we all need a day off, except Bug, of course, because she is immune. ;-)

so can I - did you say you also played paino Bug? - maybe that's it, as you kind of have to be able to do that to play the piano, unless you want a mish mash of chords

I can do it with my left hand but it's more difficult. Maybe the muscles in our right hands are more developed because we use them for more things? (unless you're left-handed)

I can do it on my left hand, but have to think really hard and concentrate on not moving the other finger. I'm right handed though so not sure why my left hand seems more independent.... hmmm.

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It's weird and I can't do it for either. I move my pinky finger and my wedding finger moves for both hands. I can however move my wedding finger without moving my pinky finger for both hands. Damn my pinky finger! :p

Hi Sneaks I played something called the synthesizer, where for many years I needed t play the exact same tune with both hands at the same time, on two scales. :-) Hence I guess...

Isn't it to do with the middle non-swearing finger (proper name of it...anyone?) sharing muscles with the sweary finger and the little finger? If you turn your hand palm face up and stretch your fingers away from your palm there's far more of a hollow underneath non-sweary finger at the knuckle-level (on the palm side.)

I would guess that being able to do it is to do with the strength of the muscles that your fingers use.

On a not-quite-associated note
Bug: Does playing piano result in having good grip as well?

Here's a similar one for you wally:

Put your hand palm-down on the table. Now try lifting each finger in turn - easy? Indeed.
Now, tuck your middle (sweary one) finger under, so the knuckle is right down on the table.
Try to repeat the finger lifting and voila, if you're like me your ring finger won't budge!

I'm told that some people can do it and some can't, it's related to shared tendons in the hand. Personally I just keep it as the excuse for not being able to play any instruments (nothing to do with being tone deaf, obviously).

My word, you're bang on the mark with that. It's true what they say about PhDs - you really do learn an awful lot about yourself. Gosh, if we extrapolate sample to population, so far it would seem that 50% of the PhD student population are ambidextrous, independent, voluntary fifth and fourth finger manipulators. First we create artificial life, then I make this exciting discovery. The editors of the journal Science are going to be really busy. Expect a publication in there soon: Digital Discovery: A Large Proportion of PhD Students Demonstrate Ambidextrous Ulnar and Ringer Finger Movement Independence.

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I seem to be able to do easily on both hands too (both Walminskipeas and Teek's exercises). Mind you, I've tried Walminskipeas's exercise with a large glass of water rather than beer :p