2.2.1.1.2 - Sheldon (1949)

• Sheldon believes that physical form gives away a criminal
• Sheldon defined the somatotypes (body types)
• Somatypes

  The three fundamental body types
• Sheldon analysed 4,000 men's photos to define his somatypes
• From Sheldon's research, most convicts assessed were mesomorphic
• Mesomorphic

  • Muscular and hard
• Mesomorphic

  • Muscular and hard
  • Aggressive and self-asserting
• Ectomorphic

  • Thin and fragile
  • Introverted and restrained
• Endomorphic

  • Fat and soft
  • Sociable and relaxed
• Sheldon found that mesomorphs are more likely to engage in criminal activity
• Sheldon found that ectomorphs were least likely to engage in criminal activity
• Sheldon also rated college students and delinquents based on their likeness to the mesomorphic body type
• Sheldon's scale of mesomorphism ranged from 1 (low) to 7 (high)
• Sheldon rated college students an average of 3.8 and delinquents an average of 4.6 on his mesomorph scale
• Sheldon's research was published in his book Atlas of Men (1954)