Sheldon- somatotypes

• What were the 3 body types Sheldon proposed?

  Ectomorph- Physically: little body fat (thin arms and legs)

  Personality: self-conscious, private and thoughtful

  Mesomorphn- Physically: Large head, broad shoulders and muscular body

  Personality: Adventurous, bold and competitive

  Endomorph-Physically: wide hips and alot of fat

  Personality: Sociable, relaxed and tolerant
• Which somatotype is most likely to commit violent and aggressive acts?

  Mesmorph
• Which famous serial killer has a mesmorphic body type?

  Jeffrey Dahmer
• What are the strengths/positives of Sheldon's theory?

  A number of other studies have confirmed there to be a small association between body build and criminality (Putwain, 2002)

  During his research, Sheldon used a good sample size of photos and also compared them to a control group who were non-criminal
• What are the weaknesses/limitations of Sheldon's theory?

  Ignores the fact that ectomorphs and endomorphs can, and do commit crime.

  Does not take into account thats peoples somatotypes might change throughout their lives. Does this mean our chances of committing crime also changes?

  The court systems might treat people with a mesomorphic body type more harshly because they might judge them as guility due to their appearance. This increases the chances of labelling