SHELDON

• Sheldon linked physical characteristics to criminal behaviour.
• Sheldon's correlational study found that many convicts were mesomorphic and not likely to be ectomorphic.
• Sheldon identified three distinct body shapes: ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.
• An ectomorph is thin and fragile, and tend to be very sociable.
• An endomorph is fat and soft, and tend to be very introverted.
• A mesomorph is muscular, and has a broad, well-proportioned body.
• Sheldon only focussed on criminals - just because many criminals are mesomorphs does not mean all mesomorphs are criminals.
• The theory suggests that people with certain body shapes have different personality traits associated with them.
• Ectomorphs are often seen as weak or vulnerable due to their appearance.
• Sheldon's theory doesn't explain how ectomorphs and endomorphs can also be criminals.
• Sheldon's theory doesnt explain that peoples bodies change throughout their lives, and may be all three body types at different points. He does not say if this leads to changes in personality or criminal behaviour.
• Sheldon's research was based on small samples which were unrepresentative of the population.