Somatotype theory

Sheldon in 1949

• Endomorphs: Fat and soft 
• Ectomorphs: Thin and fragile 
• Mesomorphs: Muscular and hard

Behaviour is linked to body type, these can be split into 3 categories

• Relaxed
• Pleasure loving
• Enjoy food and the company of others

• Solitary
• Restrained
• Self conscious

• Aggressive 
• Associated with criminality
• High pain tolerance 
• Callous 
• Careless of others' feelings

• He rated them on a scale of 1-7 according to the amount of each of the three components they showed
• E.g 4-4-4 is balanced

• Sheldon rated 200 college students and 200 male delinquents on each of the body types
• Divided the delinquent sample into various groups according to type and degree of delinquency and compared the criminal group with other types of delinquents

Many convicts were mesomorphic and were least likely to me mesomorphic

• Studied 100 delinquents 
• 57% were mesomorphic in the delinquent group
• 19% were mesomorphic in the control group

• In a sample of delinquents 60% were mesomorphs
• In the control sample only 31% were mesomorphs

• He rated the body sizes himself, others may have classified people differently
• The classification into somatotypes was unreliable 
• The chosen delinquent group was selective- bias was likely

The subdivisions of criminals into criminal types was not based on legal definition but was subjective, different people may have different opinions on what constitutes a crime

• Reclassified the delinquent groups using legal criteria 
• Found far less difference in the somatotypes of delinquents and non delinquents 
• Mesomorphs were more common in delinquent youths, however

British delinquents commenting serious crimes tended to be smaller than average and were late in reaching puberty

• Longitudinal study of London working-class boys  undertaken
• No correlation between body type and delinquency

• Relationships between shape and criminality can be explained by expectations
• These features may catch the attention of the police or influence juries during sentencing

If we expect people to act in a certain way they do

• It could be down to an interaction between genetic looks and environment 
• If mesomorphs look intimidating they may be treated more aggressively and therefore become aggressive

• Nothing to do in prison
• Gym facilities available 
• Good to be muscular in order to ward off violence within prison