Body Morphology & Somatotypes

[Gryffindorian]

According to William Sheldon, an American psychologist, there are three different body types or classifications according to size and shape: the Ectomorph, the Endomorph, and the Mesomorph. These terms are used by fitness experts to describe body compositions and to devise fitness or weight-management plans.

From a psychology perspective, there are also certain personality traits associated with each somatotype. For example, an endomorphic individual who usually has a round-shaped body is said to be good-humored, tolerant, and sociable.

I've often wondered what my own somatotype is. I would describe myself as average or slender (not big), and my body has always shifted between the heavy and the light side. One thing I've never accomplished in my life is being a muscular person. This used to bother me when I was much younger, but over the years I've come to accept that I'm simply not designed that way. Personality-wise, I don't fit the profile for the endomorph at all. I am definitely NOT sociable and don't have "evennes of emotions." In fact, the traits of the ectomorph apply more to me--self-conscious, private, introverted, mentally intense, and socially anxious. So if I'm not purely endomorphic, ectomorphic, and certainly not mesomorphic, I could be a combination of the first two.

How would you describe yourself based on the somatotypes? Do you agree with the personal assessments assigned to your particular form? What say you?

 

[thestrangequark]

I say it's complete bunk. Nonsensical pseudoscience.

That's not to say that physical traits cannot be expressive of personality traits. Some genetic disorders, for example, manifest themselves with both physical and psychological characteristics, Down's Syndrome probably being the most obvious and most well known. There are several others as well. It could also work the other way around, obviously; If a person has psychological issues that cause him to overeat, he would likely be fat. But the endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph idea has about as much validity in the end as palmistry or phrenology.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

Even before I read that his research was done at Yale, it was obvious that he had studied only male bodies. One example of why: in your links, the ectomorph is described as linear, but then it goes on to say that they have broader hips and narrower shoulders. Well, broader hips and narrower shoulders than average do make a man more linear. But they make a woman even less linear than typical.

I sort of fit the psychological description of the ectomorph, but I don't fit any of the physical descriptions. As TSQ said, nonsense.

 

[Amaris]

I say watch out for those damned Allasomorphs myself!

 

[Gryffindorian]

^ And don't forget metamorph.

tsq and tora, you brought up some valid points. Diet, exercise, and genetics typically determine a person's size and shape. From a genetic standpoint, however, certain people are predisposed to being thin, fat, or muscular. This genetic predisposition, I believe, is what the fitness gurus are referring to when it comes to body morphology. I've often observed this to be true. I've met people who can eat anything and never seem to gain any weight with little exercise or activity. And I've seen people who have an extremely difficult time losing weight or maintaining it.

I gotta admit the personality profiles are rather questionable.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Exactly, it's the personality profiles that are the problem, not the suggestion that people have predispositions to certain body types. And, like I said before, it's not crazy to hypothesize that there may be some correlation between specific physical traits and vague personality traits, but the degree to which the original theory asserts this effect is preposterous, and proved to be untrue.

 

[Gotham Central]

According to William Sheldon, an American psychologist, there are three different body types or classifications according to size and shape: the Ectomorph, the Endomorph, and the Mesomorph. These terms are used by fitness experts to describe body compositions and to devise fitness or weight-management plans.

From a psychology perspective, there are also certain personality traits associated with each somatotype. For example, an endomorphic individual who usually has a round-shaped body is said to be good-humored, tolerant, and sociable.

I've often wondered what my own somatotype is. I would describe myself as average or slender (not big), and my body has always shifted between the heavy and the light side. One thing I've never accomplished in my life is being a muscular person. This used to bother me when I was much younger, but over the years I've come to accept that I'm simply not designed that way. Personality-wise, I don't fit the profile for the endomorph at all. I am definitely NOT sociable and don't have "evennes of emotions." In fact, the traits of the ectomorph apply more to me--self-conscious, private, introverted, mentally intense, and socially anxious. So if I'm not purely endomorphic, ectomorphic, and certainly not mesomorphic, I could be a combination of the first two.

How would you describe yourself based on the somatotypes? Do you agree with the personal assessments assigned to your particular form? What say you?

For the record, few people are pure forms of any of those body types. Most people gravitate toward the Endo/Ecto form of the spectrum with only a few individuals lucky enough to sit squarely in the middle.

I happen to be an Endo-Mesomorph. I tend to put on muscle very quickly even without trying, but gain weight just by looking at the wrong foods.

Here is a test you can take to determine your body type http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

I'm not sure I buy into the psychological components of this. That is probably more closely related to the way people are perceived and treated by society than any biological factors. These body types do apply to women.

 

[iguana_tonante]

According to William Sheldon, an American psychologist, there are three different body types or classifications according to size and shape: the Ectomorph, the Endomorph, and the Mesomorph.

Do not forget the Xenomorph.

 

[MacLeod]

^ And don't forget metamorph.

tsq and tora, you brought up some valid points. Diet, exercise, and genetics typically determine a person's size and shape. From a genetic standpoint, however, certain people are predisposed to being thin, fat, or muscular. This genetic predisposition, I believe, is what the fitness gurus are referring to when it comes to body morphology. I've often observed this to be true. I've met people who can eat anything and never seem to gain any weight with little exercise or activity. And I've seen people who have an extremely difficult time losing weight or maintaining it.

I gotta admit the personality profiles are rather questionable.

I would tend to agree, that the issue is not so much the body type but that certain persoanlity types fit one type or another.

And I'm one of those annoying people that doesn't put weight on easily. I do fluctuate a bit.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

This somatotype business is pseudoscience, if not outright quackery. Why are we entertaining it?

 

[Zulu Romeo]

According to William Sheldon, an American psychologist, there are three different body types or classifications according to size and shape: the Ectomorph, the Endomorph, and the Mesomorph.

Do not forget the Xenomorph.

I say watch out for those damned Allasomorphs myself!

I prefer plain, simple Morph.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn3wRDPSIYg[/yt]

 

[thestrangequark]

This somatotype business is pseudoscience, if not outright quackery. Why are we entertaining it?

Well, we've got threads on chiropractors, acupuncture, and Scientology going right now. I figured, we're running with a theme. Now we just need someone to start threads on reiki, homeopathy, and attachment therapy!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

This somatotype business is pseudoscience, if not outright quackery. Why are we entertaining it?

Well, we've got threads on chiropractors, acupuncture, and Scientology going right now. I figured, we're running with a theme. Now we just need someone to start threads on reiki, homeopathy, and attachment therapy!

I find that laughter is very often the best medicine:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0&feature=player_embedded[/yt]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5WTB2I5Flqw[/yt]

 

[RoJoHen]

When it comes to fitness (or bodybuilding, at least), the terms Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph don't really have a lot to do with physical appearance so much as they have to do with a body's ability to burn fat, build muscle, etc. Ectomorphs aren't necessarily super tall and lanky; they just have a much more difficult time building muscle than Endomorphs do. Ectomorphs are the kinds of people that eat and eat and eat and not put on a pound, while Endomorphs have a much easier time bulking up.

As for how these things compare to personalities, there is one thing that I have noticed in my time as a human:

Really ugly people have one of two personality types -- 1) they are either really angry and bitter or 2) they are hilarious.

 

[Warp Coil]

I lean towards the ectomorph body type, though I do not think that I am as extreme as others. And I would have to say that the personality traits are pretty spot-on for me:

• self-conscious
• preference for privacy
• introverted
• inhibited
• socially anxious
• artistic
• mentally intense
• emotionally restrained

 

[Gotham Central]

When it comes to fitness (or bodybuilding, at least), the terms Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph don't really have a lot to do with physical appearance so much as they have to do with a body's ability to burn fat, build muscle, etc. Ectomorphs aren't necessarily super tall and lanky; they just have a much more difficult time building muscle than Endomorphs do. Ectomorphs are the kinds of people that eat and eat and eat and not put on a pound, while Endomorphs have a much easier time bulking up.

As for how these things compare to personalities, there is one thing that I have noticed in my time as a human:

Really ugly people have one of two personality types -- 1) they are either really angry and bitter or 2) they are hilarious.

We've been known to do both Angry and bitter can be a source of great comedy.


In terms of body type, what I've also noticed is that straight Endomorphs tend to be able to build powerful lower bodies (legs etc) without trying that hard. I think that one of the things that separates the 3 body types is the allocation of fast and slow twitch muscles in the body.

 

[Mr Silver]

I say it's complete bunk. Nonsensical pseudoscience.

That's not to say that physical traits cannot be expressive of personality traits. Some genetic disorders, for example, manifest themselves with both physical and psychological characteristics, Down's Syndrome probably being the most obvious and most well known. There are several others as well. It could also work the other way around, obviously; If a person has psychological issues that cause him to overeat, he would likely be fat. But the endomorph, ectomorph, and mesomorph idea has about as much validity in the end as palmistry or phrenology.

I did think about typing a reply, but this is everything I wanted to say and much more.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

These body types do apply to women.

When you explain it like RoJoHen did below, yes, they do apply to women. But not when you look at all the stuff in the OP's links.

When it comes to fitness (or bodybuilding, at least), the terms Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph don't really have a lot to do with physical appearance so much as they have to do with a body's ability to burn fat, build muscle, etc.

 

[thestrangequark]

This somatotype business is pseudoscience, if not outright quackery. Why are we entertaining it?

Well, we've got threads on chiropractors, acupuncture, and Scientology going right now. I figured, we're running with a theme. Now we just need someone to start threads on reiki, homeopathy, and attachment therapy!

I find that laughter is very often the best medicine:

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMGIbOGu8q0&feature=player_embedded[/yt]

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5WTB2I5Flqw[/yt]

These videos are great!

 

[Gryffindorian]

I lean towards the ectomorph body type, though I do not think that I am as extreme as others. And I would have to say that the personality traits are pretty spot-on for me:

• self-conscious
• preference for privacy
• introverted
• inhibited
• socially anxious
• artistic
• mentally intense
• emotionally restrained

Good for you! I possess almost all of those qualities (except being artistic), but I'm not thin!

Edit: What I meant to say is, I wish I were thin.