MySomatotype.Com The Ultimate Tool For SELF-
What is a somatotype/somatotyping?
Somatotype is a scientific word for body-
Why not just say body-
We all have terms that loosely define various body-
How did Sheldon describe somatotype?
Sheldon described somatotype as the intersection of three dimensions: endomorphy, mesomorphy & ectomorphy. He used a seven degree scale for each component. Reading from left to right the first number is endomorphy, the second number is mesomorphy and the final number is ectomorphy. An extreme endomorph would be 7,1,1. An extreme mesomorph would be 1,7,1. An extreme ectomorph 1,1,7 A balanced somatotype would be nearly equal in all three components. A 4,4,4 would be right in the middle of the triangular somatotype space
Is it correct to refer to Endomorphy, Mesomorphy and Ectomorphy as the three somatotypes.
In some discussions on somatotype you get the impression that there are three somatotypes: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. This is inaccurate because Endomorphy, Mesomorphy and Ectomorphy are components or dimensions of somatotype. Those words would only describe the rare extreme somatotypes. Referring to someone as being simply an endomorph, mesomorph or ectomorph is no different from saying someone is fat, muscular or skinny. Technically a somatotype is represented numerically by a sequence of the three numbers that represent the degree to which each component appears to be present based on objective measurements of a person's physique.
Some websites post a list of questions and depending on how you answer the questions claim to determine your somatotype. Is this an accurate way to find your somatotype?
Most of the questions are general and ambiguous. Once you understand how somatotype is determined you will clearly see how far astray those questions can lead a person. Although it is possible to infer some personality traits based on somatotype there are too many variables to how a person may perceive their own personality to make any kind of accurate prediction about one’s somatotype.
Is it possible to change your somatotype?
Sheldon's theory says that the somatotype you have by your early 20's, when you have completed your growth, is the somatotype you inherited and you are stuck with it. Adding or losing muscle or fat is unlikely to alter a person's assessment by much more than a 10% margin of human error. There are endless arguments in the body building community over this issue. These arguments are all based on examples where a person appeared fat and later, after intense training, is bulging with muscles. But if you were to determine the Trunk Index before and after you would find them to be the same. The beauty of the Trunk Index method is that the Trunk Index has proven to be an extremely stable measurement. The Trunk Index is firmly rooted in a person’s skeletal structure. You can add and subtract fat or muscle and have no effect on the general skeletal structure.
What about the Heath-
Which method is most useful?
They both have value. Heath-
Is using somatotype to predict temperament just another pseudoscience like phrenology?
People with only a superficial knowledge of Sheldon and somatotyping like to make this claim. Remember though that phrenology actually was a scientific theory. It made falsifiable hypotheses (claims) and its’ claims were shown to be false. Anyone who continues to adhere to the false claims of phrenology is clinging to a pseudoscience. On the other hand Sheldon’s claim that there is a relationship between somatotype and temperament has been affirmed by other independent researchers in peer reviewed journals. The correlations found by these researchers were much lower than the correlations published by Sheldon but were still significant and in the same direction as Sheldon’s. Sheldon was promoting the idea of inherited temperament at a time when the Behaviorists dominated American psychology. That combined with his unconventional provocative writing style and abrasive personality made a lot of enemies and that stigma remains to this day. For this reason it may be better to refer to Sheldon’s method as the Trunk Index method thereby avoiding entanglement in Sheldon’s personal problems.
Why should you find your somatotype?
Somatotype takes the guesswork out of self-