Dr William Sheldon's

Somatotypes
In the 1940s, Sheldon developed a theory that
there are three basic body types, or somatotypes
(based on the three tissue layers: endoderm,
mesoderm, and ectoderm), each associated with
personality characteristics, representing a
correlation between physiue and temperament
Endomorphy - focused on the digestive
system, particularly the stomach
(endoderm); has the tendency toward
plumpness, corresponds to Viscerotonia
temperament tolerant, love of comfort and luxury, extravert
Mesophorphy- focused on musculature and the circulatory system (mesoderm), has
the tendency towards muscularity, corresponds to the Somatotonia temperament
courageous, energetic, active, dynamic, assertive, aggressive, risk taker
Ectomorphy focused on the nervous system and the brain (ectoderm) - the
tendency towards slightness, corresponds to Cerebrotonia temperament artistic,
sensitive, apprehensive, introvert
!n this basis, Sheldon created his very interesting Atlas of Men ("acmillan #ub $o% 19&0) in which all
possible body types are graded in a scale 'rom 1 (low) to & (high), based on the degree to which they
matched these types% with 4 as average)( )ach type is represented by a series o' photos, and is given a
comical or descriptive name, li*e +saber tooth tiger+ 'or e,treme mesomorph, +Baluchitherium+ (the
largest prehistoric land mammal) 'or mesomorph and endomorph, +"ale "osuito+ 'or the e,treme
ectomorph, and so on( !n this scale, the e,treme or pure mesomorph has a score o' 1-&-1, the pure
endomorph &-1-1, and the pure ectomorph 1-1-&( "ost people o' course are a combination o' types(
.he atlas re'erred to "ale typology only% a 'emale atlas was planned but never produced(
Endomorphic Body Type:
soft body
underdeveloped
muscles
round shaped
over-developed
digestive system
Associated personality traits:
love of food
tolerant
evenness of emotions
love of comfort
sociable
good humored
relaxed
need for affection
Mesomorphic Body Type:
hard, muscular body
overly mature
appearance
rectangular shaped
thick skin
upright posture
Associated personality traits:
adventurous
desire for power and
dominance
courageous
indifference to what
others think or want
assertive, bold
zest for physical activity
competitive
love of risk and chance
Ectomorphic Body Type:
thin
flat chest
delicate build
young appearance
tall
lightly muscled
stoop-shouldered
large brain
Associated personality traits:
self-conscious
preference for privacy
introverted
inhibited
socially anxious
artistic
mentally intense
emotionally restrained
Body and Temperament Types
!ne day, a'ter reading a short description o' Sheldon/s wor*, we 'ound a copy o' his Atlas of Men in
the local library( .his boo* contained over a thousand care'ully posed photos o' nearly nude men(
.he children crowded around 0im as he 'lipped through the pages, and they pointed and giggled( )ven
though we had learned to see people 'rom the point o' view o' psychological types, it had never
occurred to us to loo* at their bodies( Sheldon/s wor* was to change that( 1e began to reali2e that
Sheldon was one o' those rare men, li*e 0ung, who had pioneered a new way o' trac*ing who we are(
3ut he wasn/t going to ma*e any sense unless we made the e''ort to open our eyes and learn by
practice how to see 'or ourselves( 4et/s start by loo*ing at the basics o' Sheldon/s body and
temperament types(
Who was William Sheldon?
1illiam Sheldon (1595-19&&) was an 6merican psychologist who devoted his li'e to observing the
variety o' human bodies and temperaments( 7e taught and did research at a number o'
8(S(universities and is best *nown 'or his series o' boo*s on the human constitution( 7e was a *een
observer o' animals and birds as a child, and he turned this talent to good e''ect by becoming an avid
people-watcher, and out o' his observations he gradually elaborated his typology(
The Basic Components of Physique
9or his study o' the human physiue, :r( Sheldon started with 4,000 photographs o' college-age men,
which showed 'ront, bac* and side views( 3y care'ully e,amining these photos he discovered that
there were three 'undamental elements which, when combined together, made up all these physiues
or somatotypes( 1ith great e''ort and ingenuity he wor*ed out ways to measure these three
components and to e,press them numerically so that every human body could be described in terms
o' three numbers, and that two independent observers could arrive at very similar results in
determining a person/s body type( .hese basic elements he named endomorphy, mesomorphy and
ectomorphy, 'or they seemed to derive 'rom the three layers o' the human embryo, the endoderm, the
mesoderm and the ectoderm(
Endomorphy is centered on the abdomen, and the whole digestive system(
Mesomorphy is 'ocused on the muscles and the circulatory system(
Ectomorphy is related to the brain and the nervous system(
1e have all three elements in our bodily ma*eup, ;ust as we all have digestive, circulatory and
nervous systems( <o one is simply an endomorph without having at the same time some mesomorphy
and ectomorphy, but we have these components in varying degrees( Sheldon evaluated the degree a
component was present on a scale ranging 'rom one to seven, with one as the minimum and seven as
the ma,imum(
The Etreme Endomorph ! "oundness
.he easiest way to get an idea o' the variety o' human physiues is by loo*ing at the three e,tremes,
even though in actual li'e the various combinations are much more common( 6ccording to Sheldon/s
system a &-1-1 (seven-one-one) is the most e,treme endomorph with minimal mesomorphy and
ectomorphy( In this physiue the body is round and so't, as i' all the mass had been concentrated in
the abdominal area( In 'act, the large intestine o' an e,treme endomorph can be two or three times the
length o' that o' an ectomorph( Sheldon li*ened this abdomen to a power'ul boiler room with 'ine
powers o' assimilation( .he arms and legs o' the e,treme endomorph are short and tapering, and the
hands and 'eet comparatively small, with the upper arms and thighs being hammed and more
developed than the lower arms and legs( .he body has smooth contours without pro;ecting bones, and
a high waist( .here is some development o' the breast in the male and a 'ullness o' the buttoc*s( .he
s*in is so't and smooth li*e that o' an apple, and there is a tendency towards premature baldness
beginning at the top o' the head and spreading in a polished circle( .he hair is 'ine and the whole head
is spherical( .he head is large and the 'ace broad and rela,ed with the 'eatures blending into an over-
all impression o' roundness( .he head is li*e a pump*in sitting on a barrel, and the abdomen is li*e a
sphere with the chest attached to it li*e an inverted 'unnel(
Sheldon imagined the body o' the endomorph as a balloon whose walls were thinner at the abdomen
and thic*er 'urther away( 1hen the balloon was in'lated it was largest at the abdomen and smallest at
the 'arthest e,tremities( Santa $laus is our society/s image o' the e,treme endomorph(
The Etreme Mesomorph ! Muscles
In the e,tremely mesomorphic physiue, or 1-&-1, there is a suareness and hardness o' the body due
to large bones and well-de'ined muscles( .he chest area, which Sheldon li*ened to an engine room,
dominates over the abdominal area and tapers to a relatively narrow, low waist( .he bones and
muscles o' the head are prominent as well, with clearly de'ined chee* bones and a suare, heavy ;aw(
.he 'ace is long and broad and the head tends towards a cubical shape( .he muscles on either side o'
the nec* create a pyramid-li*e e''ect( 3oth the lower and upper arms and legs are well-developed and
the wrists and 'ingers are heavy and massive( .he s*in is thic* and tends towards coarseness( It ta*es
and holds a tan well and can develop a leathery appearance with heavy wrin*les( Sheldon compared it
to the s*in o' an orange( .he hair is basically heavy-te,tured, and baldness, when it appears, usually
starts at the 'ront o' the head( .he e,treme mesomorph is "r( 8niverse or .ar2an(
Sheldon/s initial wor* with body and temperament types was based mostly on men, and it is in the
description o' the e,treme mesomorph that we have the most need to develop a corresponding 'emale
mesomorphic description( 1omen on the whole tend to have less mesomorphy than men and more
endomorphy( 1omen who are primarily mesomorphs rarely show the same degree o' sharp
angularity, prominent bone structure and highly relieved muscles 'ound in their male counterparts(
.heir contours are smoother, yet the chest area clearly dominates over the abdominal area and both
upper and lower arms and legs are well-muscled( .he s*in tends to be 'iner than in the male
mesomorph, but shows some o' the same characteristics in terms o' tanning and wrin*ling(
The Etreme Ectomorph ! #inear
.he highly ectomorphic physiue, or 1-1-&, is 'ragile and delicate with light bones and slight muscles(
.he limbs are relatively long and the shoulders droop( In contrast to the compactness o' the
endomorph and mesomorph, the ectomorph is e,tended in space and linear( .he ribs are visible and
delicate and the thighs and upper arms wea*( .he 'ingers, toes and nec* are long( .he 'eatures o' the
'ace are sharp and 'ragile, and the shape o' the 'ace as a whole is triangular with the point o' the
triangle at the chin( .he teeth are o' ten crowded in the lower ;aw which is somewhat receding( .he
s*in is dry and is li*e the outer s*in o' an onion( It tends to burn and peel easily and not retain a tan(
.he relatively great bodily area in relation to mass ma*es the ectomorph su''er 'rom e,treme heat or
cold( .he hair is 'ine and 'ast-growing and sometimes di''icult to *eep in place( 3aldness is rare( .he
e,treme ectomorph in our society is the absent-minded pro'essor or Ichabod $rane(
Body Type "eco$nition
!nce we had grasped these three basic elements we tried to recogni2e them in ourselves and our
'riends( 1e, indeed, 'ound some people who were e,treme endomorphs, or mesomorphs or
ectomorphs, with little o' the other components, but there were not many o' them( "ost o' the people
we *new were a bewildering variety o' combinations, and we practiced mentally weighing how much
o' each component they had( 0im, 'or e,ample, had very little endomorphy( 7e was one o' those
in'uriating people who could eat and eat and never seem to gain a pound( 7e had some mesomorphy,
but probably not as much as the average man( 3ut he did have a lot o' ectomorphy( 7e was tall and
thin with long arms and legs, and a slight stoop to his shoulders( !ne 'riend was muscular and lean,
while another was muscular and bul*y( 6nd so on( 6nd slowly we began to recogni2e eight basic
body types(
1e have already met the 'irst three in which one o' the components stands out( Sheldon li*ed to draw
a body type diagram on which he plotted the di''erent body types( 7ere/s where he placed the e,treme
endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph:

!ther people were strong in two elements, and had less o' the third( .hey 'ell in between the poles o'
Sheldon/s diagram( 9our o' these combinations captured our attention( .here was the he'ty muscular
person, the muscular thin person, and close to him, the thinner yet still muscular person, and between
the ectomorph and the endomorph the person who was spread out and round without really being
muscular(

9inally there were the people who had a lot o' each component, and they 'ell right in the middle o'
Sheldon/s diagram, and the completed diagram loo*ed li*e this:

I' we ta*e a tour o' Sheldon/s body type diagram, the endomorph/s silhouette loo*s li*e a pear(
9urther up north we meet the endomorphic mesomorph( 7is abdomen is not uite as massive( 7is
shoulders are bul*ier, and this creates a rectangular shape( "uch o' the so'tness o' the endomorph is
gone, replaced by a 'eeling o' solidness( .he endomorphic mesomorph is li*e a bull( !nce we hit the
e,treme mesomorphic pole the bul* o' the abdomen has dwindled even 'urther, and there/s a strong
contrast between the relatively narrow waist and hips and the power'ul shoulders and arms( =oing
down the other side towards the ectomorphic pole we have the ectomorphic mesomorph( 7e is less
heavily built, but still muscular( 7is neighbor to the south has an eual measure o' mesomorphy and
ectomorphy, ma*ing him thin and muscular( .hen comes the more e,treme ectomorph, and between
him and the endomorph, the ectomorphic endomorph, who is perhaps the hardest to recogni2e( 7e is
spread out and round without being muscular( In the middle are mid-range physiues well endowed
with all the basic elements( 6nd somewhere in this panoramic rainbow o' physiues is you( $an you
'ind yoursel'>
3ody type recognition is easier than 'iguring out psychological types because bodies are naturally
much more visible( 3ut it is still a s*ill that has to be acuired by practice( 6nd Sheldon had it in the
highest degree( 7e was a consummate body type trac*er( 7e didn/t limit himsel' to his laboratory
photographs, but wandered about beaches and rode the subway in search o' interesting and unusual
physiues( 7e could loo* across a street and tell the di''erence between a ?-@-A and a ?-A-@( .his
level o' s*ill too* a li'etime o' dedication, but it is possible 'or us to acuire the basics i' we wor* at
it(
!ne o' the unresolved problems o' body type recognition is the uestion o' the physiues o' women( I
have already mentioned that they are more endomorphic and less mesomorphic, but they are also
more mid-range( Bou see more e,treme physiues among men than among women, e,cept 'or the
endomorphs( 1omen are grouped more toward the cent o' the body type diagram and that ma*es
their somatotypes harder to distinguish 'rom one another( 6 'emale ectomorph, 'or e,ample, o'ten has
a lot more endomorphy than a male ectomorph( 3ut still and all, it/s possible to 'ind the eight basic
body types among women as well as men(
Sheldon's Temperament Types
.he classi'ication o' body types was not Sheldon/s ultimate goal( 7e wanted to help resolve the age-
old uestion o' whether our body type was connected with the way we acted( In short, he wanted to
e,plore the lin* between body and temperament(
.emperament e,plores how people eat and sleep, laugh and snore, spea* and wal*( .emperament is
body type in action( Sheldon/s procedure in loo*ing 'or the basic components o' temperament was
much li*e the one he used in discovering the body type components( 7e interviewed in depth several
hundred people and tried to 'ind traits which would describe the basic elements o' their behavior( 7e
'ound there were three basic components which he called viscerotonia, somatotonia and cerebrotonia,
and eventually named endotonia, mesotonia and ectotonia(
Endotonia is seen in the love o' rela,ation, com'ort, 'ood and people(
Mesotonia is centered on assertiveness and a love o' action(
Ectotonia 'ocuses on privacy, restraint and a highly developed sel'-awareness(
Sheldon devised a way o' numerically rating the strength o' each area based on a chec*-list o' ?0
characteristics (see the end o' this chapter 'or a simpl'ied version) that describe the basic
components( .he &-1-1 was the e,treme endotonic, the 1-&-1 the e,treme mesotonic and the 1-1-& the
e,treme ectotonic( 7e 'ound a strong correspondence between the endomorphic body type and the
endotonic temperament, the mesomorphic body type and the mesotonic temperament, and the
ectomorphic body type and the ectotonic temperament( 0ust as in our body type we have all three
elements, so, too, with our temperament( 6 loo* at the three e,tremes in temperament will give us
some idea o' what these components are li*e
The Etreme Endotonic ! %riendliness

.he endotonic shows a splendid ability to eat, digest and sociali2e( 6 good deal o' his energy is
oriented around 'ood, and he en;oys sitting around a'ter a good meal and letting the digestive process
proceed without disturbance( )ndotonics live 'ar 'rom the upsets and nervous stomachs o' the
ectotonics( .hey 'all readily to sleep and their sleep is deep and easy% they lie limp and sprawled out
and 'reuently snore(
)ndotonics are rela,ed and slow-moving( .heir breathing comes 'rom the abdomen and is deep and
regular( .heir speech is unhurried and their limbs o'ten limp( .hey li*e sitting in a well-upholstered
chair and rela,ing( 6ll their reactions are slow, and this is a re'lection on a temperament level o' a
basal metabolism, pulse, breathing rate and temperature which are all o'ten slower and lower than
average( .he circulation in their hands and 'eet tends to be poor( Sheldon calls these people
biologically introverted organisms( It is as i' all the energy is 'ocused on the abdominal area, leaving
less 'ree to be e,pressed in the limbs and 'ace, and giving the impression o' a lac* o' intensity(
Sheldon 'elt that biological introversion gave rise to psychological e,traversion( Since the bodies o'
the endotonics are so 'ocused on the central digestive system, they need and crave social stimulation
in order to 'eel complete on the social level( =roups o' people, rather than 'atiguing them, stimulate
them to the proper level o' social interaction( .he assimilative powers that on the physical level were
oriented to 'ood, now on the social level draw them to people(
.he endotonics love to sociali2e their eating, and the sharing o' meals becomes an event o' the
highest importance( .hey treat guests well( .hey love company and 'eel more complete with other
people around( .hey li*e people simply because they are people( .hey have a strong desire to be li*ed
and approved o', and this o'ten leads them to be very conventional in their choices in order not to run
the ris* o' social disapproval( .he endotonics are open and even with their emotions which seem to
'low out o' them without any inhibitions( 1hether they are happy or sad, they want the people around
them to *now about it, and i' others e,press emotion they react directly and convincingly in
sympathy( 1hen an endotonic has been drin*ing he becomes even more ;ovial and radiates an
e,pansive love o' people( )ndotonics are 'amily-oriented and love babies and young children and
have highly developed maternal instincts(
In summary, they love assimilation both on the physical and social level( .hey love to eat and digest,
to be part o' their 'amily and community, to li*e and be li*ed and to rest and rela,( .hey crave 'ood
and a''ection and abhor isolation and disapproval( .hey e,press a''ection and approval readily and
need both bac* in *ind(
The Etreme Mesotonic ! &ction

In endotonia the stomach was the 'ocus o' attention, but in mesotonia it is the muscles( .he mesotonic
is well-endowed with them, or to put it another way, the mesotonic/s muscles seem to have a mind o'
their own( .hey are always ready 'or action, and good posture is natural to them( .hey get up with
plenty o' energy and seem tireless( .hey can wor* 'or long periods o' time and both need and li*e to
e,ercise( .hey li*e to be out doing things( I' they are 'orced into inactivity they become restless and
de;ected(
.he mesotonic tends to eat his 'ood rapidly and somewhat randomly, o'ten neglecting set meal times(
7e sleeps the least o' the three types and sometimes contents himsel' with si, hours( 7e is an active
sleeper who thrashes about( 7e shows an insensitivity to pain and a tendency to high blood pressure
and large blood vessels(
.he mesotonic has no hesitation in approaching people and ma*ing *nown his wants and desires( .he
tendency to thin* with his muscles and 'ind e,hilaration in their use leads him to en;oy ta*ing chances
and ris*s, even when the actual gain is well-*nown to be minimal( .hey can become 'ond o'
gambling and 'ast driving and are generally physically 'earless( .hey can be either di''icult and
argumentative, or slow to anger, but always with the capacity to act out physically and usually with
some sort o' history o' having done so on special occasions(
.his physical drive mani'ests itsel' on the psychological level in a sense o' competition( .he
mesotonic wants to win and pushes himsel' 'orward( 7e is unhesitant about the all-out pursuit o' the
goal he see*s( 6ssociated with this trait is a certain psychological callousness( 7e tends to wal*
roughshod over the obstacles in his path and the people who stand in the way o' his achieving what he
wants( !n the positive side this is called being practical and 'ree 'rom sentimentality, but on the
negative side it is called ruthlessness or obno,ious aggressiveness(
.his outward energetic 'low ma*es mesotonics generally noisy( .hey bustle about doing things and
since their inhibitions are low, the attendant noise does not bother them( .heir voices carry and
sometimes boom out as i' speech were another 'orm o' e,ercise( 1hen alcohol reduces their
inhibitions, they become more assertive and aggressive( 1hen trouble stri*es they revert to their most
'undamental 'orm o' behavior and see* action o' some sort( "esotonics tend to glori'y that period o'
youth'ul activities where physical powers reach their pea*, or perhaps more accurately the period o'
youth that best symboli2es a sense o' endless vitality and activity( .his glori'ication o' youth goes
hand-in-hand with the early maturing o' the mesotonic organism, both 'acially and muscularly( .hey
loo* older than their chronological age( .he e,traversion o' action that is so strong here goes together
with a lac* o' awareness o' what is happening on the sub;ective level( .he uic*ness with which the
mesotonic can ma*e decisions is compensated 'or by a relative unawareness o' the other parts o' his
personality( 7e tends to be cut o'' 'rom his dream li'e( 7e li*es wide-open spaces and 'reedom 'rom
the restraint o' clothes(
6s we saw in the case o' the mesomorphic physiue, Sheldon/s portrait o' the mesotonic is more male
than 'emale( .he 'emale mesotonic shows the same e,traversion o' action, but how this action
e,presses itsel' has a di''erent uality( .here is not the same overt physical combativeness and
competitive aggressiveness( .he action is more muted and 'lows in more socially acceptable
channels( .he mesotonic woman should be compared not with mesotonic men but with other women,
and it is in relationship to other women that she shows the distinctive mesotonic traits in a 'eminine
way(
Sheldon 'elt that estimating the degree o' mesotonia was the most di''icult part o' evaluating a
person/s temperament( 6t times people with well-developed mesotonia can give the sur'ace
appearance o' e,ceptional calmness and amiability( .his is particularly true o' the e,treme
mesomorphs o' above average height who 'orm a *ind o' mesomorphic royalty( .hey e,pect and get
special treatment( Sheldon li*ened them to big cats who go around with their claws retracted, and
only when provo*ed or in the midst o' a crisis does their mesotonia show itsel' clearly(
The Etreme Ectotonic ! "eflection

.he outstanding characteristic o' the ectotonic is his 'inely-tuned receptive system( 7is spread-out
body acts li*e a giant antenna pic*ing up all sorts o' inputs( Sheldon calls the ectotonic a biologically
e,traverted organism, which is compensated 'or by psychological introversion( Since the whole
organism is sensitive to stimulation, the ectotonic develops a series o' characteristic strategies by
which he tries to cut down on it( 7e is li*e a sonar operator who must constantly be wary o' a sudden
loud noise brea*ing in on the delicate sounds he is trying to trace( 7e li*es to cross his legs and curl
up as i' he is trying to minimi2e his e,posure to the e,terior world( 7e tries to avoid ma*ing noise and
being sub;ected to it( 7e shrin*s 'rom crowds and large groups o' people and li*es small, protected
places(
.he ectotonic su''ers 'rom a uic* onset o' hunger and a uic* satiation o' it( 7e is drawn to a high
protein, high calorie diet, with 'reuent snac*ing to match his small digestive system( 7e has a
nervous stomach and bowels( 7e is a uiet sleeper, but a light one, and he is o'ten plagued by
insomnia( 7e tends to sleep on one side with his legs drawn up, and his sleep, though slow in coming,
can be hard to sha*e o''( 7is energy level is low, while his reactions are 'ast he su''ers 'rom a uasi-
chronic 'atigue and must protect himsel' 'rom the temptation to e,ercise heavily( 7is blood pressure
is usually low and his respiration shallow and rapid with a 'ast and wea* pulse( 7is temperature is
elevated slightly above normal and it rises rapidly at the onset o' illness( .he ectotonic is resistant to
many ma;or diseases, but su''ers e,cessively 'rom insect bites and s*in rashes( 8n'ortunately he can
succumb to acute streptococcal in'ections o' the throat which cause swelling and strangulation( 7is
hypersensitivity leads not only to uic* physical reactions but to e,cessively 'ast social reactions as
well( It is di''icult 'or this type to *eep pace with slow-moving social chit-chat( 7e races ahead and
trips over his own social 'eet(
0ust as the endotonic loves to eat and the mesotonic loves action, the ectotonic loves privacy, and
intellectual or mental stimulation( 7e needs shelter 'rom e,cessive stimulation and time to sort out the
inputs he has received, and connect them up with his own inner sub;ective e,perience, which he
values highly( Sel'-awareness is a principle trait o' ectotonia( .he 'eelings o' the ectotonic are not on
display, even though they can be very strong, and so he is sometimes accused o' not having any(
1hen they are in a situation o' dealing with someone who has authority over them or with someone
o' the opposite se, whom they are interested in, they o'ten ma*e a poor 'irst impression( .hey are
uncom'ortable in coping with social situations where overt e,pressions o' sympathy are called 'or or
where general idle conversation is the norm, 'or e,ample in parties and dinners where they have no
intimate acuaintances(
.he ectotonics are hypersensitive to pain because they anticipate it and have a lower pain threshold as
well( .hey do not pro;ect their voices li*e the mesotonics, but 'ocus it to reach only the person they
are addressing( .hey appear younger than their age and o'ten wear an alert, intent e,pression( .hey
have a late adolescence, consider the latter part o' li'e the best, and are 'uture-oriented( .he more
e,treme ectotonics have a distaste 'or alcohol and their accentuated consciousness 'ights alcohol,
drugs, anaesthesia and is resistant to hypnosis( .hey can readily with their dream li'e and o'ten rich
'antasy li'e( 1hen they become troubled they see* privacy and solitude in order to try to wor* out the
di''iculty(
"a*e an initial estimate o' how much o' the three components o' temperament you have by rating
yoursel' on a simpli'ied Scale o' .emperament(
Endotonia Mesotonia Ectotonia
1hen troubled I see*
out
CCCpeople
(
CCCaction
(
CCCsolitude
(
I pre'er
(
CCCphysical com'ort CCCphysical adventure
CCCprivacy

.he time o' my li'e I
'avor is
CCCchildhood
(
CCCearly adulthood
CCClater years
(
1hat would bother me
most would be
CCCbeing cut o'' 'rom
other people
CCCbeing closed o'' in
small places
CCCbeing e,posed to
endless noise
1hen in a group I li*e to
CCCmingle
(
CCCta*e charge

CCCta*e o''

I pre'er to

CCClet things ta*e their
course
CCCdo things
CCCobserve what is
going on
.he thing I li*e most is
CCCeating
(
CCCe,ercise
(
CCCtime to mysel'
.he ualities that 'it me
best are
(
CCCtolerance and love o'
people
(
CCClove o' power and
leadership
(
CCCa highly developed
sel'-awareness

3ody and temperament types had grown 'rom a 'ootnote to our interest in psychological types into a
'ull-'ledged way o' seeing that complemented what 0ung had done( .he ne,t step was both inevitable
and e,citing( 1e *new that 0im and I were both introverted intuition types and ectomorphs( 1as this
an accident> 6 'riend who was an e,traverted thin*ing type we now saw was a mesomorph( 1e had
never averted to either his physiue, or single-mindedness, or booming voice or all the other
mesotonic traits he possessed( 6nother 'riend was predominantly endomorphic, and we already *new
that she was an e,traverted sensation type( 1ere body and temperament types randomly distributed
among the di''erent psychological types, or were they organically connected> Intrigued, we began to
systematically e,amine the body types o' all the people whose psychological types we already *new(
.his helped con'irm our initial insights( .here seemed to be a de'inite connection between the
endomorph and the e,traverted sensation type, the mesomorph and the e,traverted thin*ing type, and
the ectomorph and the introverted intuition type(
.he best way 'or you to determine whether such connections actually e,ist is to go trac*ing yoursel'
and loo* at the body, temperament and psychological type o' someone you *now well and see what
Bou 'ind( .here is really no substitute 'or this *ind o' personal veri'ication( !nce we had some idea
o' what we were loo*ing 'or, then, and only then, did it become possible to reread Sheldon and
discover nuances we had missed be'ore( 7ere/s a summary o' Sheldon/s remar*s on the endotonic,
mesotonic and ectotonic that point to their respective psychological types(
The Psycholo$ical Type of the Endotonic
.he numbers in parentheses re'er to traits in Sheldon/s Scale o' .emperament and the page number to
his Varieties of Temperament(
.he endotonic is an e,travert( 7e loves to have people around, a trait Sheldon called sociophilia (5)(
7e is dependent on them 'or a''ection and approval (10)( .he endotonic does not hold bac* his
emotions% whatever is there 'lows readily and smoothly out (1&) and can be easily understood( 7e
wants to be around people when he is troubled (19)( 7e is well-oriented to the social world around
him and *nows what the general opinion o' the community is about many individuals in it (11)(
.he endotonic has sensation as his 'irst 'unction( 7e is oriented to the world around him through his
sense impressions( +)ndotonics can always be trusted to maintain a close grip on immediate practical
reality(+ (p( @49-D0)( +)ndotonia means realism( )ndotonic ecstasy lies in the achievement o' a /real/
surrounding made up o' nice things that taste good, smell good, loo* good, sound good, 'eel good(+
(p( @DA)( 7e loves to eat (4) and to be physically com'ortable (@), and he li*es people simply because
they are with him without ma*ing ;udgments about them (9)( .hey are 'acts which he accepts (1A)(
.he endotonic has intuition as his 'ourth 'unction( 7e tends to lac* 'oresight and a sense o' progress(
7e is not a re'ormer (1?)( 7e views the ectotonic as a +dar* and suspicious person, a miser at best and
a sinister in'luence at worse+ (p( A&) which is a good description o' the negative intuition o' the
e,traverted sensation type(
The Psycholo$ical Type of the Male Mesotonic
.he mesotonic is an e,travert, with relatively little grasp o' his inner sel' (1&)( 7is is an e,traversion
o' action( 7e loves physical adventure (@) and is 'ull o' energy to be doing things (A)( 7e is physically
courageous 'or combat (5) and has an unrestrained voice (1A)( 7e disli*es being enclosed in small
places (11)(
.he 'irst 'unction o' the mesotonic is thin*ing( .he mesotonic *nows what he wants and he has a
+singularly impersonal ob;ectivity in see*ing what is wanted+ (p( DD)( 7e is e''ective in carrying out
decisions without inhibitions( 7e is stable, predictable and hardheaded (p( D5)( 7e gets things done
without always stopping and considering the physical and social costs (p( D9)( +.he even regulation o'
habitual overt behavior in mesotonics is stri*ing, but it is perhaps relatively unimportant in
comparison with the same habitual ordering o' mental activities+ (p( @?D)( .his habitual ordering o'
the mental activities is a result o' the predominance o' the thin*ing 'unction(
.he least developed 'unction o' the mesotonic is 'eeling( .he negative side o' the e''iciency in getting
things done is callousness towards people and things that get in their way (11)( 6s Sheldon puts it,
they have a +singular insensitivity, especially to the less obvious or subtler needs or desires o' other
personalities in the environment+ (p( D&)( !n occasion the unconscious 'eeling suddenly reveals itsel'
in the 'orm o' sudden conversion with religious overtones (p( ?D) which represents the introverted
'eeling side o' the personality(
The Psycholo$ical Type of the Ectotonic
.he ectotonic is an introvert( +.he thing to be saved and protected at all costs is the continuity and the
integrity o' the inner awareness( Such a person disassociates the outer ob;ective reality but remains in
the closest touch with his own inward sub;ective reality(+(p( 55) .he ectotonic loves privacy (4), tends
to avoid much sociali2ing (5) and is restrained both in voice (9) and in the e,pression o' emotions (?)(
.he most developed 'unction o' the ectotonic is intuition( 7e has a great deal o' curiosity and moves
'rom one new interest to another( +7e seems to be able to change his mind abruptly and suddenly
adapt all his 'eelings and attitudes to the new orientation(+ (p( 5@) 7e is oriented to the 'uture (@0) and
wants to understand the riddles o' li'e (p( 9A)( +!ne o' the most stri*ing characteristics o' persons
showing the $-1& trait (introversion) predominantly is their acuity and preciseness o' intuition(
Intuition is o' the 'irst order in these people, 'or it is based on a thorough 'amiliarity with the remote
consciousness 'rom which it springs(+ (p( 59)
.he least developed 'unction is sensation( 7e cannot seem to accept physical realities matter-o'-
'actly( 7e has di''iculty in 'orming routines and habits (10) and di''iculty in learning things by rote(
7e either ignores things or reads too much into them( +)ctotonics desire but little, but they seem to
become inordinately attached to what they have both in the sense o' material goods and in the sense
o' personal loyalties(+ (p( A&) #hysical ob;ects become alive to them( +7e becomes a''ectionately
attached to things, reads human ualities and 'eelings into them and o'ten 'ocuses deep a''ection upon
things that are not human(+ (#( @DD) 7e can have an especially di''icult time dealing with se,uality(
+.he ectotonic is always in danger o' 'lying too 'ar 'rom the earth and su''ering an Icarian 'all+ (p(
@D0)(
Sheldon/s body type diagram now loo*s li*e this:
etra'erted
thin(in$
etra'erted sensation
intro'erted
intuition

3ut what were the physiues o' the other psychological types> 9inding out was a harder tas*( Eeading
0ung or Sheldon couldn/t provide an answer( It had to come 'rom someone who actually le't certain
bodyFtemperament and psychological trac*s( 1e were already 'amiliar with the ectomorph who was
an introverted intuition type( 3ut what about a man we *new who we were sure was an introverted
thin*ing intuition type> 7e was more mesomorphic and less ectomorphic than the ectomorphs who
were introverted intuition types( 7e was built trimly li*e a marathon runner( 7e was what Sheldon
would call a @-4-4, which meant that he was eually mesomorphic and ectomorphic with little
endomorphy( !nce we had him as a good 'irst e,ample we too* a care'ul loo* at some other
introverted thin*ing intuition types, and 'ound that they had similar builds(
.hen there was a 'riend who was our 'avorite e,ample o' a 2any and e,citing e,traverted intuition
type( 7e was more muscular than the introverted thin*ing type, but he still had a good deal o'
ectomorphy( I thin* Sheldon would have rated him around a @-D-4(
.he endomorphic mesomorphs who are one o' the most popular 6merican somatotypes turned out to
be either e,traverted sensation types i' they were a bit more endomorphic, or e,traverted thin*ing
sensation types i' they were somewhat more mesomorphic( .he body type diagram now loo*ed li*e
this:

etra'erted
thin(in$ or
etra'erted
sensation

intro'erted sensation
etra'erted
intuition

intro'erted
thin(in$
intuition


.his le't the introverted sensation type, the introverted thin*ing sensation type and the uestion o'
women( )ventually we placed the introverted sensation type between the endomorph and the
ectomorph, and the introverted thin*ing sensation type became a good e,ample o' how type theory
has to 'low 'rom type practice( It would have been convenient to put the introverted thin*ing
sensation type with the introverted thin*ing intuition type, but we 'ound an introverted thin*ing
sensation type whose body did not seem to 'it this pattern( It was more chun*y and less ectomorphic(
.hen we 'ound several other introverted thin*ing sensation types who had similar physiues( .hey
still remain a pu22le( 7ere, however, is how our body type diagram 'inally loo*s:
etra'erted
thin(in$ or
etra'erted
sensation) or
intro'erted
thin(in$
sensation

etra'erted
sensation
intro'erted sensation
etra'erted
thin(in$
etra'erted
intuition
intro'erted
thin(in$
intuition
intro'erted
intuition
1omen 'ollow the same pattern as men but they are more di''icult to somatotype, 'or they are more
endomorphic and more closely grouped together( .his means there are less women who are e,treme
mesomorphs and more women who are well-endowed with endomorphy( 1omen, 'or e,ample, who
are introverted intuition types will have in general more endomorphy than their male introverted
intuition counterparts( 1omen are more naturally midrange and more grouped in the center o' the
body type diagram( So a relatively small di''erence in somatotype can be the sign o' a large
di''erence in psychological type( Instead o' the mesomorph being an e,traverted thin*ing type she is
usually an e,traverted 'eeling type, and the introverted thin*ing intuition types and introverted
thin*ing sensation types become introverted 'eeling intuition types and introverted 'eeling sensation
types( In short, to convert the above diagram 'rom men to women replace thin*ing with 'eeling(
6ll this sounds a bit complicated, but i' we study these diagrams there is a certain interior logic in
them( 4et/s imagine that each o' the three corners is li*e a magnet, and each o' these magnetic poles
has its strongest in'luence on the area that is closest to it, while its power o' attraction wea*ens with
distance( .he ectomorphic pole is associated with introversion and intuition, the mesomorphic pole
with e,traversion, thin*ing and 'eeling, and the endomorphic pole with e,traversion and sensation( I'
we stand on the ectomorphic pole and loo* towards the mesomorphic one, we see that intuition and
introversion grow less strong as we move towards the mesomorphic pole o' e,traversion, thin*ing
and 'eeling( .he introverted intuition type becomes the introverted thin*ing or 'eeling intuition type,
then the e,traverted intuition type and 'inally the e,traverted thin*ing or 'eeling type(
.hese diagrams should not be ta*en as 'inished products( 6 great deal more e,perience is necessary
to determine e,actly where the boundaries between the types are( :etailed body and temperament
descriptions li*e those o' Sheldon 'or the three e,treme somatotypes remain to be written 'or the
other psychological types( 1hat 'ollows are tentative notes on the body and temperament type o'
each psychological type(
The *ntro'erted *ntuition Type) the Etra'erted Thin(in$ Type and the Etra'erted Sensation
Type
1e have already seen Sheldon/s description o' the body types and temperaments that correspond with
the e,traverted sensation type, the e,traverted thin*ing type and the introverted intuition type( .he
thing to note is that while Sheldon was describing the e,tremes o' each somatotype, the territory o'
each psychological type covers a wide area made up o' many somatotypes and temperaments( 1e
should not e,pect the introverted intuition type to always resemble a bean pole or the e,traverted
sensation type to loo* li*e Santa $laus(
.he introverted intuition type covers a wide range o' physiues 'rom the wal*ing stic* to the slim
muscularity o' the mesomorphic ectomorph to the midrange balanced body types( In the same way
the temperament varies and no doubt the psychological type itsel' within the territory o' the
introverted intuition type(
.he e,traverted sensation type ranges 'rom the roundness o' the polar e,treme to the burliness o' the
endomorphic mesomorph who might actually have more mesomorphy than endomorphy and he, too,
shares in the midrange balanced somatotypes, who at 'irst glance seem almost the same as the
midrange physiues that belong to other psychological types(
.he e,traverted thin*ing type ranges 'rom the e,treme polar mesomorphs to the e,traverted thin*ing
sensation type who is heavy-set and chun*y under the in'luence o' the endomorphic pole and the
e,traverted thin*ing intuition type who is leaner but still heavily muscled, who is closer to the
ectomorphic pole(
The *ntro'erted Sensation Type
The Body Type
.he physiue o' the introverted sensation type is that o' an endomorph-ectomorph, sometimes with
little mesomorphy, but ranging up to the midrange body type( 1e should not thin* o' the roundness
o' the endomorph as an opposite to ectomorphy( .he introverted sensation type has a roundness
which is e,tended and spread out in space by ectomorphy( In this way he can be distinguished 'rom
the predominant endomorphy o' the more e,treme e,traverted sensation type who is more spherical at
the endomorphic pole and more muscular 'urther north on the somatotype chart(
The Temperament Type
.he introverted sensation type shows a special type o' ectotonic behavior due to his introverted
sensation( 7e has a love o' privacy and is restrained in voice and in the e,pression o' his emotions(
7e does not have the easy e,traversion o' a''ect o' his neighbor the e,traverted sensation type( 7is
emotions, while strong, are held in and shyly bestowed( 7e does not e,hibit the uic* 'riendliness,
tolerance and indiscriminate amiability 'ound in the e,traverted sensation type( 7e can set a good
table but does not ma*e the same social sacrament out o' eating(
.he ectotonia o' the introverted sensation type ta*es on a di''erent character because sensation
replaces intuition( .he introverted sensation type is more orderly and meticulous with details and
observant o' routines( .heir houses are o'ten particularly neat and clean in mar*ed contrast with the
introverted intuition type who sins by omission and inadvertence, and the e,traverted sensation type
who 'ails by lac* o' organi2ation( .hey show none o' the uic* curiosity and reaction and movement
'rom one topic to another characteristic o' the ectotonic introverted intuition type(
7e shows little o' the love o' ris*, chance and competition that is 'ound in the mesotonic( 7e is by
nature conservative and conserving( 7e tends to *eep what he has and *eep it well( 1hen he
accumulates money it is more 'rom care'ul use than daring entrepreneurial acts(
The Etra'erted *ntuition Type
The Body Type
.he physiue o' the e,traverted intuition type is that o' the ectomorphic mesomorph( 7is ectomorphy
ma*es his muscles stand out in clean, sharp relie' so that the degree o' mesomorphy could tend to be
overestimated at 'irst glance( .he e,traverted intuition type o'ten gives the impression o' lean
muscularity and speed( .he @-D-4 somatotype which Sheldon li*ens to an ocelot or cheetah 'alls in
this range( #etersen in his 6tlas o' $hildren remar*s about one o' his @-D-4 boys, +7e loves 'reedom
above all and does not want to be tied down to anything whatsoever( Seemingly his most pro'ound
need is to be independent(+
The Temperament Type
.he e,traverted intuition type shares the e,traversion o' action o' the more mesotonic e,traverted
thin*ing type( .here is a love o' physical adventure and an en;oyment in being out and doing things(
7e is outgoing and physically courageous but without the same aggressiveness and love o'
domination that mar*s the more e,treme mesotonic( <either does he share the mesotonic/s *nac* o'
rubbing people/s 'eelings the wrong way( 7e is uic* in movement and accident-prone, and his
tolerance 'or pain is mi,ed with a certain amount o' concern 'or his health( Instead o' being youth-
oriented he is 'uture-oriented(
7e shares the ectotonic/s intuition, but not his introversion( 7e loo*s to the 'uture outside, changes
activities uic*ly and resists habit and routine( 7e cha'es under authority and loves 'reedom and
independence(
.he e,traverted intuition type 'orms a strong contrast with the endotonia o' the e,traverted sensation
type( 7e is 'ast to react, slow to rela, and unwilling to ta*e time out to eat( 1hile being warm and
'riendly among the people he *nows well, he shows little o' the tolerance and indiscriminate
amiability o' the e,traverted sensation type(
The Etra'erted %eelin$ Type
The Body Type
.he range o' the e,traverted 'eeling type covers much o' the territory o' the e,traverted thin*ing type
but with 'ewer people at the polar e,tremes and more in the midrange since most e,traverted 'eeling
types appear to be women( .he e,traverted 'eeling type territory might also e,tend 'urther south than
the e,traverted thin*ing type territory but have the same basic separation into the e,traverted 'eeling
sensation type and the e,traverted 'eeling intuition type(
The Temperament Type
.he e,traverted 'eeling types show the mesotonic e,traversion o' action and are generally energetic
and well-li*ed( 3ut this is 'emale mesotonia with 'eeling in the 'irst place instead o' thin*ing, and so
the male mesotonic ualities li*e love o' physical adventure, ris* and chance and combative
aggressiveness are all toned down( .he e,traverted 'eeling types can be athletic, lively and assertive
without being combative( .he e,traverted 'eeling type/s muscles, while not as pronounced as the male
mesotonic/s, ma*e nicer curves and they have an e''ect physically in the high energy level and
temperamentally in the ability o' this type to control and dominate a situation with a combination o'
physical presence and 'ocused 'eeling( #eople tend to want to do what they want them to do( 4i*e the
male mesotonic, the 'emale loo*s with nostalgia on youth as the time o' physical per'ection( .hey
tend to mature earlier and 'eel older earlier, and be concerned about their beauty 'ading(
The *ntro'erted Thin(in$ and *ntro'erted %eelin$ Types
The Body Type
It appears that these types cover two distinct territories% one ne,t to the introverted intuition type,
which has the introverted thin*ing intuition type and the introverted 'eeling intuition type, and
another on the other side which contains the introverted thin*ing sensation type and the introverted
'eeling sensation type( Since this is the only instance where a type territory is split up there is a
chance that we are mista*ing a portly 4-4-4 introverted thin*ing sensation type 'or a more
endomorphic andFor mesomorphic physiue which would place the introverted thin*ing sensation
type and the introverted 'eeling sensation type on the other side( It is stri*ing, however, that all the
types with sensation in the 'irst or second place 'all on the le't side o' the diagram and the introverted
thin*ing sensation type and the introverted 'eeling sensation type 'it into this pattern, so we will
describe these types as living in two separate territories(
.he physiues o' the introverted thin*ing intuition type and the introverted 'eeling intuition type
o'ten, at 'irst glance, loo* li*e the mesomorphic introverted intuition types( Some o' these two types
are long and thin, but with a closer e,amination they show a greater degree o' wiry mesomorphy than
the introverted intuition types( .he introverted thin*ing sensation type and the introverted 'eeling
sensation type appear to cover part o' the same territory as the more mesomorphic e,traverted
sensation type(
The Temperament Type
.he introverted thin*ing intuition type and the introverted 'eeling intuition type share many o' the
traits o' the ectotonic introverted intuition type with whom they share their introversion and to a
lesser degree their intuition, such as love o' privacy, emotional restraint, as well as a reluctance to
sociali2e( In a lesser degree they share the uic* reactions o' the more e,treme ectotonics and what
Sheldon calls mental over-intensity or hyperattentionality( .he introverted thin*ing intuition type,
because o' the placement o' the thin*ing 'unction, has what could be called an introverted or mental
mesotonia in contrast to the more physically active mesotonia o' the e,traverted thin*ing type( 7e
does not boom out vocally or try to dominate a social situation, but he has an inner hardheadedness
and mental drive, and it can produce through the in'erior 'eeling 'unction a disregard and callousness
or obliviousness to the 'eelings o' others that mirrors in its own way the in'erior 'eeling o' the
mesotonic(
.he introverted 'eeling intuition type di''ers 'rom the introverted thin*ing intuition type much li*e the
e,traverted thin*ing type di''ers 'rom the e,traverted 'eeling type( .he traits due to introversion
remain in place, li*e love o' privacy, etc(, but the character o' the mesotonia changes to a more
'eminine one without the same ruthlessness that comes 'rom 'eeling in the 'ourth place( .he
introverted 'eeling intuition type can sometimes appear somewhat li'eless because the 'eelings are not
immediately visible(
.he introverted thin*ing sensation type and the introverted 'eeling sensation type can be mista*en at
'irst glance 'or more or less amiable e,traverted sensation types( :espite appearances they possess
little o' the sociophilia and smooth e,traversion o' 'eeling that is the hallmar* o' the endotonic( .hey
share with the rest o' the ectotonics a certain distinctive sel'-conscious movement o' the eyes( It is
almost as i' they are introverts in e,traverted bodies(
.he introverted thin*ing sensation type can be a businessman with a di''erence( 7e has the mental
euipment to pay attention to practical detail combined with the introvert/s instinct 'or preservation(
6dd to this a love o' competition and dominating and a dash o' ruthlessness that comes 'rom the
mesotonia and it can be a 'ormidable combination 'or material success(
.he introverted 'eeling sensation type will again di''er in characteristic 'ashion with the ectotonic
love o' privacy, sociophobia, vocal restraint and secretness o' 'eeling but without the sense o'
competition and domination 'ound in the introverted thin*ing sensation type(
Complete Type Trac(in$
It has been essential to cover the basics o' type at all three levels( 6nd perhaps you have some idea o'
what your own complete type is( 3ut be patient with yoursel'( It will ta*e real wor* to convert all the
principles, e,amples and descriptions o' the preceding chapters into your own ability to see types( It/s
not possible to grasp everything at once( 1hen I meet someone 'or the 'irst time I wish I could say
that I can readily 'igure out their type on all three levels, but it doesn/t wor* that way( Sometimes I
might be sure that the person is a mesomorph, or their 'ourth 'unction is 'eeling, or that they are an
introvert( 6nd I have to be satis'ied with these relatively modest starting points and let my
understanding grow naturally by my contact with them( So don/t be discouraged i' you are sure o'
only a small portion o' your own type( Bour ability will grow with practice(