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Somatotype (Body-Type) and Personality

Walking Tourist

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Ok. Here goes. Please help me figure out my body type, Psychodigg?
Can't figure out body type because I'm short.
Height: 5'0"
Weight: 105 pounds
body shape: kind of an hourglass figure. No matter how little I weight, I never look skinny. Strong legs from walking so much. Fairly broad shoulders.
 

ColonelGadaafi

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Height:5'11
Weight: 82kgs
Body shape: Ectomorph

I think the OP is trying to correlate personality types to activity levels and preferences, which could be interesting if we compare it to a stastical study with type examples. As for how this theory responds in my case, it doesn't seem to fit at all. Im on the other end of the spectrum of the suggested physical phenotype for my type. I would describe myself as very ectomorphic with a strong tendency for longer extremities(limbs) in relationship to my body. My legs are literally the length of my trunk and head put togther. When i am underweight you could say i have a spindly appearance. I would say based on this charts, i am inbetween Anglina Jolie and Steve Martin, leaning closer to the end of the ecto extreme.

Another interesting thing is, my BMi does not correspond to my expected physical appearance. I can put on 5 kilos worth of weight and it won't significantly alter my appearance at all, since it seems fat proportions are well distributed on my physique.

Whats even more interesting then personality and somatotypes are the causative factors for physical inclinations. Because apparently enviroment seems to be very important in skeletal formation.
 

Haphazard

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What is it when it's impossible to gain or lose weight, either fat or muscle?

Then again I've been fat since I was very small, and then again I can attach any weight gain or weight loss to specific events. (gaining weight when going on birth control, losing weight when getting sick and not eating for basically a week)
 

BlackCat

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Definitely an endomorph. Trying to get skinny sucks.
 

Vamp

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Sand Paper:

You sound like an endomorphic ectomorph.

Endo = 4.5 to 5.0
Meso = 1.5 to 2.0
Ecto = 5.5 to 6.0

If you weigh in the 120's (pounds) you are about 1.5 meso
If you weigh in the 130's you are about 2.0 meso

Your temperament is probably at the outer reaches of INFP and approaching an ISFP.

I don't agree with the weight body typing. Body type is more about how your body is made, your build, your muscle, your fat and how easily you put on muscle or fat. Someone who is mostly lean with a thin frame is ecto. Someone who is neither thin nor heavy and finds it easy to shape up is meso. Someone who easily gains fat and easily gains muscle often at the same time is endo.
 

Queen Kat

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According to the test on the website:

Your score is 1.75.

Your body is closest to a Mesomorph. You have a naturally fit body but to maintain it or improve it you should exercise and diet correctly for your type. Strength training can be done more often and for longer sessions then would be good for an Ectomorph, but you must still be carefull not to overdo it. You should train with moderate to heavy weighs and at a moderate pace, not resting too long between sets. You will find you gain muscle quite easy (some women and even men might not want to get too bulky, but this won't happen suddenly. When you are happy with your muscle size simply train to maintain it). Stick to a good healthy diet to keep you lean and muscular, and watch for any slow creeping fat gains. Engage in and enjoy aerobic activities, sports, etc. but do not overdo.

I don't really believe in this and I also don't really believe in Ayurveda (which I find way too complicated).
 

Vamp

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It's not really about "believing". I think that's where people get confused with non-western ideas. To me, it's more about noticing things and making connections. I'm an ectomorph because I'm high strung, I jump around, I'm so easily distracted I forget to eat every 4 hours. This keeps my weight low. Because I'm high strung I'm usually always in fight-or-flight mode, I burn lots of calories way beyond my recommended daily intake which causes skinny-ness. People don't understand how their bodies work in concert with their mind creating logical outcomes from certain types of behavior. Which is why so many people are confused about their somatype.

As it relates to Ayurveda: certain chemicals can be absorbed by the body and cause reactions. That's it. Nothing mystical about that. It's just not European which makes it "mystical", unproven and some kind of "voodoo" (a phrase which is another example of western bastardization of old world knowledge systems.).
 

Haphazard

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It's not really about "believing". I think that's where people get confused with non-western ideas. To me, it's more about noticing things and making connections. I'm an ectomorph because I'm high strung, I jump around, I'm so easily distracted I forget to eat every 4 hours. This keeps my weight low. Because I'm high strung I'm usually always in fight-or-flight mode, I burn lots of calories way beyond my recommended daily intake which causes skinny-ness. People don't understand how their bodies work in concert with their mind creating logical outcomes from certain types of behavior. Which is why so many people are confused about their somatype.

Yes, but I'm the same way and I'm really fat. This isn't exactly... logical. [/vulcan]
 

Vamp

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Yes, but I'm the same way and I'm really fat. This isn't exactly... logical. [/vulcan]

Not eating regularly also causes your body to hold onto fat and makes it really hard to loose weight because your metabolism is out of whack(caloric deficit causes over compensation); stress causes the secretion of hormones that make fat hard to loose as well. It all depends on the individual response. There are many other factors like very specific body chemistry so it's never a one-size-fits-all thing. The "logic" is individual.

Also, I'm skinny but I'm skinny-fat. I'm not lean. I am mostly fat and hardly any "substance" like muscle. I can whither away any muscle I build if I miss two meals but the fat just sticks around while the muscle atrophies.
 

Psychdigg

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Vamp:

This is a science. Sheldon somatotyped over 100,000 people in his life time.

Here are some of the myths about body type.

1. It is a myth that anyone can get fat if they eat enough. Ectomorphs would physically die if they cramed their short intestinal length with enough food to make them obese. Endomorphs can have intestines up to 45 feet long. Ectomorphs as short as 15 feet.

2. It is a myth that if an endomorph goes on a starvation diet that they will become an ectomorph. A starved endomorph doesn't even look like an ectomorph. A starved endomorph looks like an emaciated ENDOMORPH. If you took two people the same height and same weight and stood them before me in swimwear I could easily pick out which one was the endomorph. This is why Endomorphs need to radically alter the type of food they consume for permanent weight loss. They need to fill that 45 foot long food processing tube with lots of raw vegetables. On the other hand Ectomorphs need concentrated foods in small amounts throughout the day because they don't have reserves of fat for energy. Ectomorphs move their food fairly quickly through their 15 feet of intestines.

3. It is a myth that anyone can become a mesomorph by following a vigorous program of weight lifting. The Trunk Index is changed very little by weight training. Most of the muscle mass that is added is in the arms and shoulders which isn't calculated into the Trunk Index.

To understand Sheldon's method you really need to understand the Trunk Index. This is how the Trunk Index is determined.

1. You have a photograph of a person. Preferably enough of the body is exposed to determine the critical measurement points. You need a planimeter which is an instrument for measuring irregular areas. You determine two areas on the photograph. One is called the Thoracic Trunk and the other is the Abdominal Trunk. Basically we are dealing strictly with the Torso (body excluding head, arms and legs). The dividing point between the Thoracic Trunk and the Abdominal Trunk is a line midway between the anatomical waist and the top of the pelvis. The Trunk Index is determined by dividing the area (obtained using the planimeter) of The Thoracic Trunk and dividing it by the area of the Abdominal Trunk. As the abdominal trunk area gets larger the Trunk Index becomes a smaller number. So here are some Trunk Indexes that will give you an idea of how they vary. (Trunk Index abbr. TI)

Extreme Endomorph Endo 7, Meso 1, Ecto 1 Height 62.4" Weight 219@50 TI = .85
Extreme Mesomorph Endo 1, Meso 7, Ecto 1 Height 62.4" Weight 144@50 TI = 2.05
Extreme Ectomorph Endo 1, Meso 1, Ecto 7 Height 69.6 Weight 106@50 TI = 1.45
Balanced Endo 4, Meso 4, Ecto 4 Height 70.8 Weight 186@50 TI = 1.45

I can figure this out for about 1,800 combinations using a 13 point scale (using .5 increments for 7)

It is possible for a person who has worked with this system to be fairly accurate with guessing, but it is really best to have a proper photograph.

If you aren't familiar with the system don't even think that you can guess. But, please don't dismiss it just because you don't understand it.

Also, the written test some of you have been referring to is practically worthless for figuring out your somatotype.

A lot more on my website.
 

OrangeAppled

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Orange Appled:

You said:

Sheldon’s somatotype theory both identifies and measures the big systems of the human body. He spent a lifetime looking directly at what is hiding in plain sight. He classifies the very thing we overlook and take for granted - the human body. Look at the connection endomorphy, mesomorphy and ectomorphy have with the big functions of a living organism.

Endomorphy = Visceral System. An animal needs to eat. There is no life at all without the “big” tube (intestines). Living things must have a metabolism or there is nothing.

Mesomorphy = Muscular System. An animal needs to move. It needs to move toward food and away from danger.

Ectomorphy = Nervous System. An animal needs coordinated and rapid movement to capture food and escape danger. The nervous system is an emergency system. It records routines and strategies that can be quickly initiated when needed. It deals with things that suddenly come into view.

It shouldn’t be too hard to imagine that if a person is structured with an emphasis on the gut, this will have the effect of conditioning a person to be interested in food, and the comfort of feeling full and a desire to arrange a comfortable and relaxing environment conducive to carrying out the work of digestion. If a person is structured with a strong muscular body, wouldn’t you expect that those muscles would want to move and facilitate activity and gain proficiency at dominating their world? A stretched out, lean ectomorph, with a high surface to volume ratio could be expected to be vigilant about protecting that boundary/surface area.

I don't see what that has to do with cognitive function still. How does being an endomorph make you more likely to be a Feeling type? Feeling has nothing to do with interest in food, and interest in food does not correlate to body type. Again, that's simply a stereotype.
 

VictorClimacus

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I tend to associate Sensing and especially SJ types with Mesomorphic traits. ES types seem to be disproportionately Endomorphic. The chart makes intuitive sense, but, as an INFP, I am not sure I fit so well. At 6'4'', 175 lbs, I am definitely an ectomorph and have always had long thin limbs and very little body fat. I often am mistaken for someone who is athletically inclined, which is not true, probably more on account of how my brain works than how my body functions.

Throughout grade school and high school, it always seemed that the best athletes were ST types. But their bodies seemed to be as athletically-inclined independently of their mental characteristics. Not only were their interests and behaviors kinesthetically-focused, but they also had stronger bones, tighter muscles, and broader shoulders than the rest of us. It all seemed like one great self-fulfilling prophecy.
 

Thalassa

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I don't agree with the weight body typing. Body type is more about how your body is made, your build, your muscle, your fat and how easily you put on muscle or fat. Someone who is mostly lean with a thin frame is ecto. Someone who is neither thin nor heavy and finds it easy to shape up is meso. Someone who easily gains fat and easily gains muscle often at the same time is endo.

Yep, Psychdigg is wrong. I read up about this on another site, and weight gain or loss does not indicate body type. Endos can be relatively slim, but have a hard time building muscle, and usually have to work harder to not gain weight. Mesos have the muscular, stocky build, even if they put on a layer of fat over it. Ectos are usually thin because they have a hard time putting on weight, but of course people can put on weight as they age, especially if their habits are bad.

Then there are blends, like I'm probably a Meso-Endo, not a pure Meso, and not a pure Endo.
 

Serge

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Yep, Psychdigg is wrong. I read up about this on another site, and weight gain or loss does not indicate body type. Endos can be relatively slim, but have a hard time building muscle, and usually have to work harder to not gain weight. Mesos have the muscular, stocky build, even if they put on a layer of fat over it. Ectos are usually thin because they have a hard time putting on weight, but of course people can put on weight as they age, especially if their habits are bad.

Then there are blends, like I'm probably a Meso-Endo, not a pure Meso, and not a pure Endo.

I thought Endomorphs actually gained muscle about as well as they gain fat? I think that makes sense, logically, since they have a heavier frame and as such, need more muscle to support it. Hence why somaotype centric information tells endomorphs to focus on losing weight rather than trying to bulk up.
 

Moiety

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I'm meso tilting towards the endo side so I guess the image in the first post is kind of accurate for me.
 

Thalassa

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I thought Endomorphs actually gained muscle about as well as they gain fat? I think that makes sense, logically, since they have a heavier frame and as such, need more muscle to support it. Hence why somaotype centric information tells endomorphs to focus on losing weight rather than trying to bulk up.

But Mesos are, like, born with muscle. Pure Mesos don't even have to work out that much to look muscular...I've met a pure Meso who was laughing about how he never had to lift weights but still had these manly, muscled arms.

I have Meso traits because my legs are easily muscular, like they just are, and when I run they just get more defined. I've always been inclined to be somewhat active, I have big "cheerleader" calves, slim ankles, and I don't put on weight in my thighs unless I just really chunk up and there's no where else for it to go. However, I can't be a pure Meso because I'm not super-duper athletic, and I'm quite large busted and soft looking to a degree.

Endos, on the other hand, may build muscle, but not as easily as a Meso, it doesn't just happen to them without them thinking about it, and they do have to work harder to get definition.

Just like an Ecto can look muscular and defined because of very low body fat percentage, but they have a more difficult time "bulking up" with muscle, even if they have the definition.
 

Psychdigg

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Orange-Appled:

I don't see what that has to do with cognitive function still. How does being an endomorph make you more likely to be a Feeling type? Feeling has nothing to do with interest in food, and interest in food does not correlate to body type. Again, that's simply a stereotype.

Psychology, under the influence of the "mind-body" split tends to make the mistake of ignoring the body. Our brain (cognitive functions) is just another part of our body. You can't say that everything about our personality is in our brain. Behaviorism made the mistake of explaining behavior almost exclusively with environmental causes. In the process they too ignored the body itself. Your brain is in your body and is under the influence of the bodies constitution.

My use of the expression "interest in food" is not semantically correct. Everyone is interested in food, right? Ectomorphs may be interested in fashionable food, the aesthetics of presentation etc. Mesomorphs may be "interested" in food they can aggressively sink their teeth into like a great big 2 pound stead that they can chew away at. Endomorphs are more concerned with "feeling full". They will eat anything to get that full filling. Comfort is their objective. An empty stomach is uncomfortable and they tend to feel the emptiness a little more than a compact skinny ectomorph. Endomorphs crave lots of carbs, breads, sugars etc. There have been studies on chronically obese people and they really hit the "comfort foods".

Language and word usage doesn't fall out of the sky. It emerges from our biology.

Here is a simple test:

Which body system is usually associated with feeling. Pick one.

a. I have a brain feeling that we're not going to get along.

b. I have a muscle feeling that we're not going to get along.

c. I have a gut feeling that we're not going to get along.

This is not a trivial point.
 

KDude

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Muscle. Kind of get unease in my neck, shoulders.. chest/heart area even. I think. :thinking:

I'm definitely not a "aggressive", "big steak" kind of guy though. I don't even eat that much at once. I eat quick, and get full quick.
 

ColonelGadaafi

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But your not making any sense here Psychdigg. You cannot seriously back up anything that you've suggested.

For example correlating our body shape with our personality does not make any sense. How on earth can you define a biological *direct*biological relationship between two very different things, like fat-disposition, skeletal structure with the personality that is directly a property of having a brain. It's a fallacy, you fail to prove your premise by not providing any evidence for direct causitive or correlative factors.

It's like saying, "Hey, man that lampost out there is the cause of the dent on my roof".
 

Haphazard

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That doesn't make any sense Psydigg.

If you eat something that's high in fat or protein you eat less while feeling fuller. So, if an endomorph craves feeling full, they'd go for fat and not carbs. Carbs are shit at making you feel full.

By that logic, I guess I'm an endomorph. I make sure to eat things that I can eat very little of that makes me feel full so I only have to eat lunch and a snack at 8PM without thinking about food the rest of the day.
 
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