Orange-Appled:
Psychology has been struggling for hundreds of years with the mind-body split. The Behaviorists reacted by saying that the causes of behavior are all environmental - outside the brain. All that little revolution accomplished was that the Behaviorists also ignored the body. The mind needs to be seen as the activity of the Brain which is only part of the body. The brain is not like a "soul" or independent module.
I was semantically reckless when I used the words "interest in food". Of course we all are interested in food - but maybe in different ways. An ectomorph may be intrigued by the rarity of a particular food (truffles, special mushrooms, rare seasonings). Or maybe the ectomorph may be concerned with the aesthetics or presentation of the dish. Mesomorphs may want something they can aggressively sink their teeth in and work at devouring like a 32 oz steak. Endomorphs are more concerned with food that will fill them up. Endomorphs seem to have a greater tendency to avoid the discomfort of that empty feeling. Endo's crave comfort foods, high in carbohydrates, fat and sugar.
Now a simple test. What word is usually associated with the word "feeling".
a. I have this brain feeling that we're not going to get along.
b. I have this muscle feeling that we're not going to get along.
c. I have this gut feeling that we're not going to get along.
This is not a trivial point.
Let me quote Sheldon's explanation of the way organ systems affect temperament.
"Viscerotonia (viscera-endomorphy) the first component, it its extreme manifestation is characterized by general relaxation, love of comfort, sociability, conviviality, gluttony for food, for people and affection. The viscerotonic extremes are people who 'suck hard at the breast of mother earth' and love physical proximity with others. The motivational organization is dominated by the gut and by the function of anabolism. The personality seems to center around the viscera. The digestive tract is kin, and its welfare appears to define the primary purpose of life."
"Somatotonia (mesomorphy) the second component, is roughly a predominance of muscular activity and of vigorous bodily assertiveness. The motivation organization seems dominated by the soma. These people have vigor and push. The executive department of their internal economy is strongly vested in their somatic muscular system. Action and power defines life's primary purpose."
"Cerebrotonia, (ectomorphy) the third component, is roughly a predominance of the element of restraint, inhibition, and of the desire for concealment. Cerebrotonic people shrink away from sociality as from too strong a light. They repress somatic and visceral expression, are hyperattentional, and sedulously avoid attracting attention to themselves. Their behavior seems dominated by the inhibitory and attentional functions of the cerebrum and their motivational hierarchy appears to define an antithesis to both of the other extremes." Taken from The Varieties of Temperament (1942) William Sheldon. MD, PHD
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 has been struggling for hundreds of years with the mind-body split. The Behaviorists reacted by saying that the causes of behavior are all environmental - outside the brain. All that little revolution accomplished was that the Behaviorists also ignored the body. The mind needs to be seen as the activity of the Brain which is only part of the body. The brain is not like a "soul" or independent module.
I was semantically reckless when I used the words "interest in food". Of course we all are interested in food - but maybe in different ways. An ectomorph may be intrigued by the rarity of a particular food (truffles, special mushrooms, rare seasonings). Or maybe the ectomorph may be concerned with the aesthetics or presentation of the dish. Mesomorphs may want something they can aggressively sink their teeth in and work at devouring like a 32 oz steak. Endomorphs are more concerned with food that will fill them up. Endomorphs seem to have a greater tendency to avoid the discomfort of that empty feeling. Endo's crave comfort foods, high in carbohydrates, fat and sugar.
Now a simple test. What word is usually associated with the word "feeling".
a. I have this brain feeling that we're not going to get along.
b. I have this muscle feeling that we're not going to get along.
c. I have this gut feeling that we're not going to get along.
This is not a trivial point.
Let me quote Sheldon's explanation of the way organ systems affect temperament.
"Viscerotonia (viscera-endomorphy) the first component, it its extreme manifestation is characterized by general relaxation, love of comfort, sociability, conviviality, gluttony for food, for people and affection. The viscerotonic extremes are people who 'suck hard at the breast of mother earth' and love physical proximity with others. The motivational organization is dominated by the gut and by the function of anabolism. The personality seems to center around the viscera. The digestive tract is kin, and its welfare appears to define the primary purpose of life."
"Somatotonia (mesomorphy) the second component, is roughly a predominance of muscular activity and of vigorous bodily assertiveness. The motivation organization seems dominated by the soma. These people have vigor and push. The executive department of their internal economy is strongly vested in their somatic muscular system. Action and power defines life's primary purpose."
"Cerebrotonia, (ectomorphy) the third component, is roughly a predominance of the element of restraint, inhibition, and of the desire for concealment. Cerebrotonic people shrink away from sociality as from too strong a light. They repress somatic and visceral expression, are hyperattentional, and sedulously avoid attracting attention to themselves. Their behavior seems dominated by the inhibitory and attentional functions of the cerebrum and their motivational hierarchy appears to define an antithesis to both of the other extremes." Taken from The Varieties of Temperament (1942) William Sheldon. MD, PHD