sheldon - biological theories

Question 1

sheldons sample

Answer 1

he sampled 200 criminals and compared their body types to a control group of students

Question 2

ectomorphs

Answer 2

-thin, fragile, lacking muscle/fat, flat chested with narrow hips, thin face, high forehead
-personality is self concious, fragile, inward looking, emotionally restrained, thoughtful
-usually commit crimes like tech crime and white collar crime

Question 3

mesomorphs

Answer 3

-most likely to end up commiting crime as they are more attracted to the risk-taking and their imposing physique and assertiveness can be important
-more likely to commit violent crimes like murder

Question 4

endomorphs

Answer 4

-rounded, soft, tend to be fat, lacking muscle, wide hips
-personality is sociable, relaxed, comfortable and outgoing
-more likely to be pedophiles

Question 5

sheldons assumptions

Answer 5

-found mesomorphs were the most common body type commiting violent/aggressive crimes
-sampled photos of college students and delinquents and rated on a scale of 1-7 their resemblence to mesomorphic
-delinquents had a higher average of looking mesomorphic compared to students

Question 6

sheldons strengths

Answer 6

-number of studies confirmed a small association between body type and criminality (putwain and sammons 2002)
-used a good sample size and had a control group
-gluek and gluek (1956) found in a sample of delinquentd 60% were mesomorphs and 31% were in non-delinquents, more serious criminals had more extreme mesomorph body type

Question 7

sheldons weaknesses

Answer 7

-he didn’t explain that ectomorphs and endomorphs could also be crimnals
-didn’t take into account that the body can change
-gluek and gluek said criminality is a combo of biological, psychological and environmental factors
-criminals may nuild a mesomorphic build due to ability of being tough for criminality, so criminality causes somatypes not other way round