Course Code: CRI 170

Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation

Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

Lesson Title: Somatotyping Theory Materials: Ballpen, Paper, Pencil & SAS

Lesson Objectives: References:

At the end of this module, you should be able to: Burke, R.H. (2009). An Introduction to
1. rephrase the main concept of somatotyping theory; Criminological Theory, 3rd edition. William
and Publishing Miller, M (2009). 21st
2. identify the different types of body physique and its
Criminology, A reference handbook.
relation to crime causation.
SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks,
California

Textbook:
Panugaling, G.C. and Caño, G. J. (2019).
Theories of Crime Causation. Rex Book
Store Inc.

Productivity Tip: Score: /80

Avoid social media.
Speaking of distractions, nothing can sap away your time
for a good 20-30 minutes like good old social media!

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

Introduction (2 mins)
How’s your day today? I hope you’re well. Our module for today talks about the “Somatotyping
Theory.” By the way, you may ask yourself if you have any idea about our topic this day. Good, if you
have an idea on this topic!
This module will discuss the different types of body structures and its relation to crime
causation. You need to learn this for you to have a grasp on its concept and then apply it to real life
situations. The learning objectives are you must have to: a) rephrase the main concept of somatotyping
theory; and b) identify the different types of body physique and its relation to crime causation. Are you
ready? Alright, let’s begin with this first activity!

B.MAIN LESSON
Activity 1: Content Notes (20 mins)
Instructions: Read and understand the concepts below and after that you
have to answer the questions that follow. Write it on the space provided.

SOMATOTYPING THEORY

Somatotyping theory is a theory which associates body physique to behavior and

criminality; it began with the work of German psychiatrist, neurologist, psychopathologist, Ernst
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 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

Kretschmer (1888-1964) who constituted three principal types of body physiques:

1) the asthenic-lean, slightly built, narrow shoulders;
2) the athletic-medium to tall, strong, muscular, coarse bones; and,
3) pyknic-medium height, rounded figure, massive neck and broad face (Adler et al, 2010).

Since Kretschmer was a psychiatrist, he related these body shapes to various psychiatric
disorders: pyknics to manic depression. Manic depression according to Merriam-Webster’s
Dictionary refers to any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating
episodes of depression and mania. It is also known as bipolar disorder. Asthenics and athletics to
schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that is characterized by disturbances in thought
(such as delusions), perception (such as hallucinations), and behavior (such as disorganized speech or
catatonic behavior), by a loss of emotional responsiveness and extreme apathy, and by noticeable
deterioration in the level of functioning in everyday life. It is also called dementia praecox (Merriam-
Webster’s Dictionary).
William H. Sheldon, Jr.

Kretschmer’s work was brought to the United States, William H. Sheldon, Jr. (1898-1977) an
American psychologist and physician who devised his own group of somatotypes: the endomorph,
mesomorph and the ectomorph. According to Sheldon, people with predominantly mesomorph traits
(physically powerful, aggressive and athletic physiques) tend more than others to be involved in illegal
behavior (Adler et al, 2010).

Sheldon Glueck and Eleanor T. Glueck

Sheldon’s findings were supported by Professor Glueck, a Roscoe Pound Professor of Law in
Harvard University and his wife, Dr. Eleanor T. Glueck, who is a Research Associate in Criminology at
Harvard Law School in their article “Ten Years of Unraveling Juvenile Delinquency.” This article
seemed to be the basic improvements of both Sheldon’s and Kretschmer’s categorization of body
physique.
The above-mentioned article by Glueck and Glueck showed that 60.1 percent of the delinquent
group compared to 30.7 percent of the nondelinquents are mesomorphic (with "relative predominance
of muscle, bone and connective tissue") and, at the other extreme, 14.4 percent of the delinquents
compared to 39.6 percent of the controls were found to be ectomorphic (with relative predominance of
linearity and fragility and, in proportion to their mass, with "the greatest surface area and hence
relatively the greatest sensory exposure to the outside world"). A distinguished authority in the field,
who is a trained anthropologist, Professor C. Wesley Dupertuis, is lavish in his praise of the work of
Glueck couples (Glueck, 1960).

Earnest A. Hooton

He examined the relationship between personality and physical type, with regards to criminal
behavior. Hooton (1887-1954) an American physical anthropologist believed in Cesare Lombroso’s
theory of the born criminal, according to which criminals could be identified based on their physical
characteristics. Through his own research surveying American criminals, Hooton tried to find evidence
supporting Lombroso’s theory, suggesting that criminals have inferior characteristics compared to

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 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

people who do not commit crimes. He classified those characteristics into sociological, psychological,
physical, morphological, and pathological areas. For example, according to Hooton:
 criminals are less often married and more often divorced
 criminals often have tattoos
 criminals have thinner beards and body hair, and their hair is more often reddish-brown and
straight
 criminals often have blue-gray or mixed colored eyes, and less often dark or blue eyes
 criminals have low sloping foreheads, high nasal bridges, and thin lips
 criminal’s ears often have rolled helix and a perceptible Darwin’s point

He suggested that human somatotype (body shape and physique) can even determine which
type of crime a person will commit: tall-slender men are predisposed for murder and robbery; tall-
medium heavy men for forgery; tall-heavy men for first-degree murder; medium height-heavy for
antisocial behavior, short-slender for burglary and larceny; short-medium heavy for arson; while
short-heavy men for sex offenses. Since he believed that biological predispositions determine deviant
behavior, Hooton advocated removal of criminals from society, seeing no hope in their rehabilitation
(http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Earnest_Hooton).

Let us answer the questions below based on your readings. Write it on the space provided:

1. Who is Ernst Kretschmer?

Answer: ____________________________________________________________

2. Who is William H. Sheldon, Jr.?

Answer: ____________________________________________________________

3. Who is Earnest A. Hooton?

Answer: ____________________________________________________________

Activity 2: Skill-building Activities (25 mins + 2 mins checking)

This is a self-assessment; you have to answer the question honestly. After that
check your answers against the Key to Corrections found at the end of this
SAS. Write your score on the space provided.

2.1 Let us test your skill, in this activity you are going to study the following images below and then
describe what type of body physique it belongs and after that relate it to certain psychiatric disorder
according to Ernst Kretscher. (5 points each) Score: over 15

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 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

TYPES 1. 2. 3.
OF
BODY PHYSIQUE Asthenic Pyknic Athletic

PSYCHIATRIC 1. 2. 3.
DISORDER
Schizophrenia Manic depression Schizophrenia

2.2 You study the following images below and then label what type of body physique it belongs
according to William H. Sheldon, Jr. (5 points each)
Score: over 15

1. Ectomorph 2. Mesomorph 3. Endomorph

4
 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

3.3 What is the type of your body physique when we use the category of body types according to
Earnest A. Hooton? Is it tall-slender; tall-medium heavy; tall-heavy; medium
height-heavy, short-slender; short-medium heavy; or short-heavy? Will you Score: over 10
agree with Hooton’s idea regarding body shape and physique) when he
relates it to the type of crime a person will commit? Support your answer. Limit your answer to
five (5) sentences only. Write it on the space provided. (10 points)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Earnest A. Hooton's somatotyping theory suggests that body type cannot be directly classified
____________________________________________________________________________________________
based on height and weight. This concept is not supported by scientific evidence, as criminal
____________________________________________________________________________________________
behavior is influenced by social, environmental, psychological, and genetic factors. Generalizing
____________________________________________________________________________________________
individuals based solely on their body types is misleading and unfair, perpetuating harmful biases
____________________________________________________________________________________________
and discrimination.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3: Check for Understanding (5 mins)
This is a self-assessment; you have to answer these questions
honestly. After that check your answers against the Key to
Corrections found at the end of this SAS. Write your score on your
paper.

3.1 Identification: Write what is asked on the space provided in each item below. Wrong spelling is
wrong. No erasures. (2 points each)
Score: over 20
Somatotyping theory
1. It is a theory which associates body physique to behavior and criminality. ______________________
2. A German psychiatrist, neurologist, and psychopathologist who constituted three principal types of
body physiques. ______________________
Ernst Kretschmer
Psychiatric disorders
3. Since Kretschmer was a psychiatrist, he related these body shapes to various ________________.
4. It refers to any of several psychological disorders of mood characterized usually by alternating
Manic depression
episodes of depression and mania. ______________________
5. It is a mental disorder that is characterized by disturbances in thought, perception and behavior.
______________________
Schizophrenia
6. An American psychologist and physician who devised his own group of somatotypes: the
endomorph, mesomorph and the ectomorph. ______________________
William H. Sheldon, Jr.
7. What type of body physique according to Sheldon that is prone to be involved in illegal behavior?
Mesomorph
______________________
Sheldon Glueck and Eleanor T. Glueck
8. Who supported the findings of Sheldon regarding body physique? ______________________
9. Who praises the work of Glueck couples with regards to their support to the theory of Sheldon?
Professor C. Wesley Dupertuis
______________________
10. Who suggested that human somatotype can determine which type of crime a person will commit?
Earnest A. Hooton
______________________

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 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

3.2 In your own words, rephrase the main concept of somatotyping theory. Limit your answer to five (5)
sentences only. Write it on the space provided. (10 points) Score: over 10
Somatotype theory divides people into endomorphs, mesomorphs, and ectomorphs based on physical
characteristics, with hereditary roots influencing specific features but oversimplifying body differences.

C. LESSON WRAP-UP

Q1. Is the theory applicable in today’s society?

Answer: In some instances, this theory is still applicable. Have you heard of any suspect of violent
crimes and then the suspect’s body is so fat or so thin? Most likely the suspect’s body is mesomorphic
or somewhat like an athletic body type, right?
Q2. Whose theorist explains reliably when it comes to body physique and its relation to
criminality?
Answer: All of them are reliable, because they have their own explanation as to the type of body
physique and its relation to criminality only that Ernst Kretschmer related it to psychiatric disorder
because he’s a psychiatrist.

Activity 4: Thinking About Learning (5 mins)

A. Work Tracker
You are done with this session! Let’s track your progress. Shade the session
number you just completed. You mark the place in the work tracker which is
simply a visual to help you to track how much work you have accomplished
and how much work there is left to do.

B. Think About Your Learning

B.1 Instruction: There are two (2) parts of this activity; first I am going to ask you, “How the modules
influenced your thinking about the topic/lessons discussed? Support your answer. Write it on the space
provided. And then on the second part would be your self-evaluation on achieving the learning targets.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 6
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
 Course Code: CRI 170
Course Title: Theories of Crime Causation
Student’s Activity Sheet: Module # 14

Name:_________________________________________________________ Class number: ______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ____________ Date:______________

B.2 This is a self-evaluation on achieving the learning targets: Just place a check (/) mark on the
space provided.
1. I CAN rephrase the main concept of somatotyping theory. _______
2. I CAN identify the different types of body physique and _______
its relation to crime causation.

KEY TO CORRECTIONS:
Rubrics on Activity 2.1 (5 points each) Rate
TYPES OF BODY PHYSIQUE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER
1. Asthenic-lean, slightly built, and narrow shoulders. 1. Schizophrenia
2. Pyknic-medium height, rounded figure, massive neck and broad face 2. Manic depression
3. Athletic-medium to tall, strong, muscular, coarse bones 3. Schizophrenia
Activity 2.2 Suggested Answer Below: (5 points each) Rate

Answer on Activity 3.1 (2 points each)

1. Somatotyping theory 6. William H. Sheldon, Jr.
2. Ernst Kretschmer 7. Mesomorph
3. Psychiatric disorders 8. Sheldon Glueck and Eleanor T. Glueck
4. Manic depression 9. Professor C. Wesley Dupertuis
5. Schizophrenia 10. Earnest A. Hooton

TEACHER-LED ACTIVITIES:

At-home learning session for the students:

1. Check and grade collected SAS and other input from students.
2. Schedule phone calls/virtual calls/virtual chats to individual students or small groups of students to
monitor work, provide guidance, answer questions, and check understanding.

Congratulations! That’s enough for today; study modules 1-14 because 20 percent of your P2
Exam will come from our P1 topics/modules. See you on our P2 Exam in school. Thank you!

Source: Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School without Spending All Your Time Studying,
A Guide for Teens and Kids by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski, 2018