THE HEATH-CARTER ANTHROPOMETRIC ... - Somatotype.org

Somatotype Instruction Manual 16
2. Plotting somatotypes on the 2-D somatochart.
X-coordinate = ectomorphy - endomorphy
Y-coordinate = 2 x mesomorphy - (endomorphy + ectomorphy)
3. Somatotype categories.
The following seven categories can be used for simplified classification of samples if the numbers are
large enough. These categories can be used in Chi-square analyses. (Thirteen categories are defined in
Carter, 1980, 1996, and Carter and Heath, 1990.) (See Part 1 for 4 and 13 categories.)
Central: no component differs by more than one unit from the other two.
Endomorph: endomorphy is dominant, mesomorphy and ectomorphy are more than one-half unit
lower.
Endomorph-mesomorph: endomorphy and mesomorphy are equal (or do not differ by more than onehalf
unit), and ectomorphy is smaller.
Mesomorph: mesomorphy is dominant, endomorphy and ectomorphy are more than one-half unit
lower.
Mesomorph-ectomorph: mesomorphy and ectomorphy are equal (or do not differ by more than onehalf
unit), and endomorphy is smaller.
Ectomorph: ectomorphy is dominant, endomorphy and mesomorphy are more than one-half unit lower.
Ectomorph-endomorph: endomorphy and ectomorphy are equal (or do not differ by more than onehalf
unit), and mesomorphy is lower.
4. Somatotype attitudinal distance (SAD).
The SAD is the exact difference, in component units between two somatotypes (A, an individual or
group; B, an individual or group), or between two somatotype group means (e.g. A and B), or between
a subject and a group (e.g. subject A and group B).
SAD A;B = [(ENDO A - ENDO B ) 2 + (MESO A - MESO B ) 2 + (ECTO A - ECTO B ) 2 ]
Where: ENDO = endomorphy; MESO = mesomorphy; ECTO = ectomorphy
The somatotype attitudinal mean (SAM) is the mean of a group of somatotypes.
SAM =
SAD i / n X
3/19/2003