Why Colleges Used to Take Nude Photos of Their Students

The video discusses the history of posture photos taken at Ivy League schools from the 1880s to the 1970s, initially for health reasons. William Sheldon used these photos to link body types to personality traits, a theory known as constitutional psychology. His work faced criticism for ethical issues and lack of scientific rigor, leading to its decline. Today, somatotypes are used for fitness, not personality, and modern psychology relies on mind-based tests like the Big Five.

How did societal views on linking physical features to personality change after World War II?

What is the current understanding of the relationship between body shape and personality?

What methods are now used to evaluate someone's temperament instead of somatotypes?