NORMOTYPE. - An individual whose characteristics, whether from the standpoint of constitution or of temperament and disposition, present values equal to the statistical "norm."

According to N. Pende, the normotype must combine in itself such normative perfection not only in bodily habit but also from the dynamic-humoral, intellectual and moral standpoint; under such conditions he admits it only as a theoretical type, denying its practical realization. On the contrary, Quetelet and Viola maintain its existence at a percentage of 1.3%, basing themselves, however, only on the morphological side (constitution).

In particular Viola distinguishes two varieties of normotype: the superior paracentral type (with body mass above the statistical norm), and the inferior paracentral type (with body mass below the norm); in both, however, the equilibrium of the relationships proper to normotypy would be preserved, particularly as regards the trunk-limbs relationship. Viola's superior paracentral normotype would correspond to the athletic type of the German constitutionalists and to De Giovanni's second morphological combination.

Bibliography5 works

BIBL.: M. Barbara, I fondamenti della biotipologia umana, Milan 1929; N. Pende, Trattato di biotipologia umana individuale e sociale, ibid. 1939; id., La scienza moderna della persona umana, ibid. 1949; M. Martiny, Essai de biotypologie humaine, Paris 1948; M. Bufano, Trattato di patologia medica, I, Milan 1950.

Alessandro Marolla

@incollection{ec8_normotipo, author = {Marolla, Alessandro}, title = {Normotipo}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {1942}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/normotipo} }

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Normotype

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