Brains and Bust Size — one medical opinion

Back in 1964, Dr. Erwin O. Strassmann of Houston kicked up a controversy by suggesting there was a correlation in women between bust size and I.Q. And he managed to get his opinion published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Kingsport Times-News - Aug 30, 1964



Curious to see exactly what he said, I tracked down his article. Turns out he was an enthusiastic follower of the now-discredited theory of "constitutional psychology." This was an effort to establish a link between body type and personality traits. Critics have dismissed it as an extended exercise in dressing up cultural stereotypes (such as, if you're overweight, you're lazy) in scientific language. For devotees of weird science, the entire field is a goldmine of strangeness.

Here's the relevant section of Strassmann's 1964 article:




Strassmann, E.O. (1964). "Physique, Temperament, and Intelligence in Infertile Women." International Journal of Fertility. 9:297-314.
     Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 27, 2015
     Category: Body | Brain | Science | Psychology | 1960s





Comments
In a follow up to his work, Dr Strassmann discovered that men who have published in peer-reviewed journals have really large penises. He sent his secretary to collect self reported survey of all the men in the journal and they all reported to have hefty cocks. He reports, "Our survey was detailed and informative and we have conclusively concluded the fact that more intelligent men are more sexually viral. Evolution favors virile men being intelligent."
Posted by Fluffy Bunny Slippers on 08/27/15 at 09:19 AM
The doc had it only half right - MEN"S I.Q. decreases in proportion to a female's bust size.
Posted by KDP on 08/27/15 at 09:26 AM
There may be some truth in his theory. I mean, Sandra Bullock is a really, really great actress and has a AAA cup size while who's ever seen Miss DD last more than 2 scenes in any horror film?
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/27/15 at 10:31 AM
It seems like an easy hypothesis to test, but probably wouldn't be due to political correctness.
Just like a study to see if men are better at math than women. Seems like I remember a Harvard administrator getting in trouble for this inconvenient truth.
Posted by RobK on 08/27/15 at 11:22 AM
NO EXPAT, WOMEN WITH DD BREASTS ARE NOT DUMB!!!!!!!!! 😠
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/27/15 at 04:24 PM
Well endowed women like my partner are smart, clever, self starters, and have made their own way in the world.
Posted by Gator Guy on 08/27/15 at 08:01 PM
Sounds like she chose wisely and well in the romance department sweetie.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/27/15 at 09:37 PM
I never said there couldn't be exceptions to the rule... :red:
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/28/15 at 12:42 AM
Ok, you're off the hook then sweetie.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/28/15 at 06:05 AM
Smartest woman I know measures 48JJ. Runs two businesses and is high up in her profession besides.
Posted by Puptentacle on 08/28/15 at 10:12 PM
Maybe he was trying to prove that ugly chicks try harder.

As for good my lady wife, she's in the same category as Gator Guy's.
Posted by TheCannyScot in Atlanta, GA on 08/29/15 at 10:06 AM
It is articles like this that got me in trouble early on. Believing well endowed women were less intelligent based on his study. Then you join the real world and find out that well endowed women can be any type of intelligent they want to be. Pretty much turned me off to anything related to psychologists. Dr. Phil is a phony.
Posted by Gary Foster on 08/31/15 at 02:26 PM
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