type, shape = check_type(stochastic)

    Checks the type of a stochastic's value. Output value 'type' may be
    bool, int, float, or complex. Nonnative numpy dtypes are lumped into
    these categories. Output value 'shape' is () if the stochastic's value
    is scalar, or a nontrivial tuple otherwise.

def check_type(stochastic):
    """
    type, shape = check_type(stochastic)

    Checks the type of a stochastic's value. Output value 'type' may be
    bool, int, float, or complex. Nonnative numpy dtypes are lumped into
    these categories. Output value 'shape' is () if the stochastic's value
    is scalar, or a nontrivial tuple otherwise.
    """
    val = stochastic.value

    if val.__class__ in bool_dtypes:
        return bool, ()
    elif val.__class__ in integer_dtypes:
        return int, ()
    elif val.__class__ in float_dtypes:
        return float, ()
    elif val.__class__ in complex_dtypes:
        return complex, ()
    elif isinstance(val, ndarray):
        if obj2sctype(val) in bool_dtypes:
            return bool, val.shape
        elif obj2sctype(val) in integer_dtypes:
            return int, val.shape
        elif obj2sctype(val) in float_dtypes:
            return float, val.shape
        elif obj2sctype(val) in complex_dtypes:
            return complex, val.shape
        else:
            return 'object', val.shape
    else:
        return 'object', ()