How You Write What You Write

Graphology is handwriting analysis as related to human psychology. And while it is controversial, graphology is said to be a measure of personality evaluation.  It has been referred to as brain writing as it is an expression of the whole personality. Graphology is not to be confused with forensic document examination as is currently used to establish authorship of documents for legal purpose. 

As a writer, I’ve always been fascinated with writing. Not just the written word, but the act of writing. I spent many long hours practicing and perfecting my cursive. I always believed that the words you wrote would not be read if the hand that wrote them was not inviting. In this age of keyboarding, the art of penmanship is becoming a lost art.

The idea behind handwriting analysis is that as we write, our ego is active, but to varying degrees. As the ego waxes and wanes, an effort must be made by the writer when it is at its highest level. Then as the ego reaches its lowest level, the motion of writing has gained momentum and is driven by it. To examine handwriting, graphologists evaluate pattern, form, movement, rhythm, quality and consistency of the stroke to make psychological interpretations.

To conduct a handwriting analysis you should provide a sample of spontaneous handwriting no less than twelve lines in length that includes a signature. The sample should be written on plain not lined paper and written with a ballpoint or fountain pen. The age and sex of the author should be provided to the graphologist for an accurate analysis.

The accuracy of the analysis depends largely on the skills of the analyst. But as an indicator of personality and behavior, handwriting analysis is considered to be around 80-90% accurate.  To perform a quick self analysis, using the writing guidelines stated above, review your sample writing while applying the following rules:

Writing in a straight line is not the norm. Deviations from writing in a straight line are most commonly seen in a descending line.  For the most part, fatigue is considered to be the cause.  Descending lines are thought to be caused by depression or pessimism. People who are in flux or are experiencing a change in mood may temporarily write in descending lines.

On the other hand, a person who consistently writes in a straight line is believed to always go straight toward their aim. A person who consistently writes in a straight line may be seen as unyielding in their daily encounters.

People who write lines in a convex fashion, that is ascending then descending, are believed to tackle projects with bold ambition only to lose enthusiasm and interest along the way and give up before completing the task. Those who write with concave lines, that is a line that descends then ascends, take on the task at hand with little enthusiasm but as the task nears its end, they gain optimism and enthusiasm. These people are very rare.

People who write in a pattern of steps that ascend are found to have little stamina while descending steps signify a person who courageously fights off depressive moods. Lines that are wavy are written by someone who is moody.

Now whether or not handwriting analysis could be considered as scientific fact is somewhat debatable. But before you make up your mind as to it’s validity, keep in mind that in Switzerland, 80% of large corporations use graphology in their hiring process.. Just something to think about before you scribble your signature at the bottom of a job application.