Graphology

Graphology is the study of handwriting and its connection to behavior, personal information and other human traits. Many graphologists claim to be able to deduce personal information from the handwriting of strangers, including such things as determining where a person is from. Although graphology is widely used in both unofficial and official capacities around the world, it is scorned by many scientists due to a shortage of supporting empirical evidence. Graphology is based upon a number of basic assertions:

• When we write, the 'ego' are active but it is not always active to the same degree.
• We cannot voluntarily modify our natural writing without putting into it the marks of the effort required to obtain the change.
• Writing under difficult circumstances produce either the forms of letters which are most familiar to him, or forms of letters which are simplest and easiest to write.
• The physiological mechanism which produces the written movement correlates with the state of the central nervous system and varies in accordance with it. The written strokes, therefore, correspond to the nervous system.
• There are no independent signs; there are only general indications which may have different forms. assessed by tracing them back to their origins.
• One graphological sign does not necessarily represent a single character trait. For example, rising handwriting may indicate ardour, activity, ambition, momentary joy or folly. The value of a sign depends upon its cause, its context and its intensity. Such vagueness is one of the key points of attack for critics, since most graphology "rules" can apparently be altered at the whim of the test-giver.

Graphology is rife with practitioners of one approach calling practitioners of the other approach charlatans, frauds, and the like. Carroll v State Ark 160; 634 SW 2d 99, 101-102 (1982) being a demonstration of just what each side resorts to, when push comes to shove, in the courtroom. The approaches to handwriting analysis are:

• Integrative Graphology

This is also known as 'fixed signs','trait stroke', 'French System' and Graphoanalysis®.

The basic theory is that stroke formations relate to specific personality traits. For example, the letter "t" with the bar crossing above the stem, indicates daydreaming. A crossing at the line indicates distant goals.

There is no published research indicating the accuracy of any of the traits used by any of these systems of handwriting analysis. There are some studies which imply that the approach as a whole has merit. Crumbaugh, James C & Stockholm, Emilie (1977) ("Validation of Graphoanalysis by 'Global' or 'Holistic' Method." Perceptual And Motor Skills April 1977, 44(2), 403-410.) being the most significant one.

• Holistic Graphology

This is commonly, but incorrectly referred to as 'Gestalt Graphology'. Gestalt Graphology was a system of handwriting analysis developed circa 1920 in Germany.

In this approach a personality profile is constructed on the basis of combining different things in the script, such as polarity, margins, pressure and spacing.

• Symbolic Analysis

In this approach, one looks for symbols seen in the handwriting. For example, John Wayne's signature shows a blackened out portion, that represents his lung cancer.