The analysis of handwriting as a guide to the character and personality of the writer. It was introduced during the late 19th-c by the French abbot, Jean Hippolyte Michon (180681). Graphologists study such factors as the size, angle and connection of letters, line direction, shading of strokes, and layout, and interpret these with reference to a wide range of psychological and physiological states. Scientific evidence of the validity of these techniques is lacking, but they are quite widely practised, and have proved to be of value (eg in personnel selection).
Graphology is the study and analysis of handwriting especially in relation to human psychology. In the medical field, it is used to refer to the study of handwriting as an aid in diagnosis, and tracking of diseases of the brain, and nervous system.
Critics cite the lack of supporting empirical evidence as a reason to not use it for personality evaluation.
One may also say that graphology is an orthographical study, embracing the ideas that writing systems operate on style and form.
Basic tenets
Graphology is based upon a number of basic assertions:
The written movement is under the direct influence of the central nervous system. One must examine the handwriting or drawing movements by considering them as movements organized by the central nervous system and produced under biomechanical and dynamical constraints. Gestalt Graphology was a system of handwriting analysis developed circa 1915 in Germany.Systems of handwriting analysis
Each approach to handwriting anlysis has spawned several different systems.
Integrative Graphology Graphoanalysis was the most influential system in the United States, between 1929 and 2000.Training
The academic institutions in the world offering accredited degrees in handwriting analysis are:
The University of Urbino, Italy: MA (Graphology) The University of Rome, Italy: BA (Graphology) University of Munich, Germany, Dipl.-Psych.Training the United States is available through correspondence courses.
Writing systems
The majority of material in the field is oriented towards the Latin Writing system. For Eastern Europe, and Russia, it is a safe assumption that either the Latin and Cyrillic Writing system or only the Cyrillic Writing system will be covered.
Before taking any course, or certification, ensure that it is usable for the local writing system.
Certification
There is no certification that is generally recognized, either within, or without the field.
Vocabulary
"Every system of handwriting analysis has its own vocabulary. Except in very rare instances, the technical meaning of a word used by a handwriting analyst, and the common meaning are not congruent.
Validity
The perceived validity of graphology was significantly diminished in early 2005, when samples of handwriting purportedly taken from Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, at the World Economic Summit in Davos were analysed and the results were published.
Going through the published research, Crumbaugh & Stockholm stands out as being one of the few studies that supports handwriting analysis.
Far more common are studies such as Ben-Shakar, Bar-Hillel, Blum, Ben-Abba, &
Legal considerations
Privacy
Very often graphologists will state that handwriting analysis in the workplace is legal, and cite one or more of the following cases:
Gilbert v California :388 US 263-267 (1967) US v Dionisio :410 US 1 (1973) 1973, Lawyers Edition, Second Series 35, 67; 93 SC 774 US v Mara aka Marasovich :410 US 19 (1973) US v Rosinsky :547 F 2nd 249 ( CA 4th 1977 ) United States v Wade :388 US 218, 221-223 (1967)They are all related to obtaining samples for comparison with documents, sound recordings etc and used to determine whether the individual who provided the sample, is the same person as created the evidence that they have.
Nothing to do with permission to do a psychological analysis is implied.
In Europe giving a handwriting sample means that automatically the writer agrees to a graphological analysis.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Many graphologists will claim that handwriting analysis is non-discriminatory, since it cannot determine Gender, Age, Ethnicity, or other EEOC Protected Classes. Thus far, there have been no studies demonstrating that the use of handwriting analysis in employment does not have a disparate impact upon EEOC protected classes.
There have been a number of studies on gender and handwriting, since Binet(1898). The published studies on ethnicity, race, age, nationality, gender orientation, weight, and their relationship to handwriting have had mixed results, with a tendency to indicate that they can be determined from handwriting.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
One of the rules of thumb in human resources is that if an individual who has an ADA-defined disability cannot take a test, then nobody can.
Handwriting analysis clearly falls into the group of tests that cannot be adapted to be administered to individuals who fall within one or more ADA-defined disabilities.
Applications of graphology
The most common applications of graphology are:
Employment profiling Business Compatibility Marital compatibility Psychological analysis Medical diagnosis Jury ScreeningEmployment profiling
A company takes a writing sample provided by an applicant, and proceeds to do a personality profile, matching the congruency of the applicant with the ideal psychological profile of employees in the position.
A graphological report is meant to be used in conjunction with other tools, such as comprehensive background checks and practical demonstration of work skills.
Research in employment suitability has ranged from complete failure to guarded success
The use of graphology in the hiring process has been criticized on ethical grounds and on legal grounds.
Business compatibility
This is an additional service offered by some handwriting analysts. For this report, the mean, mode, and median scores of every scored data point , for the entire unit are used, to create three hypothetical employees. The resulting reports not only deal with the individual on a one-to-one level within the group, but also each individual as a part of a group of three, four, five, etc people within the group.
The content of these reports can range from a simple perspectrograph, to a four wheel Wittlich Diagram and accompanying twenty five thousand word analysis.
Psychological analysis
These reports can range from a ten item check off list to a 10 000 word report on the makeup of an individual from the perspective of Freudian Psychoanalysis, Transactional Analysis, or another personality theory.
A major value of a graphological analysis lies in the increased understanding of people and the ability consequently to enjoy improved relationships both personally and professionally.
Marital compatibility
In its simplest form, only sexual expression, and sexual response are examined.
In cultures where arranged marriage are common, graphology can be used as an additional checkpoint on the comptibility of the couple, prior to the elders giving their consent for the marriage to take place.
Medical diagnosis
Medical graphology is probably the most controversial aspect of handwriting analysis. On one end, are research studies in which handwriting is used as one datapoint in making a clinical diagnosis.
Alfred Kanfer published several papers whose implication was that cancer could be detected using handwriting analysis, prior to the then standard medical tests.
Jury screening
A graphologist is given handwriting samples of a prospective jury and determines who should be struck, based upon their alleged personality profile.
Graphotherapy
This is the practice of changing a person's handwriting, to change their personality.
The "therapy" consists of a series of exercises which are similar to those taught in basic calligraphy courses.
Forensic document examination
This discipline is better known as questioned document examination within the judicial system.
Goodtitle Drevett v Braham 100 Eng Rep 1139 (1792) is reportedly the first case at which the testimony of a questioned document examiner was accepted.
Graphology in court testimony
Cameron v Knapp, 137 Misc. 1987) (handwriting expert may testify as to the authenticity of a writing but not as to an individual's physical or mental condition based on a handwriting sample) stands as current U.S. case law for the rejection of graphology as psychological testimony.
Carroll v State [276 Ark 160; Their calling of each other charltans, frauds, and the like demonstrates both the antagonism, and lack of common ground that the major approaches in handwriting analysis have to each other.
Divination
Some individuals believe that one can tell the future from handwriting analysis. Reasons why these beliefs are claimed to be false range from the complete lack of either scientific or anecdotal evidence, to the application of Aristotlean logic to any of the numerous (and mutually incompatible) theories of handwriting analysis.
The code of ethics for the International Graphoanalysis Society prohibits the practice of anything related to the occult.
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