Graphology is the pseudoscientific study and analysis of
handwritingHandwriting is a person's particular & individual style of writing with pen or pencil, which contrasts with "Hand" which is an impersonal and formalised writing style in several historical varieties...
, especially in relation to human
psychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. In the medical field, it can be used to refer to the study of handwriting as an aid in diagnosis and tracking of diseases of the brain and nervous system. The term is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to
forensic document examinationQuestioned document examination is the forensic science discipline pertaining to documents that are in dispute in a court of law...
.
Graphology has been controversial for more than a century. Although supporters point to the
anecdotal evidenceThe expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be true but unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise unrepresentative of typical cases....
of thousands of positive testimonials as a reason to use it for personality evaluation, most empirical studies fail to show the validity claimed by its supporters.
Etymology
From
grapho- (from the Greek γραφή, "writing") and
logos (from the Greek λόγος, "speech"); cf.:
AnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
,
PsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
,
BiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
,
GeologyGeology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. There also exist many other words formed from the same root: Graphopathology, Graphomaniac, Graphistic, Graphopsychology, Psychographology, Graphometric, Graphometry, Graphoanalysis, Graphotechnology.
Basic tenets
Graphology is based upon the following basic assertions:
- When we write, the ego
Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of the psychic apparatus defined in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche; they are the three theoretical constructs in terms of whose activity and interaction mental life is described...
is active but it is not always active to the same degree. Its activity waxes and wanes; being at its highest level when an effort has to be made by the writer and at its lowest level when the motion of the writing organ has gained momentum and is driven by it.
- When the action of writing is comparatively difficult, the writer uses those forms of letters which are simpler or more familiar.
- The muscular movements involved in writing are controlled by the central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
. The form of the resultant writing movement is modified further by the flexibly assembled coordinative structures in the hand, arm, and shoulder; which follow the principles of dynamical systemA dynamical system is a concept in mathematics where a fixed rule describes the time dependence of a point in a geometrical space. Examples include the mathematical models that describe the swinging of a clock pendulum, the flow of water in a pipe, and the number of fish each springtime in a...
s. The specific writing organ (mouth, foot, hand, crook of elbow) is irrelevant if it functions normally and is sufficiently adapted to its function.
- The neurophysiological mechanisms which contribute to the written movement are related to conditions within the central nervous system and vary in accordance with them. The written strokes, therefore, reflect both transitory and long term changes in the central nervous system such as Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
, or alcohol usage.
- The movements and corresponding levels of muscular tension in writing are mostly outside of conscious control and subject to the ideomotor effect
The ideomotor effect is a psychological phenomenon wherein a subject makes motions unconsciously. As in reflexive responses to pain, the body sometimes reacts reflexively to ideas alone without the person consciously deciding to take action. For instance, tears are produced by the body...
. Emotion, mental state, and biomechanical factors such as muscle stiffness and elasticity are reflected in a person's handwriting.
- 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. Given these considerations, graphologists proceed to evaluate the pattern, form, movement, rhythm, quality, and consistency of the graphic stroke in terms of psychological interpretations. Such interpretations vary according to the graphological theory applied by the analyst.
- Most schools of thought in graphology concur that a single graphological element can be a component of many different clusters, with each cluster having a different psychological interpretation. The significance of the cluster can be assessed accurately by tracing each component of the cluster back to their origins and adapting the meaning of the latter to the conditions of the milieu in which the form appears.
Approaches to graphology
There are three approaches to graphology: the integrative approach, the holistic approach, and the symbolic
Integrative graphology: This approach holds that specific stroke structures relate to personality traits. Most systems within this approach use a cluster of stroke formations, to score a specific personality trait. Systems that fall under this umbrella are:
fixed signs,
trait stroke,
French System and
GraphoanalysisGraphoanalysis is a system of Handwriting Analysis that falls within the approach of Integrative Graphology...
. It has been described as starting from the inside, and working to the outside.
Holistic graphology: This is commonly, but incorrectly referred to as
Gestalt Graphology. Gestalt graphology was a system of handwriting analysis developed circa 1915 in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and was related theoretically to
Gestalt psychologyGestalt psychology or gestaltism is a theory of mind and brain of the Berlin School; the operational principle of gestalt psychology is that the brain is holistic, parallel, and analog, with self-organizing tendencies...
. In this approach (Holistic Graphology) a profile is constructed on the basis of form, movement and space. It has been described as starting from the outside, and working to the inside. In this approach, individual traits, such as legibility, are not assigned specific meanings, but can take on different meanings depending on the overall context.
Symbolic analysis: In this approach, one looks for symbols seen in the handwriting. This can be either
Major symbolism, or
Minor Symbolism.
- Major symbolism is the meaning ascribed to the stroke, as it related to the page.
- Minor symbolism ascribes a meaning to the stroke, depending upon the picture that the stroke draws. For example, John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
's signature shows a blackened out portion, that represents his lung cancerLung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.
- This approach provides the theory that underlies both Holistic Graphology, and Integrative Graphology. Max Pulver
Max Pulver is the author of three graphology books and several articles. He developed the theory of symbolism of space. His work discusses pressure, intelligence and crime...
is the best known exponent of this system.
Systems of handwriting analysis
Each approach to handwriting analysis has spawned several different systems.
- Integrative Graphology
- Graphoanalysis
Graphoanalysis is a system of Handwriting Analysis that falls within the approach of Integrative Graphology...
was the most influential system in the United States, between 1929 and 2000.
- Sistema de Xandró.
- Holistic Graphology
- The psychogram
The term psychogram was coined by Hollingworth in 1922, and now refers, ingeneral, to any chart on which personality traits are marked according to aguiding psychological viewpoint...
is the only system to have been taught as part of an academic degree, at an accredited institution in the United States.
- The Personal Worth Chart was developed by Handwriting Consultants of San Diego during the early eighties.
- The psychograph was developed by Leslie King during the seventies.
- Wittlich Character Diagram.
- Muller - Enskat Protokol
- Leopold Szondi
Léopold Szondi was a Hungarian psychiatrist, born in present day Slovakia and raised in a a German and Slovak speaking family. He is known for the psychological tool that bears his name, the Szondi test. He developed a form of depth psychology that had some prominence in Europe in the mid-20th...
- Girolamo Moretti
- Augusto Vels
Training
Three academic institutions around the world currently offer an accredited degree in handwriting analysis:
- The University of Urbino
The University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" is an Italian university located in Urbino, a walled hill-town in the region of Marche, located in the north-eastern part of central Italy. The university was founded in 1506, and currently has about 20,000 students, many of whom are from overseas...
, Italy: MA (Graphology)
- Instituto Superior Emerson, Buenos Aires, Argentina: BA (Graphology)
- Autonomous University of Barcelona
The Autonomous University of Barcelona is a public university mostly located in Cerdanyola, near the city of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain....
, Barcelona: Spain: MA (Graphology)
Training in the United States
Between 1940 and 1995, New School for Social Research, in New York City, offered a diploma in Graphology. At its peak, the diploma course took 8 semesters, and also included
Forensic Document AnalysisQuestioned document examination is the forensic science discipline pertaining to documents that are in dispute in a court of law...
. This diploma did not have academic accreditation.
From 1970 to 2000, one could obtain a Graphology track Associate Arts Degree from
Felician CollegeFelician College is a private Roman Catholic college with two campuses, located in Lodi and Rutherford, New Jersey.It was founded as the Immaculate Conception Normal School by the Felician Sisters in 1923, and became Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1942. With the authorization of its first...
, in Lodi, NJ. This was the only academic institution in the United States to have offered graphology for an accredited academic degree.
Training in the United States is currently available through correspondence courses. The quality of instructions varies considerably.
Writing systems
The majority of material in the field is oriented towards the Latin Writing system. Courses offered in the subject reflect that bias.
Certification
There is no certification that is generally recognized, either within or outside the field. Certifications are invariably linked to the organization one belongs to, and are no longer recognized when one resigns from the organization.
Vocabulary
Every system of handwriting analysis has its own vocabulary. Even though two or more systems may share the same words, the meanings of those words may be different. The technical meaning of a word used by a handwriting analyst, and the common meaning is not congruent. Resentment, for example, in common usage, means to feel or exhibit annoyance. In
GraphoanalysisGraphoanalysis is a system of Handwriting Analysis that falls within the approach of Integrative Graphology...
, the term indicates a fear of imposition.
History
Three books have been claimed to be the first book on graphology:
- Juan Huarte de San Juan's 1575 Examen de ingenios para las ciencias This was first proposed by Jean-Charles Gille
Dr. Jean-Charles Gille-Maisani, was a French, born in Germany, Canadian engineer, psychiatrist and professor of medicine....
in 1991.
- Prospero Aldorisio's 1611 Idengraphicus nuncius
- Camilo Baldi's Trattado come de una lettera Missiva si conoscano la nature e qualita dello scriviente which was unofficially published in 1622. The 1625 edition was probably the first authorized edition of Baldi's book. In American graphology, this is considered to be the first book.
Around 1830 Abbé Michon became interested in handwriting analysis. He published his findings shortly after founding
Société Graphologique in 1871. The most prominent of his disciples was J. Crépieux-Jamin who rapidly published a series of books that were soon published in other languages. Starting from Michon's integrative approach, Crépieux-Jamin ended up with a holistic approach to graphology.
Alfred BinetAlfred Binet was a French psychologist who was the inventor of the first usable intelligence test, known at that time as the Binet test and today referred to as the IQ test. His principal goal was to identify students who needed special help in coping with the school curriculum...
was convinced to do research into graphology from 1893 to 1907. He ended up calling it "The science of the future", despite graphologists' rejecting the results of his research.
After
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, interest in graphology continued to spread in Europe as well as the United States. In Germany during the 1920s,
Ludwig KlagesLudwig Klages was a German philosopher, psychologist and a theoretician in the field of handwriting analysis.-Life:...
founded and published his finding in
Zeitschrift für Menschenkunde (
Journal for the Study of Mankind). His major contribution to the field can be found in
Handschrift und Charakter.
Thea Stein Lewinson and J. Zubin modified Klage's ideas, based upon their experience working for the U.S. Government, publishing their method in 1942.
In 1929 Milton Bunker founded
The American Grapho Analysis Society teaching
GraphoanalysisGraphoanalysis is a system of Handwriting Analysis that falls within the approach of Integrative Graphology...
. This organization and its system split the American graphology world in two. Students had to choose between Graphoanalysis or Holistic Graphology. Whilst hard data is lacking, anecdotal evidence indicates that 10% of the members of
International Graphoanalysis Society(IGAS) were expelled between 1970 and 1980. By the time Peter Ferrera died in 1991, the decimation of IGAS members had resulted in a decline of the influence of Graphoanalysis, and IGAS on American graphology.
Klara G. Roman was the most prominent of the German refugee scholars. Her books are still considered to be foundations for contemporary American Holistic graphology. She taught at the New School for Social Research in New York, and was succeeded there by Daniel S. Anthony and Florence Anthony.
Handwriting Workshops Unlimited was organized by Charlie Cole as a series of lectures for advanced students of Graphoanalysis. These lectures featured holistic graphologists such as Thea Lewinson and Klara Roman. By 1960 all of the participants had been expelled by IGAS. These individuals went on to form the
American Handwriting Analysis Foundation. Later mass expulsions of IGAS members led to the formation of other societies, such as the
American Association of Handwriting Analysts that were orientated towards Holistic graphology.
In 1972 talks between the
American Handwriting Analysis Foundation and the
American Association of Handwriting Analysis started, with the aim to form a single organization. Those talks resulted in the creation of the
Council of Graphological Societies in 1976.
Since the rise of the Internet in the early 1990s, the graphology organizations have suffered major declines in membership. However, due to email lists, communication between graphologists representing different approaches has increased.
Validity
Although graphology had some support in the scientific community before the mid-twentieth century, the results of most recent surveys on the ability for graphology to assess personality and job performance have been negative. Graphology is primarily used as a recruiting tool to screen candidates during the evaluation process. Many studies have been conducted to assess its effectiveness to predict personality and job performance. Recent studies testing the validity of using handwriting for predicting personality traits and job performance have been consistently negative.
In a 1987 study, graphologists were unable to predict scores on the
EysenckEysenck is a surname, and may refer to*Hans Jürgen Eysenck , psychology professor*Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, a psychological test developed by Hans Eysenck*Michael Eysenck , psychology professor, son of Hans...
personality questionnaire using writing samples from the same people. In a 1988 study, graphologists were unable to predict scores on the
Myers-BriggsThe Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment is a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions...
test using writing samples from the same people. A 1982
meta-analysisIn statistics, a meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. In its simplest form, this is normally by identification of a common measure of effect size, for which a weighted average might be the output of a meta-analyses. Here the...
drawn from over 200 studies concludes that graphologists were generally unable to predict any kind of personality trait on any personality test.
Measures of job performance appear similarly unrelated to the handwriting metrics of graphologists. Professional graphologists using handwriting analysis were just as ineffective as lay people at predicting performance in a 1989 study. A broad literature screen done by King and Koehler confirmed dozens of studies showing the mechanical aspects of graphology (slant, slope, etc.) are essentially worthless predictors of job performance.
Rowan Bayne, a British psychologist who has written several studies on graphology, summarized his view of the appeal of graphology: "It's very seductive because at a very crude level someone who is neat and well behaved tends to have neat handwriting", adding that the practice is "useless... absolutely hopeless". Also, the
British Psychological SocietyThe British Psychological Society is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. The BPS is also a Registered Charity and, along with advantages, this also imposes certain constraints on what the society can and cannot do...
ranks graphology alongside
astrologyAstrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
- giving them both "zero validity".
Overall, despite a few studies that support handwriting analysis, such as Crumbaugh & Stockholm, the large majority of studies such as Ben-Shakar, Bar-Hillel, Blum, Ben-Abba, & Flug and many others indicate evidence against its predictive validity.
Additional specific objections
- The Barnum effect
The Forer effect is the observation that individuals will give high accuracy ratings to descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored specifically for them, but are in fact vague and general enough to apply to a wide range of people...
and the Dr Fox effectThe Dr. Fox effect is a correlation observed between teacher expressiveness, content coverage, student evaluation and student achievement.In the 1976 experiment, two equivalent groups of students were given lectures varying in content coverage. After the lecture, the students were asked to evaluate...
. These phenomena make it difficult to validate methods of personality testing. These describe the observation that individuals will give high accuracy ratings to descriptions of their personality that supposedly are tailored specifically for them, but are in fact vague and general enough to apply to a wide range of people. See, for example, Tallent (1958). Non-individualized graphological reports give credence to this criticism.
- Effect Size: Dean's (1992)
In statistics, an effect size is a measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables in a statistical population, or a sample-based estimate of that quantity...
is too small. Regardless of the validity of handwriting analysis, the research results imply that it is not applicable for any specific individual, but may be applicable to a group.
- Vagueness: Some important principles of graphology are vague enough to allow a lot of room for a graphologist to skew interpretations to suit a subject or preconceived conclusion. For example, one of the main concepts in the theory of Ludwig Klages
Ludwig Klages was a German philosopher, psychologist and a theoretician in the field of handwriting analysis.-Life:...
is form-niveau (or form-level): the overall level of originality, beauty, harmony, style, etc. of a person's handwriting—a quality that, according to Klages, can be perceived but not measured. According to this theory, the same sign has a positive or negative meaning depending on the subject's overall character and personality as revealed by the form-niveau. In practice, this can lead the graphologist to interpret signs positively or negatively depending on whether the subject has high or low social status.
In Hungary
A Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information report states that handwriting analysis without informed consent is a privacy violation.
Privacy
Graphologists often claim that handwriting analysis in the workplace is legal, citing 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)
All of these cases are about Fifth AmendmentThe Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
rights in a criminal investigation. These cases do not address issues relating to psychological analysis of an individual. Neither do they address third party issues.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Many graphologists claim that handwriting analysis is non-discriminatory, since it cannot determine Gender, Age, Ethnicity, or other EEOC Protected Classes. However, 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. Uniformly the research indicates that gender can be determined at a significant level. 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 ADAThe Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
-defined disability cannot take a test, then nobody can. As a result, tests that cannot be adapted for use by those individuals will not be used by a company.
Handwriting 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. Blind people, for example, do not develop the required fluency in handwriting, for the writing to be correctly analyzed.
Questions that handwriting analysts ask before doing an analysis can be illegal under this act.
Graphology in court testimony
Cameron v Knapp, 137 Misc. 2d 373, 520 N.Y.S.2d 917 (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Co. 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) is an example of current U.S. case law for the rejection of graphology as psychological testimony.
Carroll v State [276 Ark 160; 634 SW 2d 99, 101-102 (1982)] will be remembered for its implications on the propriety of allowing graphologists to testify. The opposing Handwriting Analysts displayed a distinct lack of professional courtesy to each other. In doing so, they undermined the scientific validity of both Integrative Graphology and Holistic Graphology.
name = "beyerstein1992"/>
Daubert standard for expert witnesses
The U.S. Supreme Court case Daubert v. Merrell Dow PharmaceuticalsDaubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, is a United States Supreme Court case determining the standard for admitting expert testimony in federal courts...
defined several criteria that expert testimony must meet to be admissible as evidence.
- Be verifiable, refutable, and testable;
- Be valid and reliable;
- Subject to published peer review;
- Held to standards within the field;
- Be generally accepted in the scientific community;
Depending upon the specific system of graphology that is used, it fails between two and five criteria.
Employment 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, practical demonstration or record of work skills. Graphology supporters state that it can complement but not replace traditional hiring tools.
Research in employment suitability has ranged from complete failure to guarded
success. The most substantial reason for not using handwriting analysis in the employment process is the absence of evidence of a direct link between handwriting analysis and various measures of job performance
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.
The focus of these reports can be one, or more of the following:
Company-wide: This is a report the describes how compatible the individual is, with each employee in the company.
The average company employee: For this report, the mean, mode, and median scores of every scored data point, for the entire company are used, to create three hypothetical employees. The individual is then compared to these three employees, with the focus being how good a fit the individual is.
Division wide: This is a report that describes how compatible the individual is, with each employee in the division.
The average division employee: For this report, the mean, mode, and median scores of every scored data point, for the entire division are used, to create three hypothetical employees. The individual is then compared to these three employees, with focus being how well the individual will fit into the existing company psychodynamic profile.
Unit wide: This is a report the describes how compatible the individual is, with each employee in the unit.
The average unit employee: 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. Those are then compared to the applicant, with a focus on how good a fit the individual is.
The unit manager / Co-worker: This explores the differences in personal style between a manager/co-worker and potential employee. The end result is on how each can maximize productivity and minimize personal friction.
Composite reports: This explores the difference in personal style between every employee in a group. The idea is for each member of the group to learn not only their own strengths and weakness, but also those of their co-workers, and how they can more harmoniously work together. 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 25 page report on the makeup of an individual from the perspective of Freudian PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
, Transactional AnalysisTransactional analysis, commonly known as TA to its adherents, is an integrative approach to the theory of psychology and psychotherapy. It is described as integrative because it has elements of psychoanalytic, humanist and cognitive approaches...
, or another personality theoryPersonality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include:* Constructing a coherent picture of the individual and his or her major psychological processes...
.
Marital compatibility
In its simplest form only sexual expression and sexual response are examined. At its most complex, every aspect of an individual is examined for how it affects the other individual(s). The basic theory is that after knowing and understanding how each other is different, any commitment that is made will be more enduring. Typically done for couples, it is not unknown for a polyamorousPolyamory is the practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate relationship at a time with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved....
group to obtain a report prior to the commitment ceremony of a new individual.
In cultures where arranged marriages are common, graphology can be used as an additional checkpoint on the compatibility 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. Strictly speaking, such research is not graphology as described throughout this article but an examination of factors pertaining to motor control. Research studies have been conducted in which a detailed examination of handwriting factors, particularly timing, fluidity, pressure, and consistency of size, form, speed, and pressure are considered in the process of evaluating patients and their response to pharmacological therapeutic agents. The study of these phenomena is a by-product of researchers investigating motor control processes and the interaction of nervous, anatomical, and biomechanical systems of the body.
The Vanguard Code of Ethical Practice, amongst others, prohibits medical diagnosis unless one is also licensed to do diagnosis in the state in which they practice.
Jury screening
A graphologist is given handwriting samples of a prospective jury and determines who should be struck, based upon their alleged personality profile. After the trial has begun, the graphologist advises counsel on how to slant their case, for the most favorable response from the jury.
Graphotherapy
This is the practice of changing a person's handwriting with the goal of changing features of his or her personality. It was pioneered in France during the nineteen-thirties, spreading to the United states in the late fifties.
The therapy consists of a series of exercises which are similar to those taught in basic calligraphy courses, sometimes in conjunction with music or positive self-talk. There have been anecdotal reports of these exercises curing everything from drug addiction to anorexia nervosaAnorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
,
and back to borderline personality disorderBorderline personality disorder is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person , characterized by depth and variability of moods.The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the...
.
Forensic document examination
The discipline of forensic document examination is also known as questioned document examinationQuestioned document examination is the forensic science discipline pertaining to documents that are in dispute in a court of law...
within the judicial system. With respect to handwriting examinations, the discipline tries to address the question of whether or not a document was written by the person who is thought to have written it. As such, this is not an aspect of graphology.
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.
Divination
Some individuals believe that one can tell the future from handwriting analysis. Others believe that a handwriting analyst can provide spiritual guidance on situations that they face. These beliefs are claimed to be false for reasons ranging from the complete lack of either scientific or anecdotal evidence, to the application of Aristotelian logic to any of the numerous (and mutually incompatible) theories of handwriting analysis. Most graphologists reject supernatural insights from their assessment of handwriting.
The code of ethics for the International Graphoanalysis SocietyIGAS is the abbreviation for International Graphoanalysis Society. The organization is far more commonly referred to by its initials than the full name....
, British Association of Graphology, and Association Déontologique Européenne de Graphologie prohibits the practice of anything related to the occultThe word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
.
Graphologists
- Camillo Baldi
Camillo Baldi also known as Camillus Baldus and Camillo Baldo. In 1572 he graduated in Philosophy and Medicine. He taught at the Studio Publico di Bologna for sixty years. He taught logic for several years before becoming a lecturer in Philosophy from 1590 till his death in 1637...
- Ludwig Klages
Ludwig Klages was a German philosopher, psychologist and a theoretician in the field of handwriting analysis.-Life:...
- Léopold Szondi
Léopold Szondi was a Hungarian psychiatrist, born in present day Slovakia and raised in a a German and Slovak speaking family. He is known for the psychological tool that bears his name, the Szondi test. He developed a form of depth psychology that had some prominence in Europe in the mid-20th...
- Robert Saudek
Robert Saudek was a Czech-born graphologist and writer of novels, stories, poems and plays. He had considerable influence on the content and standing of graphology worldwide...
- Max Pulver
Max Pulver is the author of three graphology books and several articles. He developed the theory of symbolism of space. His work discusses pressure, intelligence and crime...
Organizations of handwriting analysts
- International Graphoanalysis Society
IGAS is the abbreviation for International Graphoanalysis Society. The organization is far more commonly referred to by its initials than the full name....
- http://www.sogeikai.com/0201e.html Japan Graphologist Association
- British Institute of Graphologists
- Association of Qualified Graphologists
- Cambridge School of Graphology (www.csog.org)
- Handwriting Analysts International
Related fields
- Asemic writing
Asemic writing is a wordless open semantic form of writing. The word asemic means "having no specific semantic content". With the nonspecificity of asemic writing there comes a vacuum of meaning which is left for the reader to fill in and interpret. All of this is similar to the way one would...
- Questioned document examination
Questioned document examination is the forensic science discipline pertaining to documents that are in dispute in a court of law...
- Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
- Graphonomics
Graphonomics is the interdisciplinary field directed towards the scientific analysis of the handwriting process and the handwritten product. Researchers in handwriting recognition, forensic handwriting examination, kinesiology, psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, paleography and...
- Doodle
A doodle is an unfocused drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be abstract shapes....
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