Graphology

The study of handwriting, involving the interpretation of character and personality traits. Empirical interpretation of handwriting dates back to ancient times. Aristotle claimed that he could define a person's soul by his way of writing. Suetonius noted that Emperor Augustus did not separate his words when writing and concluded that this demonstrated a neglect of detail when forming a picture of a whole situation.

In the seventeenth century Camillo Baldi published a small Latin treatise called De Signis ex Epistolis (1622). Graphology was systematized in nineteenth-century France when the Abbé Flandrin (1809-64) made a detailed study of autographs. In 1872 Adolphe Desbarolles published Les mystères de l'écriture; art de juger les hommes sur leurs autographes. Since then there have been many books on graphology, often falling somewhere between scientific principle and popular occultism.

Although modern graphologists have evolved a scientific rationale that assigns particular significance to the slope of handwriting, the formation of individual letters, size of characters, joinings and disjoinings of letters, and so on, interpretation remains largely subjective and allows considerable room for the practitioner's psychic ability to operate and add material. Some graphologists allow the handwriting itself to convey impressions in much the same way as objects function in psychometry. Perhaps one's signature is the most characteristic piece of handwriting, for consciously or unconsciously it becomes a kind of symbolic self-portrait, indicating the personality as a whole. In this it resembles the magic sigil of celestial intelligences. Part of the perennial attraction of autograph collecting and book signing is the emotional association with great or famous individuals as represented by their signatures.

Graphology is to be sharply delineated from handwriting analysis. The latter is concerned with establishing the authenticity of writing and signatures, and such analysts are frequently called upon to make judgments in legal situations. Graphology has made some progress toward respectability, however. Some corporations now employ graphologists to elucidate staff applications, and police authorities have been known to hire graphologists to analyze the writing of criminals.

Sources:

Byrd, Anita. Handwriting Analysis: A Guide to Personality. New York: Arco, 1982.

Casewit, Curtis. Graphology Handbook. Rockport, Mass.: Para Research, 1980.

Friedenhain, Paula. Write and Reveal: Interpretation of Handwriting. London, 1959.

Golson, K. K. Presidents Are People. New York: Carlton Press, 1964.

Jacoby, H. J. Analysis of Handwriting. London: Allen & Unwin, 1929.

Kurdsen, Stephen. Graphology: The New Science. Washington, D.C.: Acropolis Books, 1971.

Lowengard, Manfred. How to Analyze Your Handwriting. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1975.

Marcuse, Irene. The Key to Handwriting Analysis. New York: R. M. McBride, 1959.

Moretti, Girolamo M. The Saints Through Their Handwriting. New York: Macmillan, 1964.

Schang, F. C. Visiting Cards of Celebrities. Paris: Gale Research, 1973.

Solomon, Shirl. How to Really Know Yourself Through Your Handwriting. New York: Taplinger, 1974. Reprint, London: Coronet, 1975.