A quick Google search provides the definition of Graphology as: “Graphology is the pseudoscientific practice of analyzing handwriting to assess a person’s character, personality traits, and psychological state. Practitioners of graphology, known as graphologists, believe that various aspects of a person’s handwriting, such as the size, slant, pressure, and spacing of letters, can reveal insights into the writer’s personality, emotions, and behavior.”
The scientific community widely regards graphology as a pseudoscience due to the lack of empirical evidence supporting its claims and the subjective nature of its interpretations.
However, those who have studied and practice graphology stand by it on the basis of the following logic and observations:
Our handwriting is the result of the production of strokes by the use of our hands. However, the hand is completely regulated and guided by the brain. The hand becomes a tool for the brain which wishes to express itself. Alphabets of any language are taught equally on similar rules to every human being, but our brains begin to grasp them differently because it is trained naturally to associate every form of expression to the eyes as an image. This is the reason a human brain can recall images for a longer time and quicker than alphabets or spoken words (when was the last time you tried to recall anything of your distant past and out of that what could you recall easily which was easier for you to imagine seeing — images of events or something written in a favourite book of yours?). This is exactly why we call it Graph-ology, i.e. the study of graphs (or images) of the functioning of our brain. So technically, graphology is a study of the functioning of our brain rather than of our handwriting. Our handwriting is essentially only a door to reach our brains.
Brain Writing
Technically, a right hander is so because the right side of his/her brain functions faster and better than the left side. The same goes for the left handers. However, researches have proved that those who lost their working hand started to write with their other hand. Gradually, this hand started to write the way and look like the handwriting of the hand which was lost. This clearly goes to show that what we write is ultimately not handwriting but brain writing. Another point which forcefully pushes for this logic is imagining yourself writing being drunk and when not. Same person, same hand, same brain, same tool to write but an entirely different output on paper. What all changes in this process is the function of the brain due to the effect of alcohol. Even a novice can make out the difference between these two handwritings of the same person and make a wise guess that one is of a person who has lost his mental balance. Welcome to being a novice graphologist!
Image Courtesy: Pixabay
The best graphologist for our own handwriting is us. Imagine yourself writing a paragraph on a piece of paper. And the same piece is written by an ‘n’ number of distinct people. The writer of a content written would figure out his/her own paper if all the papers are mixed together and presented before him/her. This is because the writer’s brain has the image of the writer’s handwriting ingrained in it.
Graphologists divide a person’s handwriting into two distinct types. One is something which is observed by our eyes and a deduction is made on the basis of an in-depth common sense observation. The above example of a drunk person falls in one of these categories. A professional and experienced graphologisthas the ability to dive deeper to correlate such observations with basic behavioral traits of the person behind it. This involves more of an observation than any statistical facts giving it a chance of being called ‘pseudo’ by many who rely totally on statistical data. Something like in the system of meditation being practiced in India since time immemorial. No scientific statistics or clinic research records but after practicing it well, no one can argue that it doesn’t work. The complex functioning of our brains is beyond certain statistical records many times.
The other type of handwriting are the ones where the resultants depend directly upon the type of strokes, are universal and hold no logic. This is deduced by years of research where certain pre-known evident personality traits of the subject are analysed. Their repeated unique strokes and the same common strokes are looked for in other subjects with similar personality traits. Ultimately, each stroke is associated with a particular personality trait of a human being. Giving an example, if it is found out that a person A with a particular trait (say attitude x) has a certain kind of pressure put on the paper while writing and this type of pressure is then looked for in all other people with known trait (attitude x). If it is found that they also have exactly this type of pressure as well universally, then this type of pressure is associated with this trait (attitude x).
Studying Signatures
One of the most common uses of handwritings is in our cheques and legal papers in the form of signatures. But ever wondered why a handwriting is seminal in papers of legal importance? Because it works and is beyond question. But then why only a signature and not just put our own names in our own handwriting? This is because we develop our signatures on two pillars — one which makes us look unique to the world outside. It is like yelling to the world to try to know what kind of image we wish to give out. This could be similar or different from what we are as a person inside. Go to that fraction of a moment when you put your pen onto a paper to draw your signature on any text of importance. Bet you subconsciously told yourself: ‘Hey! This is me. I want it to be perfectly the way I have designed this in my head. This signature got to be ‘ME’. This makes the basic strokes inside the signature to not only make it similar everywhere but totally unique to our personality. Hence, a signature is treated as most authentic for all documents of legal importance.
The other pillar is that of our handwriting which we write in a flow in our daily lives. Some are expected to be read (which we somewhere try to look legible and be read by the reader with least difficulty). Because of this, our regular handwriting ends up revealing what we are inside which might be observed by others around us who are a part of our immediate social circle. The analysis of this ends up revealing the inside out of this person in the first go.
History of Graphology
The earliest known understanding of a person’s character from their handwriting dates back to 500 BC, when Confucius warned, “Beware of a man whose writing sways like a reed in the wind.” The founders of modern graphology were the Italians in the early 17th century, with activity based in the city of Bologna, home of the oldest university and where graphology is still taught today. It is from Italy that graphology has become a recognised subject in the study of human nature and identity throughout the world. In the 19th century, France played a significant role in laying the groundwork for the formal study of graphology. Today, the subject is taught throughout Europe, Israel, North and South America, India, and China, among other places.
The earliest known references to handwriting analysis practice can be found in ancient civilizations such as China, where it was used as a method of selecting candidates for government positions based on their handwriting. Similarly, in ancient Greece, Aristotle mentioned the relationship between handwriting and personality traits.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, graphology gained popularity in Europe, where it was used in fields such as psychology, criminology, and personnel selection. Some psychologists and criminologists believed that handwriting could reveal insights into a person’s character, emotional state, and even criminal tendencies.
In India, agencies like RAW and IB can or could be even using graphology to understand traits like honesty, tendency to keep information to themselves, loyalty and other traits of their recruits which take time to show up. Such institutions can’t wait till they are revealed in the course of their activities. An institution like the FBI in the US uses graphology extensively for many of its recruits and situations to narrow down on suspects in certain cases to save on time. The contemporary of FBI in India, CBI doesn’t employ graphology in its usual investigations but it has been used informally at the highest level, like in the infamous Hawala case by this author to analyse the mindset of the prime suspect.
Uses of Graphology
Graphology can be used in all those cases where an in-depth knowledge of a person’s psychology is needed to be studied in different kinds of situations faced by him/ her. Thus, graphology can be used in situations below:
Criminal cases: A crime (taking an example of a murder) could be committed for various reasons. If someone has a criminal past then it becomes easy for the investigators to zero in. However, there might be someone who would be clean throughout and might have committed that crime in an instant fit of rage or even under some pressure. The handwriting of all those suspected can reveal how the person subconsciously is feeling about the act of crime. Going beyond this, if the suspect is asked to mention his/her involvement with the crime which he/she would deny in any case, then just this one line would suffice to reveal the actual truth and help the investigators to focus on him/her and try to get the case solved without spending time elsewhere.
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Personnel hirings: This is a situation where many corporate houses have started to hire the services of graphologists in India. With so much competition in the market, companies are always worried about recruits shifting off to competitors on small lucrative offers. Worse still, with similar resumes and experiences it becomes a challenge to judge the levels of honesty, loyalty and even health issues which are impossible to understand in a 30-minute interview. Add to that if a handwritten resumé can reveal all this and even health issues connected to the nervous system directly, there won’t be any requirement to consult any third party to verify the claims of the candidate. So next time you see a major corporate house asking your resumé in your own handwriting and undersigning it, you know what it is for. Further, the hidden difference between what the handwriting in the flow reveals and what your signature reveals, tells if you are trying to fake your nature to the world outside. The more difference between the signature and the handwriting, the more dangerous you would be for them to hire.
Fraud detections: This demands the minimum explanation. From banks to courts, all use this service to know if signatures or letters have been written by someone else than the one it was supposed to be. One can copy the looks of the Prime Minister of India, the way he speaks, the way he walks but can never copy the way his brain works and therefore cannot copy his signature completely as well.
Matching personality traits for compatibility of two individuals or group of individuals: A successful marriage ceremony with a happy couple but a divorce after a few years even though one can bet no one intended for that when they got married. Then what went wrong? It was basically the gradual revelation of one’s nature which wasn’t digested by the other person. This ultimately created rifts. Knowing the lesser revealed character and mindset beforehand can save a lot of time to get over the initial situation where everyone acts their best for a successful beginning of a relationship.
Health: Handwriting is all about our brain. Same goes with many physical issues which also have a direct connection with our brains like paralysis, Parkinson’s disease, issues with the functions of our brain, nervous breakdowns, etc. Usually, the process begins much earlier, then it finally comes to the surface and shows up prominently. A handwriting can reveal how the brain is functioning towards this possible problem even when it is being analysed normally. The handwriting thus would forecast where the brain is heading instead of what already has occurred visibly outside.
However, the use of graphology has a major drawback. It can be applied only if the subject knows how to write and in English (as of now). The question now arises: Is graphology really effective in real world situations? I will take up certain cases where graphology was used as an effective tool by our agencies, with or without the help of the media houses, as it becomes easier for them to get the data of these graphologists and get connected to them.
26/11 Mumbai blasts: These involved terrorists all of whom were trained by an outside agency. And all of them trained well to handle themselves in case they had to go through physical torture by our agencies if they were caught. The one left after the whole episode ended (Ajmal Kasab) was also trained and started acting insane to avoid a hanging (as the law forbids a physically unfit person or an insane person to be hanged). Through rigorous training, such people are also able to fool lie detector tests and therefore, these tests have started to be used as a tool to lead to creating evidence rather than being as standalone evidence itself. This is where graphology comes in. The handwriting of the lone survivor went to show the psychological situations if he were put in that would break him apart and make him act just like any other sane person. Thus, it paved the way for the law to consider him a totally sane person, fit to be hung.
Suicide by a Bollywood actress: The actress was new and an upcoming one in the industry. The industry was shocked to hear of her sudden death with a suicide note written. They found no reason for her to commit suicide, neither did the investigators prima facie. But the forensic reports did point out that she killed herself. Moreover, the suicide note was in her handwriting. This confused everyone. However, on critical examination of her handwritings, it was found out that though her handwriting in the suicide note wasn’t written under any kind of pressure, there was a certain amount of psychological influence on her to make her believe that suicide was the right way out for her in her situation. Consequently, an investigation was conducted and it was discovered that one of her accomplices was instrumental in influencing her and is now behind the bars.
The role of the founder of an Indian infotech company in an infamous fraud after his embezzlement of money from the company account. With no evidence initially, it was found out from his handwriting that he was hiding something crucial and he too had some kind of role in the fraud. On the basis of this, investigations were carried out and he was found to be guilty and had to step down.
Graphology won’t be called a pure science easily ever because it goes beyond proving every human trait by statistics. However, it certainly would be used knowingly or unknowingly. Unknowingly, by institutions like banks to detect fraud signatures and knowingly by investigating agencies to read criminal mindsets of possible suspects.
*The writer is a professional graphologist since the last 24 years. His focus of analysis has been on criminal psychology throughout though lately he has been venturing into the use of graphology for employee selection and career selection as well. He can be reached at sid@indiainnings.in
