Graphology as tool for understanding personality

1. For Beginners
Arnel B. Galgo
08232008
“Understanding a Person
Through Handwriting Analysis”
Pro-Life Philippines Foundation, Inc.
23 August 2008

2. Graphology
Noun (fr. French “graphologie”;
etymology, Greek words “graphein” to
write/ writing + “logos” study/ discourse):
it is the study of handwriting, and the
inferring of character or aptitude from it.
What is “GRAPHOLOGY”?...
“A technique of observation and interpretation, enables the
personality to be studied through the examination of handwriting.”
(Graphologist European Code of Conduct 1992)
2A.B. Galgo 2008

3. Forensic
(Questioned Document
Examination)
Modern Graphology
Script-Psychology;
Personality
Psychology
(Personality & Behavior
Assessment thru
Handwriting Analysis)
Research,
Development
and Education
(From Brain to
Script)
3A.B. Galgo 2008

4. Graphology can tell how the writer thinks,
feels and behaves but it cannot tell the
writer’s…
…although knowing the first five before
making an analysis will be of help…
 Age
 Gender
 Handedness
 Religious Belief
 Race
 Future
4A.B. Galgo 2008

5.  Observing the written notes (1000BC-1110AD)…300 BC, Aristotle:
Philosopher (Greece). "Spoken words are the symbols of mental experience and
written words are the symbols of spoken words. Just as all men have not the same
speech sounds, so all men have not the same writing".
 Reading the Writer (1660s-1860)…1662, Camillo Baldi: Professor - philosophy,
medicine (Italy). Published a study presenting a first method for judging a writer's
nature from his letter formations; 1830, Abbé Flandrin: Priest, teacher (France)
Collected for thirty years thousands of writings and classified them by "elements of
design in handwriting". Interpretation was a trait-for-a-stroke method.
 Birth and Early Development (1888-1920s)…1872, Abbé Jean Hippolyte
Michon: Priest, teacher (France). Coined the word 'graphology'. Published two very
popular books - "Les Mystères de l'écriture" (1872) and "La Methode pratique de
graphologie" (1878). 888-1914, Jean Crépieux-Jamin: Psychologist (France) The first
'Scientific Graphologist'. Developed the theory of resultants which stressed that the
whole writing must be considered; 1920's, Max Pulver: Philosopher and Psychologist
(Switzerland). Developed the use of three zones of writing. Upper zone - abstract
thinking; Middle zone - emotion; Lower zone - biological factors.
5A.B. Galgo 2008

6.  From Observation to a Developing Science (1930s-1996)…
1945, Max Pulver: Professor of Psychology (Switzerland) Wrote "Symbolik
der Handschrift" which broadened graphic interpretations by applying
psychoanalytical methods of Freud, Adler, Jung and Steckel; 1975, Shafir
A, Hirsch M & Shepps S: Psychologists (Israel) first used graphology in
conjunction with Bender, Gestalt, Draw-a-person and Rorschach testing
methods in a research project using Jewish victims of the Holocaust,
1940-45
 Modern Graphology (1990s-Present)…1990's Beyerstein BL&DF
Evaluations of Graphology - the Write Stuff Evaluations of Graphology:
Research and debate by Graphologists and Critics; Mid 90's Starzecpyzel
Daubert hearing in U.S. Court found that forensic document examination
"does not employ rigorous methodology". The finding leads to increased
efforts to pursue scientific methods and standards in forensic handwriting
analysis. Experimentation and research continue.
6A.B. Galgo 2008

7. Central Nervous System
The Writing Organ and Tools
(The Hand, Pen and Paper)
“On the Physiology of Handwriting” (Preyer, 1895)
Dr. Preyer stablished that similar styles can be achieved when the
pen was held by either right or left hand, foot or mouth, establishing
that handwriting was centrally organized by the brain and not the
appendage. He first coined and used the word “brain writing”.
“BRAIN WRITING”
7A.B. Galgo 2008

8. The Projective Techniques
The PROJECTIVE
HYPHOTHESIS
(Lawrence Frank, 1939):
When people try to
understand vague or
ambiguous unstructured
stimuli, the interpretation
they produce
reflects/projects their
needs, feelings, experience,
prior conditioning, thought
processes.
CATEGORIES (Lindzey, 1959)
• Association (Rorschach Inkblot
Test-Rorschach,1921)
• Construction (DAP-
Machover,1949 and TAT-Murray
& Morgan, 1938 )
• Completion (Incomplete
Sentences Blank-Rotter,1950)
• Arrangement/Selection
(Luscher Color Test-Luscher &
Scott, 1969)
• Expression (Puppet Play-
Woltman,1960 and Handwriting
Analysis-Beyerstein,1992)
8A.B. Galgo 2008

9. I like __________________________
My greatest fear ________________
GRAPHOLOGY AS A PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUE…
Herman
Rorschach’s
Inkblot Test (1921)
Julian Rotter’s Sentence
Completion (1950)
Murray’s Thematic
Apperception Test (1930)
Jean-Hippolyte Michon
9A.B. Galgo 2008

10. STEP 1 – Specimen obtained
STEP 2 – Graphologist briefed on required
information
STEP 3 – Handwriting is examined
STEP 4 – An oral or written report
STEP 5 – Info used with other sources
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11. The COPYBOOK Form of Writing
US Copybook (1937 Palmer)
German Copybook (1968)
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12. Upper Zone (UZ)
Lower Zone (LZ)
Middle Zone (MZ)Starting
Stroke
(SS)
Up Stroke (US)
Down Stroke (DS)Oval
Loops
End Stroke (ES)
family
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13. French School:
Atomistic-see things as
composition of many, often
disparate elements
German School:
Holistic-the whole is greater
than the sum of its part
(Gestalt)
General Layout:
Margin
Spacing
Zones
Spacing
between words
Flying “t-bar”
Looped “y” and “g”;
long lower zone
touching the next line
Direction
Right Slant
Anchor
Strokes
1. Picture of Space: how the
writer sees the world
2. Picture of Movement: how
the writer acts in the world
3. Picture of Form: how the
writer sees himself
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14. • Layout: Adaptability of the
writer to the environment
(Margins, Spacing, Zones)
• Dimension: Self-concept,
degree of initiative, sense of
detail, emotional and
intellectual elements (Size and
Width)
• Pressure: Intensity and
originality of personality,
vitality, instinct and state of
health
• Form: Continuity of thoughts,
memory, originality, aptitude,
character (Connections)
 Speed: Intelligence, energy,
concentration, confidence
 Direction: Stability of behavior,
orientation; state of mind,
disposition.
 Particular Signs (signatures,
the capital letter “I”, the I-dots,
t-bars, ovals like the letter “o”
and “a”, initial and end stroke,
etc.)
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No Margin
Wide Right
Margin
Large Top
Margin
Wide Left
Margin
Typographic
Margin
Large Bottom
Margin
Concave Margin
Convex Margin
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16. Large (8-10mm) Small (2-5mm)
Wide Lean
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17. Left Slant Right SlantVertical Slant
family
EXALTATION
The Conscious/Intellectuality/Ambition/
Idealism/Spirituality
EXCITATION
The Unconscious/Materialistic Interests/
Impulses/Sexuality/Instincts
EXPANSION
Activity/Extraversion/
Masculinity/Father/
Future/The World/
Altruism
REPRESSION
Passivity/Introversion/
Feminity/Mother/
Past/The “I”/
Egocentrism
“Symbolism of Space” (Max Pulver, 1953)17A.B. Galgo 2008

18. Angular
Garland
Arcade Filiform
18A.B. Galgo 2008

19. SLOW FAST
Left and Vertical Slant Right Slant
Oval/ Arcade/
Garland with Vertical Slant
Angular
Garland with Right Slant
Lean/Cramp/Restraint Fat/Spaced-out/Expansive
Heavy Pressure/Pasty Light Pressure
Printed/Disconnected Connected
Heavy Light
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20. COMMUNICATING STROKES
A Professor-to-Student Written Dialogue
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21. Tips for Beginners:
• Buy or acquire books on graphology, read
more and learn more;
• Attend more seminars and listen, learn and
work with others;
• Learn basic Psychology, especially on
Personality Psychology;
• Collect handwriting samples and be familiar
with the different forms and characters of
different handwritings;
• Acquire the basic instruments: straight ruler,
magnifying glass and protractor; and
• Practice doing analyses. Practice always
makes perfect.
21A.B. Galgo 2008

22. • Cameron, Ellen “Understanding Graphology:
A Systematic Course in Handwriting
Analysis”, HarperCollins, 1995.
• Desenclos, Hubert “Understanding
Graphology: How to Interpret Handwriting”,
Tiger Books, 1995.
• Lowe, Sheila “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Handwriting Analysis”, Alpha Books, 1999.
• Nezos, Renna “Graphology: The
Interpretation of Handwriting”, Rider & Co.
Ltd., 1989.
• Singer, Eric “A Manual of Graphology”,
Treasure Press, 1986
22A.B. Galgo 2008

23. ARNEL B. GALGO
CP: 0921-463-44-57
Email: abgalgo@gmail.com
23A.B. Galgo 2008