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Graphology: The Art and Science of Handwriting Analysis


Frequently Asked Questions


  1. What is Graphology ?

  2. What is handwriting analysis used for?

  3. Is it legal to use handwriting analysis in the hiring process?

  4. Can you analyze a person's character from their Signature?

  5. Is Graphology a science?

  6. Will the interpretation for a piece of handwriting change if the writer is right-handed or left-handed?




  1. What is Graphology ?
    Graphology or Handwriting Analysis is a science of interpreting a person's character from his/her personal handwriting.

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  2. What is handwriting analysis used for?
    The applications of handwriting analysis are many. Here are a few:

    Self-Awareness:
    There is an increasing amount of interest to know what we are all about. Handwriting analysis provides real insights into the human personality - why we behave the way we do.

    Compatibility:
    This can be used to better understand other people and what personality traits trigger friction in our partner, our co-workers, family members and friends. Great for putting teams together for projects or for couples planning to get married.

    Employee Selection:
    A handwriting analyst can quickly identify personality traits that it will take the employer 3-4 months to evaluate about the new employee. As a selection tool, it's fast and accurate. Also, it's great for framing questions in interviewing and reference checking.

    Career:
    By knowing the strengths and weaknesses of an individual, handwriting analysis can reveal latent talents that are required for certain career directions. Also used by educators to gain better insights into the abilities of their students.

    Document Examination / Forgery Detection / Anonymous Letters:
    To provide expert advice as to the authenticity of documents such as the signature on a will or the identity of an anonymous letter-writer.

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  3. Is it legal to use handwriting analysis in the hiring process?
    Yes. In fact, it is an excellent way to quickly and accurately find out the behavioural traits of the applicant. The Graphoanalyst does not need to see the applicant, only the applicant's handwriting. This is recommended, as the Graphoanalyst will not have any bias regarding the applicant. Further, handwriting analysis cannot tell left- or right-handedness, sex, age, race, appearance, etc., which increases the objectivity of the analysis.

    Handwriting analysis should be used with caution when using it as selection tool, and should be used in in conjunction with other methods so as to minimize your vulnerability to litigation. Although there has not been any litigation to date in Canada, handwriting analysis has appeared in the U.S. courts in cases relating to the privacy of the individual. Interestingly, the U.S. courts have ruled that one's handwriting is in the public domain and there is no problem using it as a selection tool.

    The other suggestion is that each candidate should be made aware that their handwriting is going to be analyzed. It may be worthwhile that the applicant acknowledges this in writing, giving permission to have his/her handwriting analyzed.

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  4. Can you analyze a person's character from their Signature?
    A signature is not really the best way to analyze a person's character from handwriting. First of all, some signatures tend to be illegible and different from one's normal handwriting. Next, the signature alone does not give enough words and letters to help the graphologist in his/her judgement.

    But signatures do have some advantages. They are easy to collect. You can obtain samples of them from public figures, whom you may not have easy access of a full sample of handwriting. These may even include figures from the past.

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  5. Is Graphology a Science?
    Graphology is considered by many to be a science. Graphology is all about the collection of knowledge to enable future deductions. If we can establish statistically that people with a right slant in their handwriting exhibit extroverted characteristics, then the next time we see right-slanted writing we can deduce that the writer is most likely an extroverted person. Graphology is most likened to the science of psychology.

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  6. Will the interpretation for a piece of handwriting change if the writer is right-handed or left-handed?
    Your brain controls all the muscles which make the movement of a writing instrument possible. Whether you hold that instrument in your right hand or your left, in your mouth or in your toes, it's your brain that wills your handwriting to look a certain way.

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