Handwriting Analysis

Elizabeth

Ok this is WAY OT, but I was curious if anyone thinks the practice of analyzing someone's personality based on their handwriting style has any scientific validation. I'm not talking about determining if two written notes were written by the same person, or any forensic analysis of handwriting... I'm just talking about plain old psycho-babbly "soft" analysis.

I have numerous books on the topic; I think it's quite interesting... but somehow the more scientific part of me thinks it's complete baloney. Anyone else have an opinion, or should I just go back to my hole and stfu. 🙂

vaaaska

I'm writing a little 'book' for a client - let's call it that. And it all begins with the importance of signatures. Perhaps a tangent to your OT.

It's baloney in my opinion.

mattd123

I had a look at that once, but all of the answers seemed rather ambiguous, just to make it appear that they are specific to you, but in reality, they could be true for anyone (just like horoscopes).

I also read this a while ago, which can show how easy it is to fall into that trap:
http://www.andypryke.com/university/cults/cold_reading.html

It might have some meaning in it, but I'm still pretty skeptical until anything's proven 😛

BuzzLY

I don't know... while it's not really an exact science, I believe there is some validity to analyzing handwriting. I think it's similar to poker tells. Sometimes, you can tell what a person has by the way they handle their chips, sit in their seat, scratch their face, etc. Sometimes, of course, they just have an itch, and their butt hurts from sitting so long.

My feeling is that when someone analyzes handwriting, they are fairly accurate -- at least more so than a psychic making a cold reading.

Just my $1.05 (freedom costs a buck...oh...five)

pohopo

so what does it mean if you have messy handwriting? and my signature is a scribble. 😃

Elizabeth

Originally posted by pohopo
so what does it mean if you have messy handwriting? and my signature is a scribble. 😃

I guess it depends on your definition of "messy". If it is a half print/half cursive it means that your brain is moving quicker than your hand can, and the result can be a messy output. But there are other things you can look at such as how the individual rows of your writing flow, how big or small your letters are, where in the line the "focus" of your letters are (i.e., upper, middle, or lower zones), and things like where on the t-line do you put your cross and such. It's really kind of interesting.

goldbug

Originally posted by Elizabeth
I'm not talking about determining if two written notes were written by the same person, or any forensic analysis of handwriting...

Heh, I'd bet I can pull up my notes/samples from just a year or two ago, of heck, an hour ago, compare to a fresh sample, and it'd be difficult to say they were written by the same person. I usually alternate between three "styles" of writing, sometimes changing mid-word. Sometimes makes reading older stuff difficult 😃

Elizabeth

Originally posted by goldbug
Heh, I'd bet I can pull up my notes/samples from just a year or two ago, of heck, an hour ago, compare to a fresh sample, and it'd be difficult to say they were written by the same person. I usually alternate between three "styles" of writing, sometimes changing mid-word. Sometimes makes reading older stuff difficult 😃

So you're basically practicing your forgery techniques, eh? 🙂

goldbug

Originally posted by Elizabeth
So you're basically practicing your forgery techniques, eh? 🙂

Ssssshhhhhhhhhh!

BTW, you've uhhh, just bought a new pickup. 😃

BuzzLY

Originally posted by Elizabeth
So you're basically practicing your forgery techniques, eh? 🙂

No, I think we're talking schizophrenia here...

Elizabeth

Originally posted by BuzzLY
No, I think we're talking schizophrenia here...

Hmm, you may have something Buzz:

Symptoms of Multiple Personalities Disorder:

Voices Approximately one third of patients complain of auditory or visual hallucinations, it is common for these patients to complain that they hear voices in their heads but are merely the personalities within, communicating with one another. Often times, the MOD is misdiagnosed as a schizophrenic due to “hearing voices”, but the multiple personality hears the voices inside their head in contrast to the schizophrenic which hears from the outside of themselves. Often a multiple before diagnosis will speak of noise or clatter inside making it difficult for them to concentrate. It is possible for the multiple to hear many distinct and separate voices, of all ages talking at the same time.

Physical Differences Each alter within a multiple has their own history, personalities that are unique to them, body movements, facial expressions, the way they express verbal communication, voice tone and pitch. You might encounter a small child who hides her face and speaks in a childlike voice. Another child within the same system of personalities might be gregarious and charming. The description above would hold true for any age alter and are just tow examples of the variance your might find within the same age group of any of the alters.

Handwriting Differences In diagnosing MPD another indicator is the difference in handwriting styles.

Time Loss Time loss is quite common in the non-conscious multiple. For the non-conscious multiple the time losses can be devastating. Time loss can occur when something triggers an alter that the host is unaware of. These individuals might find themselves in a place or talking to someone they don’t even know. The length and duration of the time loss depends on how the multiple’s system works and if a more dominant personality can remain in control.

Depression Suicidal and self-mutilation is a common in this group, body memories and nightmares.

vaaaska

One of the more common thing people have told me about my signature is that it looks like Japanese text.

Idunno...???

dalecosp

So, when are you guys gonna post a handwriting sample for us to analyze? Let's get real here!

Weedpacket

I've been watching my hand writing my handwriting lately - gee, thanks. Needless to say, all the Heisenbugs seem to disappear in the process. Some of my custom ligatures remain (especially the three-stroke "th").

But my handwriting does keep altering; it depends on whether I expect it to be read by someone else, what sort of pen I'm using (I much prefer fibretips to ballpoints) number of sheets of paper underneath the one I'm writing on (if the sheet is resting directly on the desk the tactile feedback is much crisper), how tired I am or cramped my grip .... While it's still recognisably mine, most specific features that handwriting analysists like to latch on to seem to come and go. I've found samples where I've written "44", with one '4' in the style you see here with a triangular counter, followed by one which is open at the top like a calculator display; consecutive '2's, one with a loop in the corner and swoop in the bottom stroke, and one without; some 0's written with the start of the stroke at the top and others with it starting at the bottom; 'M's where the middle angle comes down to the baseline and those where it doesn't. etc.etc.etc. ad nauseum.

Elizabeth

Originally posted by Weedpacket
While it's still recognisably mine, most specific features that handwriting analysists like to latch on to seem to come and go. I've found samples where I've written "44", with one '4' in the style you see here with a triangular counter, followed by one which is open at the top like a calculator display; consecutive '2's, one with a loop in the corner and swoop in the bottom stroke, and one without...

I do that too.. funny.

It's completely normal to have different aspects of your life manifest themselves differently through your handwriting... most people write differently when they're in a hurry or if they're stressed or tired or angry or passionate about the subject matter they're writing about. Graphologists usually require several handwriting samples written over the course of a week. Then they look for general traits that are common across the samples.

Interesting point you bring up about writing for yourself vs. someone else... I think that graphologists usually prefer samples that were written for other people because when you make notes to yourself they are often cryptic shorthand versions of things- just enough to jog your own memory and not really indicative of your general formal handwriting style.

Elizabeth

Originally posted by dalecosp
So, when are you guys gonna post a handwriting sample for us to analyze? Let's get real here!

That would actually be a cool experiment... but it would have to be completely anonymous or preconceived notions might creep into the full analysis.

vaaaska

Originally posted by Elizabeth
That would actually be a cool experiment... but it would have to be completely anonymous or preconceived notions might creep into the full analysis.

Hahaha...so when I post your (E's) signature people will really know it's from you? Not me...nooooooo... 😉

BuzzLY

Originally posted by Elizabeth
Interesting point you bring up about writing for yourself vs. someone else... I think that graphologists usually prefer samples that were written for other people because when you make notes to yourself they are often cryptic shorthand versions of things- just enough to jog your own memory and not really indicative of your general formal handwriting style.

A personal observation:

Handwriting analysis, assuming it is a legitimate practice, is supposed to give you insight into the psyche of the writer. If your writing style changes when you write for someone else, perhaps subconciously you put forward the best traits you can. If this is true, then can the samples given to an analyst truly be accurate if the person writing the sample knows she is going to be analyzed? It would be interesting to find out if any study has been made about that aspect of handwriting analysis -- if it truly is an accurate indicator of personality, you would almost have to take intention into consideration.

BuzzLY

Originally posted by vaaaska
Hahaha...so when I post your (E's) signature people will really know it's from you? Not me...nooooooo... 😉

Heh.

Actually, I wouldn't think you can really analyze a signature. If I'm not mistaken, analysts use larger samples -- letters, essays, etc. in order to form their diagnoses.

Because I was in the Navy, and had to sign my name 4,921,241 times, my signature evolved into something almost completely unreadable by most. In fact, if I stop in the middle of signing my name, it's almost impossible for me to finish it. My hand "remembers" how to sign the whole thing, but not part of it. Strange, I know... but considering the source it shouldn't be too surprising 🙂

Elizabeth

Originally posted by BuzzLY
It would be interesting to find out if any study has been made about that aspect of handwriting analysis -- if it truly is an accurate indicator of personality, you would almost have to take intention into consideration.

It's my understanding that they do take that into consideration based on several factors:

-the speed at which the writing was written (i.e., if the writing "flows" or is "choppy") - they can say that the person might be more or less deceptive (i.e., if the writing "flows" more, the person isn't thinking as much about the process, and thus could be considered a more open and honest person)
-the pressure used in the writing (i.e., if there is a heavier stroke, the person could possibly be writing more "deliberately" and could be construed as being less open and honest, because they are actively thinking about what they are writing)

I'm sure there are other factors but I can't think of them off the top of my head. Basically if you write how you write naturally, that will show... but if you write differently based on your intended audience, that will show too.