Graphology is the study of handwriting with the aim of discerning the personality of the writer. In other words the general idea is that you can tell things about a person’s temperament, attitudes and mood by looking at the style of their writing. It’s a pseudoscientific study, meaning it’s not taken seriously by the mainstream scientific community and research has failed to provide support for its claims, but it can nevertheless be a fun exercise to look at the way you write and find out that you may be a psychopath. =)
While there are many different approaches, and many different theories on the matter among those who take it seriously, the mainstream and most basic forms of graphoanalysis involve looking at basic elements such as slant and firmness in order to make sweeping statements about a person.
Read below to find out what a graphologist might make of your writing – but remember that it’s all just a bit of fun.
Slant
If your writing is completely upright with no slant this suggests self-control, egotism, self-reliance and coldness. Meanwhile a slant to the write suggests an extrovert who is expressive, creative, sympathetic and sociable while a slant to the left suggests introversion, self-denial, fearfulness and egotism (again… ).
Spaces
The amount of space you leave between words can also allegedly be used to denote a lot about your state of mind. Someone who is prone to isolating themselves and feeling lonely will apparently use large spaces between their writing (a bit obvious don’t you think?). Meanwhile someone who joins up all their letters are likely to be logical and systematic in their thinking, while those who join up only some letters are more likely to be intuitive and artistic types.
Others say that pauses between words suggest a person takes time to consider their next word suggesting general caution and planning, while someone who has smaller spaces may be more emotional and impulsive.
Lines
Someone who writes with very straight lines is likely to be someone who is orderly and neat (no dug) while a slant upwards can suggest optimism while lines that trail downwards could suggest depression. On the other hand, lines that go up and then down might denote someone with ambition, while a convex curve suggests ambition but lack of ‘staying power’ to see things through to the end. But let’s be honest – most of us use lined paper so it’s a moot point.
Margins
Again the margins you use will likely be preordained by those set on the paper, but if you leave very wide ones when you’re writing without guidelines then this could suggest you are either very proud, or very shy – with the shy types making sure that their paragraphs are central and the proud type being less concerned by such rigid rules. Narrow margins apparently might suggest someone who has lived a sheltered life.
Size
People’s writing shape and size might reflect their own – so tall narrow writing could suggest a tall person. People who use only very tall letters for their capitals however apparently think highly of themselves, while those with short capitals are more modest.
Large writing in general may also suggest someone who is pleased with themselves and extroverted, while smaller writing might be indicative of someone more introverted and shy once again. People with very tall t’s, l’s and d’s could be dreamers with their heads in the clouds and possible unrealistic expectations. If the tops of your a’s and your f’s stick parallel to the rest of the letter then this allegedly says you lack imagination.
Meanwhile if the tails of your g’s and y’s are looped this suggests you are full of energy, whereas someone with no loops ‘wants to get the job done’. Too impatient to loop your g’s eh?
Legibility
Overall legibility apparently also tells us something. Someone whose writing is highly legible is probably very co-operative and agreeable, but if this goes too far then they could be hiding something and two faced. Don’t trust a man with a very clear a!
Your signature could also say something about you, and of course a more decorative signature goes hand in hand with a more flamboyant type and expressive type. Plainer signatures correspond with a ‘down to Earth’ and practical personality. And a stroke through your writing or your signature means you want to ‘rub yourself out’. Who needs a psychologist when your signature can tell you you’re depressed, right?