Graphology and Personality: 5 Main Writing Traits

By analyzing handwriting, graphologists try to know aspects of the personality that the person analyzed does not want to present to us either because it is not convenient for you to do so, because you are not aware of them or simply because they seem irrelevant to you.

In addition, graphological analysis is also used to contrast the information obtained by other techniques, such as self-reports or a personal interview. The latter is common in personnel selection processes.

What can graphology give us?

These techniques are currently used in Spain. In France its use is greater, it is estimated that between 50 and 75% of companies use it. In 1991 (date of the last independent study) 90% of French companies used directly or indirectly the information provided by writing

How is a writing analyzed?

To explain how writing analysis works, I always use the same example, graphology is like putting together a puzzle

If you look at a piece, the most likely thing is that you don’t know anything about it, or where it goes, or what is represented in it, you may also vaguely recognize something in that piece, by connecting this piece with the four corresponding ones you may already appreciate something familiar, probably with little aplomb, but as you connect pieces your perception of the matter will become more in line with reality. You may notice a piece that is very characteristic, for example the eye of the tiger that is depicted in the puzzle, then you will already know the meaning of that piece, and more or less where it will be located.

5 variables with interpretations shared by the vast majority of graphologists

Continuing with the puzzle metaphor, now I am going to write about some pieces that graphologists look at to obtain meaning from them with little or no need to connect them with others.

Because, within all the scriptural variables from which interpretations are generated, There is a group of them whose associations with the corresponding personality traits to which they refer. They are generally stable signs that can be interpreted simply, however, graphologists contrast more data. That is to say, in graphology these variables generate quite stable conclusions about the personality of the subject in most cases.

1. Mix of lowercase and uppercase letters

This situation occurs when we see a text in which, while lowercase letters are predominant, there are also capital letters (ignoring those necessary for correct spelling). The uppercase letters are interspersed with the lowercase letters.

This sign has been related to the typology of the unfaithful cashier It would be a sign of a tendency to daily theft and disloyalty. However, graphologists pay attention to the other variables presented in the text and verify that there is no reasonable confrontation in aspects related to loyalty. That is, they check that the other variables in the text are not clearly indicating the opposite.

(Mixed case writing sample)

2. Middle area elevation

What is overlifting? Quickly, that the text (for example, in a signature) is taller than it is wide. And the middle zone? That entire area that is framed between the upper and lower limits of the oval of a script (for example: the letter -o-; the oval of -d-, -g- or -p-), that is, it encompasses the area in which all the letters that do not have a superior or inferior projection are written (hampas or jambs respectively, in graphological jargon).

In graphology, the elevation of the middle area is considered a negative sign in most cases, can suggest a certain arrogance in the personality, pride, exaltation of the self. A person who is haughty, proud, conceited and not very pleasant to deal with because of how ‘superior’ he feels, will surely present this variable in the writing, in the signature or in both. I remember another golden rule of graphology: the fact that a sign is not present does not indicate connotations contrary to those presented if there were one.

As examples, the signature of Himmler (powerful Nazi commander) and the signature of donald trump (US presidential candidate).

(The two signatures on the left of D. Trump, the two on the right of Himmler)

3. Filiformity

Filiformity refers to the type of writing that takes the form of a thread. It is typical to see this in cartoons when a letter appears, usually they have not bothered to represent legible words and simply make a line with brief oscillations and separations resembling the course of real writing. Filiformity is printing a line (or almost a line) where there should be a shape, for example, it is typical in -m- or -n-, the mountains decrease until on some occasion due to dynamism a line is simply drawn.

It is necessary to establish a distinction between general filiformity and partial filiformity. It can be a whole word filiform (general fil.), only the end can be filiform (very common) or certain letter combinations (partial fil.). In graphology, general filiformity will have a more positive interpretation than partial filiformity, the partial being related to the insincerity, lack of authenticity of the person or neurotic conflicts.

It is also mandatory to establish differences between filiform writing executed with dynamism and high speed and slow filiform writing, the first has positive connotations, it would be attributable, as a tendency, to a person with good social skills, negotiation skills, good strategic sense or diplomatic skills. Regarding the slow filiform it is necessary that we realize, that we reproduce, that we think about how this type of writing has been executed. Filiformity is normal when writing speed is accelerated, it is a trait indicative of speed, however, someone who is producing filiformity at low speed is doing so deliberately, that subject is intentionally producing slow and illegible writing, and usually The situation arises that those who write filiform have a high graphic culture, so the hypothesis of a lack of writing ability is generally ruled out. Illegible writing expressly, in the words of Manuel J. Moreno: “(…) we can be faced with snobbish attitudes and inauthenticity”

The writing in the image below is from the politician Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba slow and extreme filiformity.

(Samples of filiform writings. Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba left, unknown samples on the right)

4. Dissociation

The graphic phenomenon by which the oval is separated from the stick is called dissociation. This can occur in letters such as -d-, -g- and -p-. It happens when the oval is executed on one side and the palote on the other, in which case we have dissociation in the writing. It is a very easy sign to notice, it shocks the eye quite a bit, and even depending on the pattern of spaces that the writing maintains, it can confuse us in reading by taking the oval for an -o- and the palote for an -L- (in the letter -d-)

This sign, in the words of Manuel J. Moreno, and connecting with psychoanalytic theories, “it could be a symbolic externalization of a tendency to split or conflict between the ego and the id (the unconscious).” For his part, Augusto Vels relates it to the quality of the family relationship in childhood “(…) The mere fact of both elements being separated is an excellent sign of conflict or disagreement, a frequent sign in people who have lived a childhood with ill-matched parents (…) and who have felt emotionally marginalized”

(Dissociated writing sample. “Dignity” and “Degraded”)

(Sample of dissociated writing. Word “Córdoba”)

5. The envelope rubric

Going into terminology, a rubric is the scribble when signing, the illegible part, and the signature is the legible part, naturally any combination between them can occur in a person’s autograph, there can only be a signature, only a signature, both, etc… He calls the graphics whose layout surrounds the signature an enveloping signature. It is very common, you probably know someone who signs like this.

In graphology it is associated with the desire to be cared for, the need to feel protected within the family or marriage In a positive graphic environment it is related to prudence and caution. Mauricio

(Writing sample: envelope rubric, signature “Pedro Jiménez”)

Graphology is a complement, one more technique in the repertoire

In the analysis and interpretation of scriptures there is a rule that is present from the first moment. If you ask a graphologist, your question will most likely be something like: “so… What does it mean when I lean to the right?” or “What about those who sign with a scribble that never looks the same from one time to the next?” and the most normal response is to resolve the doubts presented, at least initially, but then the most likely thing that the professional you have asked will do is mention the need to contrast this particular fact that you have raised with the other variables present in the writing for a correct and firm interpretation.

The need for contrast with the other variables comes from the differentiation between positive graphic environment and negative graphic environment, the same writing variable may have different interpretations depending on the graphic environment in which it is found. The graphic environment is determined by a series of aspects whose evaluation must be made separately due to the extension.