THE HANDWRITING ANALYSIS – GRAPHOLOGY

by Prof Dr. Bilal Semih Bozdemir

THE HANDWRITING ANALYSIS – GRAPHOLOGY

What is it? Handwriting analysis or graphology is a science which consists to analyse an author's handwriting characteristics, features and keystrokes so that it reveals his/her personality profile. I know that it seems quite impossible to achieve such a thing, but a trained specialist of graphology can surprisingly gather or collect more information about someone (an author) simply by analysing a text written by the author’s hands.

Alongside with creating a complete personality profile, your handwriting reveals so many things about you such as health issues, morality, former experiences, hidden talents and even the presence of mental problems. How does it work? Your brain directs and rules your hand. Everything spilled on the paper is the result of a two-way circuit between the brain reflex muscles in your hands. Therefore, your handwriting becomes something like the reading of pulse rate with the oscilloscope "of your whole personality". For you, it may just be or seem only to be handwriting, but according to a handwriting analyst, it helps a person to draw his own picture beyond the pen. How does it start? Emotional energy is a combination of physical and intellectual energy levels. When examining the lettering style, graphologists first look at the overall handwriting. Then they take notes about the most conspicuous features or characteristics which may show the person’s intellectual abilities and later on they try to construct a general opinion about the author. After that, they determine the writer's emotional energy.

This is the most important factor of the author's personality. The emotional energy has a direct effect on every feature seen in the author's handwriting. In fact the emotional energy determines how much pressure the author used when he was writing. If you examine a text, you can determine how much pressure was applied while written just by observing the degree of darkness of the characters or simply how bold they are. Besides, when you turn the page to see the underside (verso), you can feel how much pressure has been applied (especially if writing samples were written on a smooth surface). The writers who use more pressure on the surface they are writing on are usually very successful. They are more vivid and their emotional experiences continue for a long time.

People applying a medium pressure in their writings are moderately successful and usually have enough energy to do things. Those applying a slight pressure are the ones who always try to avoid situations which are consuming their energy. Writings’ inclination – What does it mean? The second indicator we will take a look at is the slope. Slope shows the author's emotional responses to external power. Slopes inclined to the right (///) indicate that the writer is a person who usually has strong reactions to emotional situations. He or She is attentive, warm and sympathetic and their hearts directs (rule over) their minds. A vertical slope (III) shows that the authors keep their emotions under control, and that their intellect directs the hearts. Left to right slope’s (\\\) writers conceal their emotions, they are considered to be cold and indifferent. And when you put all this together Now let’s combine some of these features and let's see what we get: 1st step: An author applying an intense pressure and using a right slope. Intense pressure intense emotions and right tilt being in control of one’s emotions. That author generally acts according to his own mind. He will use his mind when suddenly hell breaks loose. People who have a handwriting inclined to the right have no emotional reactions and they are coldblooded. This "high-pressure - right slope" writers can’t always protect this calm. When emotions outweigh, at unexpected moments “they can be overcome by anger." 2nd step. Authors with a light pressure print (not emotional, physical energy) and a left inclined slope, try to avoid emotional state. This person is introvert, emotionally cold, indifferent and selfish. Completely revealing a personality profile takes place in multiple steps. Using this two-steps, you can also understand the kind of profile can be used in your relationships, both personal and professional. 3rd and 4th step:

Examining the emotional control, reliability, and the concentration. Finally, we explained the emotional and physical energy can be determined by the pressure you apply to your writing pen. We have also examined emotional responses to external factors determined by the slope of the handwriting. Emotional control and reliability The next step is to determine the author's emotional control and reliability. This feature appears in the text baseline. Baseline (last line) is determining or really specific or are imaginary lines that are supposedly written small letters. The baseline sample is better determined by using unlined paper when writing articles, so that it shows that the author didn’t obtain this result by using pre-printed lines. A handwriting analyst prefer a text written on a writing paper having no lines, as the best examples of handwriting for better results. Baseline may be straight, wavy, or irregular. A normal baseline should be markedly wavy. Someone who writes straight baselines is an angry and too much disciplined person. Someone with a very undulating baseline is probably going through an emotional breakdown. Writing a baseline upwards shows that the person is optimistic. Writing a baseline downwards indicates that the author is pessimistic or shows that person’s tiredness and sorrow. Baselines with straight letters show that the person is in a healthy balance between pessimism and optimism. Below are samples of the handwriting of Charles Manson. Notice that the baseline was very choppy and volatile and that shows that the person’s emotions are unstable and out of control. Concentration- Staying focused The fourth step of handwriting analysis determines a person's ability to concentrate. This feature is determined by the size of the type. Writing with small prints indicates that the author has an ability to concentrate more on small details. They can’t be easily affected by external factors. This man of science with the authors, researchers, accounting officers etc. are included. Small writers work alone are more severe. They are reliable boring and that they can follow without much work left that job is complete. Small writers are often conservative and frugal. Many of us wrote in average size, which indicates that our ability to concentrate our average level. We must force ourselves to be able to focus on little details, especially in the long term. Great letters writers’ attention is dispersed very easily. They have difficulties to concentrate their attention and lose their way too easily. These people should therefore be given very different jobs and tasks that can be completed quickly. Here is a sample of Albert Einstein's handwriting:

Get a pen and a piece of paper and try to write this with small letters. When you concentrate and try to write with small letters you feel that all your body becomes tenser. I've seen this sample while examining it with a magnifying glass and each letter was written perfectly. It was a very nice piece of art. And when you put all this together Up to now, Emotional and physical energy (pressure applied when writing) Writing slopes \\\ /// III (this indicates the specific emotional and physical energy as well as what the author did) Emotional control and emotional safety (baseline) The ability to concentrate (text size) Let's look at the following first example: The author applies an intense pressure and this kind of writing indicates a person having deep and long-lasting feelings. Right curved text shows that, the author respond to these feelings freely (heart governs the mind). The writing is large and shows that it is difficult for the writer to concentrate on boring works, and easily spread his mind. The baseline is clearly wavy and this reveals the presence of an internal ambivalence. This person is friendly, courteous and an energetic person. This person needs a lot of variety and a lot of activity. The baseline indicates an emotional stability and the reliable and robust character of that person. On the second example: The author has an average pressure while writing and a medium size of writing which implements that he generally has enough energy to proceed his daily activities. Emotional response is clearly timid (vertical writing), which indicates that his mind rules over his heart. The average size shows the ability to concentrate on his daily activities without being too much distracted even if he could have been distracted regarding what is happening around him. The baseline is wavy and this shows that the state of the soul is variable, this is sometimes good and sometimes bad. It is appear more frequently in vertical wavy baseline, because in people trying to control their emotions there I a inter emotion ambivalence or mix. Try to examine the sample texts written by your friends using the abilities you’ve learnt between step 1 to step 4. In the next article three of handwritten "zones" will be examined, and besides, we will also examine Bill Clinton’s handwriting. Step 5: The three regions of handwritings There are three zones to examine the handwriting. These areas reflect the desires and imagination. The upper zone reveals rational thinking, abstract thinking, imagination, mental ability and the imagination. The upper zone also reveals the philosophical imagination. The middle zone is related to everyday life situations such as work and social events, house, family, paying the bills. The middle zone indicates your perception of your life. The lower zone emphasizes on physical and material impulses such as physical activity, sex drive, appetites and wealth. The lower zone reveals the activities necessary to survive. The concerns in all areas: The mind thinks: Everyday life worries: Physical and material impulses: These data offer us another key about the author's personality.

These areas/zones indicate the three different regions of thoughts and they are connected to the emotional energy (the applied pressure while writing or strength), besides, this depends on how much was the author really concentrated in these areas. Take a closer look at the “L” letter in the diary. Think of it as the reality of the baseline. When the author draws the baseline (the real one), it goes to the upper zone, captures an idea and go back to reality. In the upper zone several things are defined passion, objectives, philosophical and abstract thoughts and dreams. Now imagine that "l" was written longer but thinner. It would make us believe that the author is someone who thinks quickly. An author who writes thicker is a slower and methodical thinker, but when he reaches the upper zone he stays longer, understands more and it allows him to be more creative. Now look at the "o" letter. "O" is the middle zone and is related to daily activities. If the "o" is written in bold (not round), the author may be more narrow-minded. If many of the letters in the middle region are too much bold, it probably means that the writer worries too much. Now let’s look at the lower part of the "g" letter. Letters stitching downwards are related to to physical stimuli such as material wealth, sex, appetite and desire. This is the same thing as in the upper stitching if the loop is thicker, there is more desire. If it’s thinner, the desires are less. Down stitching letters (y, g, p, f) express desire in various fields. "y" symbolizes sex drive and money, "g" (sociable) stands for socialization and sexual fantasy, "p" (physical), the loop of a thick "P" is an indication for thinking too much about work. And when you put all this together Using what we have learned so far, we can analyze Bill Clinton's handwriting. The print is too intense. This usually refers to great achievements. The intense pressure shows that the author’s feelings are very intense and long lasting. Bill, may look like someone who holds a grudge, he won’t easily forget what his enemies or friends did to him. His prints exaggerates more the other characteristics of the handwriting. He writes straight. He avoids showing his feelings. He makes decisions according to the logic instead of emotion (the mind rules the heart). For people who hide their emotions, doing such a thing is a conscious effort and this causes more stress and inner turmoil. Bill's baseline is quite flat, which indicates that he has a high control over his emotions. This feeling increases over time and must be brought to light. Bill is concentrated on the middle zone (daily activities, managing a country, etc.) and the lower zone (desire for material wealth, sex drive, etc.). Not much in the upper zone (Bill has engaged consultants to do that for him). Clinton's handwriting is smaller than usual, which gives him the ability to concentrate. The writing of the loop that are down is larger in comparison with other portions. If you look more closely his g, p, y letters are too much bold and you will see that he grew up with deep emotions. Bill is under emotional stress and he occasionally needs to remove a small amount of energy.

By running two to three miles he removes his physical desire, and then stops running and eats a Big Mac. However he has a great libido (sex drive). So how does he get rid of it? We will examine more features of the lower zone in the next article. You will learn how to find a good lover and a lover suitable for you. The simple profile or analysis in steps 6 and 7 deals with the gap between letters and the between words. These features indicate what you are thinking about yourself and what you think about others. Step 6: Intervals between letters A person who writes with a medium (an average) space between letters feels self-confident, comfortable and calm. Someone who leaves irregular gaps between his letters a confused, unstable and his head is mixed. Letters written near one another or gathered altogether shows the author is uncomfortable about himself and is not self-confident enough or is a shy person. Step 7: Intervals between words The writing of cramped words the need to be close to others, like the crowds. An average space between words He is comfortable in communicating with other people. Wide spaces between words avoiding contact with people, and having problems in dealing with people. Example: Pay attention to the word space in the following notes. The writing indicates that the person is isolating himself from the others. He is having difficulty to deal with other people and that's why he's as humanly possible, avoiding contact with other people. This is the terrorist named Ted Kaczinski’s handwriting, he lived like a hermit in an isolated cabin in Montana. He has difficulties in dealing with people and the public in general: All the writers who are used to leaving wide gaps while writing are not like Ted, but they avoid contact with people as much as possible. So many people leaving large gaps while writing a text, are married with children, but even after that they usually go on their own way. Normally, they find excuses to escape family and friends as much as possible. It may be a hobby, a second job or something else. And when you put all this together Now let’s add all these features to the previous Bill Clinton's handwriting analysis: Print - intense, powerful, long-lasting emotions.

Bias - vertical, Bill tries to be in control and his decisions are based on logic. Text size – it is distinctly smaller than normal, and it gives him good concentration skills. Zones - middle: Daily activities (managing a country) are concentrated - lower: appetite, desire for material wealth and physical impulses such as sex and exercise. Spacing between letters - mostly average but sometimes cramped even if it’s slight, he’s not sure about what he feels about himself. We know that this is not the sign of his least self-confidence, but this is a sign of boredom or guiltiness. Spaces between words - crowd: Bill likes to be close to people and he likes crowds. Simple profile steps 8 and 9 or analysis evaluates the properties determined by the mind and features defined by the writing speed. Step 8: Make your mind and thoughts work The overall level of the mind is determined by examining letters "m" and "n" and "r". In someone having a fast intelligence, these letters have sharp pointed tops. These authors understand more quickly and keeps ideas in mind. Usually they are considered to be smart. It is not possible to determine how smart they are. Pointed tops indicates that they are "above average" (this can also be confirmed by checking their education level). People writing with their "m" and "n" and "r" letters more rounded are slower but methodical thinkers. These people may also be as quick thinkers as the more data or information they keep, but these people think the same thing over and over again before deciding anything. These people are not the ones "immediately jumping to or reaching conclusions" and they have a tendency to be more creative. People who usually write same letters in a more flat and thin way are not quick learners and creative ones. This kind of people are often "lazy". The fact that letters are flat at their peaks indicates that the writer is deceptive human beings or hide things. This person lacks the ability to communicate and does not want to communicate with unknown reasons. Step 9: Speed of writing

The writing speed, reveals a lot about the writer. First of all, it may be whether or not the author is spontaneous, impatient, aggressive, neglectful, quick thinking, clumsy etc. When the writing speed is fully evaluated, many features are examined in order to understand more accurately. Authors writing with an average speed are slow thinkers. They may be attentive, creative or organized. Other factors in the article allows to retrieve a complete meaning. There is a lack of passion and perseverance in authors with a slow writing speed. These people are mostly pretentious and have less intellectual capacities. Sample Analysis Sample analysis Implementing the nine steps to demonstrate the highlights features: 1. Printing: Average. Availability of an average energy to do the works during the day 2. Slope: Inclination to the Right. Reactive against emotional state. His heart directs his mind. Friendly and sympathetic. 3. Baseline: In this example the text was written on a lined paper. Many words are spelled on the pre-drawn line and they turn upward, this indicates a good mood. 4. Text size: Small. Good concentration skills. 5. Zones: emphasized in all three zones. 6. Spaces between letters: Average. Henri feels self-confident and comfortable. 7. Gaps between words: Average. Comfortable communicating with people. Inevitably, he does not like the crowds, but does not want to stay on his own either. 8. Writing speed: average. 9. Reason: back and forth between the two ways of thinking. Some peaks of the "m, n, r" letters are sharp, some of them are round. Henri is an energetic man at a moderate level. It has enough energy to complete his daily tasks. He wants to live his life fully with delights such as gourmet dining and luxury. He is restless and always on the move. He wants to live a different and active life.

There is a desire to earn money and material possessions. He is conservative, frugal and is used to manage his money well. Henri is an emotive person and freely expresses his feelings. His reactions are sometimes thoughtless. Emotional energy is metered, so he can relax in a reasonable time after something made him angry or mad. Henri is coming back and forth between two different thought processes. He also wants to slow down his thoughts and to be more cautious and precise. This small sample demonstrates his ability for a good concentration. He has a sharp, open and clear mind and apply it to problems such as the surgeon's scalpel. After analyzing the information and identifying his mistakes he can fill in the gaps. He has an excellent research skill and likes to discover new things. He can focus all his attention and can concentrate instead of lingering. Henri's intuition plays a very small role in his thinking, instead of that he directs the logic in his thinking and brings continuity in problem solving. Both parts of this versatility provides him a complete view on the condition or the problems. Henri does not hesitate when it comes to problem solving. He threw himself forward with both feet. He pays attention to details and to specific parts of an idea or problem. Henri is not afraid to defend himself bluntly. He uses his mind in situations that are important to him to firmly defend his ideas or himself. He likes good discussions. He is proud of how he looks like and also proud of what he can do. He likes to be well dressed and shows his skills. He does not like others to question his success. His feelings are hurt when his personal appearance is criticized. Henri shows all the signs of impatience. When he is forced to wait or to do something again, he gets angry. Because he is eager to do something quickly, sometimes he works very hard to achieve what he wants. He likes to laugh well, and he uses his sense of humor to be able to make his life more fun. Henri's perseverance in less in vulnerable areas.

He may benefit from it and can give up under the applied pressure by the others. Henri is a very sympathetic person. He enjoys being with people and meet new people, but sometimes during the day he prefer to be alone with his thoughts and pulled aside for a while to recharge. Henri puts for himself realistic goals. He is ambitious and works hard to achieve his goals. He take in account constructive criticism and is not excessively defensive. Henri's concentration ability and attention to details let him to possibly succeed in jobs related to computers, in science and in math related jobs. His skillful with his fingers and he’s good at assembling and handling small parts or pieces. Recommendation: Henri has a little problem he is not very ambitious. To solve this problem he should write his "t" letters inclined upwards by applying consistent heavy pressure. This sends a message to the subconscious and will increase the level of perseverance over time. I see that the other thing that could be recommended is the other personality traits on which attention need to be paid to. They were not mentioned here, but they can only express several things for Henri’s eyes.