Graphology and personality: a correlational analysis

M.A.The title of this dissertation reads as follows: Graphology and Personality: A Correlational Analysis. The aim of this dissertation is to introduce a different projective technique (as of yet not very widely used) into the psychological arena of assessment. Graphology is a projective technique that allows the analyst to delve into the personality of the individual. Very shortly, graphology can be defined as the assessment or analysis of a person’s handwriting. When a child first attempts to learn his “A,B,C” at school, he/she is guided by what is known as the copybook. This book is a set guideline used to teach children how to write. The child is taught to model the letter in exactly the same way as depicted in the copybook. However, as the child grows and develops psychologically, so will the way he/she learnt the A,B,C develop into a more freely created skill. It is this ‘freedom’ of expression that allows the graphologist to delve extensively into the personality. The flexor and extensor muscles of the hand manually create the expression of handwriting, but the psychological expression stems from the psychological processes within the mind. These psychological processes are the starting points that lead to the distinct representation of handwriting by every single individual. Handwriting is therefore an actual expression of the mind and not just of the hand. Thus, one can use handwriting as a measure to determine personality, as once the individual has developed sufficiently, he/she will have a distinctive handwriting different to everyone else. Graphology is an analysis tool or projective technique, not limited to only certain areas of personality but to all areas of personality. This would include the intellectual sphere and consciousness of the person, the day-to-day workings and sociability of the individual, as well as the biological demands, such as physical activity, sexual urges, materialistic motivation and financial cravings, to name but a few aspects. What makes graphology such a proficient test, is the fact that within the dynamics of human nature, the same trait lends itself to different interpretations according to other characteristics that would reinforce, confirm or contradict the same. The dissertation thus introduces the many faceted areas of graphology and applies it to the personnel arena; i.e. the individual ‘tested’ for this dissertation is applying for a position as sales person. Graphology is then used to determine whether the individual has the specific character traits needed to be a successful sales person. In determining the proficiency of this test, the graphological test was compared to the Personal Profile Analysis (PPA). The PPA is a widely used test to determine personality traits, with specialisation in personnel recruitment. Consequently, the results were very similar to the results of the PPA, which claimed that the individual could be a successful sales person. However, the graphological assessment did offer slightly more in-depth insight into the personality traits, which could have a negative impact on this person’s work situation. In conclusion, the graphological assessment tool proved to be more efficient and effective in determining the character of the individual specifically within the sales person position. The aim of this dissertation is to prove that graphology is a highly effective and efficient tool that can be used in many areas (not just for personnel assessment), to determine character traits. The dissertation starts with the introduction into the field of graphology, including the hypothesis statement and the objectives of the study. This is then followed by a short historical narration of the Projective Technique. This includes the definition of a projective technique and the types of projective techniques. Graphology as a tool is introduced in this chapter, pertaining particularly to the test criteria, as well as placing graphology within the psychological context. The advantages and disadvantages are also highlighted. The next chapter introduces the origins of handwriting, going as far back as the primitive cave drawings. The chapter then moves through the ages pursuing the development of handwriting up until its development into the 20th century. The dissertation then delves into the evolution of graphology as a science and how beneficial this science could be within the psychotherapeutic process. This process is called grapho-therapy and can be shortly outlined as changing character traits by manipulating and charging handwriting features. The most important part follows this chapter, namely the methodology. This chapter illustrates the testing procedure and its scientific basis. The chapter describes many different formations of letters, the various connections between letters, the diacritics in writing, etc. The ensuing chapter is the actual comparison of the graphological assessment to the Personal Profile Analysis. The results show great similarity, depicting the graphological test as a viable tool and means of assessment. The graphological analysis however, goes one step further to show that there are subtle differences in the interpretation of the behaviour traits. The PPA is coded and the results are printed by means of a computer programme, whereas the graphological assessment is done manually and thus subtleties are picked up, that can have a very detrimental effect on the final results. In the case study of chapter 5, the individual was said to be gregarious by both the PPA, and the graphological analysis. However, the graphological analysis goes one step further to draw attention to the fact that this character trait is not genuine. The PPA claims it is genuine, but the graphological assessment shows how it is actually a falsity within the character of the individual. This is where the computer is unable to determine a disingenuous trait from a real one. For the computer a trait is a trait. However, the handwriting cannot lie – the same trait lends itself to different interpretations according to other characteristics that would reinforce, confirm or contradict the same. A computer cannot determine these subtle differences, as the human eye is able to. The last section of this dissertation discusses the possible recommendations and the actual conclusion. The recommendations are in the form of suggestions for further studies, to highlight the importance graphology can present to many professionals wanting to utilise it in their respective fields