graphology
Interpreting written strokes
Graphology is the analysis of handwriting as a supposed window into personality and character.
Practitioners claim that features like slant, pressure, and letter formation reveal psychological traits.
The field has little scientific support and is generally considered pseudoscience, though it persists in some hiring practices and forensic contexts.
Distinct from the legitimate field of handwriting analysis used to authenticate documents.
Manual letter formation
- scriptWritten words for performance
- baselineStandard for comparison
- slantOblique angle or bias
- pressureForce upon contact
spacing · loops · zones · margins · strokes · formations · legibility · speed
Skull-bump personality assessment
- physiognomyCharacter from appearance
- astrologyDivination by celestial positions
- palmistryReading hands for fortunes
- debunkedExposed as fraudulent
unscientific · disproven · discredited · fortune-telling · divination · quackery · superstition · bias
Confirming genuine identity
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- comparisonAssessment of similarities
- expertHighly skilled practitioner
testimony · court · evidence · verification · criminal · investigation · exemplars · alterations
Inscribing one's name
- flourishTo grow vigorously
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- consistencyReliable adherence to standards
identity · legal · contracts · celebrity · memorabilia · witnessed · notarized · electronic
Distinguishing personal features
- characterNature, symbol, or role
- temperamentInborn behavioral nature
- introversionInward-directed temperament
- extroversionOutward-focused temperament
emotional · intellect · willpower · ego · confidence · creativity · honesty · aggression
handwriting
Manual letter formation
pressure · spacing · loops · zones · margins · strokes · formations · legibility · speed · fluency
phrenology
Skull-bump personality assessment
- physiognomyCharacter from appearance
- astrologyDivination by celestial positions
- palmistryReading hands for fortunes
debunked · unscientific · disproven · discredited · fortune-telling · divination · quackery · superstition · bias · validity
authentication
Confirming genuine identity
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- comparisonAssessment of similarities
expert · testimony · court · evidence · verification · criminal · investigation · exemplars · alterations · dating
signing
Inscribing one's name
- flourishTo grow vigorously
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- forgeryCreating fraudulent imitations
consistency · identity · legal · contracts · celebrity · memorabilia · witnessed · notarized · electronic · stylized
traits
Distinguishing personal features
- characterNature, symbol, or role
- temperamentInborn behavioral nature
- introversionInward-directed temperament
extroversion · emotional · intellect · willpower · ego · confidence · creativity · honesty · aggression · sensitivity
- nonsciencespseudoscience, astrology, numerology, phrenology, palmistry
- pseudosciencehomeopathy, astrology, phrenology, numerology, palmistry
- occultwitchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, black magic, tarot
- obsolete sciencephlogiston, aether, phlogiston theory, ether, caloric
graphologyforensic science
Scientific criminal investigation
psychometrics · neuroscience · behavioral science · cognitive science · scientific method
graphologyhandwriting analysis
Interpreting personality through script