Psychology of Handwritting

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HANDWRITING

by Laura Poggiani

INTRODUCING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HANDWRITING

Space is highly important for us. For example, when we speak, according to what we are saying and to how important the listener is, instintively we place within a well defined space, very close to the interlocutor, if we consider him as a friend and we’re talking confidentially, or on the contrary, more distant if we consider him a stranger we won’t give our confidence to.

The concept of “space” has no spoken rules but, however instinctive, these rules are universal, and everyone tends to defend their own “inner area” or “personal sphere”, that is the space immediately close to them.

It is easy to find an example of that. An empty bus gets to the bus stop where some people are waiting: they get into the bus and sit down... But nobody is close to someone else, but at least two-seat distant. At the next bust stop some other people take the bus and respecting one’s own space is no longer possible, because of the crowd; and so a diseased expression appears of people’s face, but they dominate this feeling because of circumstances.

MOVING IN THE SPACE AND PROJECTING IT ON A SHEET

In the same way, this idea of “space” is automatically reflected into all our actions putting ourselves in relationship with the others. Consequently, also when we write.

The sheet thus represents the available space for us and the graphic gesture reflects our way to move within this space. There are four symbolic directions on the sheet, we can act within, which is shown by the graphic gesture: high, low, right and left.

High: is related to ideal, to imagination, and in a wider way, to infinity. Since older times, man has placed highward his idealof elevation, of divine, considering the sky as the greatest symbol of spiriti and of ideal.

Low: is the symbol of the ground which, on the contrary, is something concrete, reliable, touchable, and this way it represents the matter, the common sense, and in a wider way, the dark preceeding the life, so the unconsciousness and the instinct.

Left is the area related to the past, the mother who gave us birth, our origin,

Right on the contrary stands for others, the future, the father

BASIC GRAPHIC SIGNS

An “ascending” handwriting shows initiative, ambition, aggressivity, optimism, a push to get oneself better and to change reality in a positive way. If it is too ascending, it indicates a detachment from reality, shifting into intrusiveness and nerve.

A “descending” handwriting shows a tendency to suffer environmental pressure, to accept others’ requests, to not take initiative. These people tend to be gloomy and to renounce.

An “adherent” handwriting shows the availability to cooperate with the environment, to be realistic, but not too enterprising, lacking in initiative.

Dimension: it concerns the width and the height of some letters measured inside the word (a-o-d-g-q).

Wide, narrow letters, expanded: when the width and the heigh of the eyelet are proportioned, there is the “wide letters” sign, which indicates a deep and rational intelligence, the capability to elaborate ideas, mental concentration, deep feelings, scientific abilities.

If the height is greater than the width, there is the “narrow letters” sign, which indicates sharp but instinctive and superficial intuition, lack of deepening, little tendency toward science, interest for politics, easily bothering, need of stimuli and intense sensations.

On the other hand, if the height is lesser than the width, there is the “expanded” sign, which indicates an introverted temper and tendency to fancy.

The “small” and the “large” handwriting: the height of handwriting ranges between 8 and 120 dmm. A “small” handwriting indicates capability to observe, bright intelligence, intese attention, easly memorized details, respect for others’ personality. If it is too small, though, it projects an inferiority complex due to the feeling of being a lesser right subject.

The “large” handwriting indicates the incapability to observe in details, tendnecy to evaluate situations as a whole, lack in sesne of duty and dependence upon others’ judgement and critics.

The “fluctuating” hadwriting projects instability in emotions, shifting moods, fluctuation between safety and depression, the tendency to work according to the mood of the moment, and it also indicates a disposition toward musical and theatrical interpretation.

The “reducing” handwriting shows a progressively small word. It is a rare sign, revealing the tendency to depression.