How long has handwriting analysis been around?
Research has found references to handwriting analysis as far back as 4500 BC, with references to it found in the third century BC in Aristotle's perceptions about the importance of handwriting. In 99 AD, the Roman historian Suetonius studied Emperor Augustus' personality from his handwriting. The first handwriting analysis book was published in 1622 by Camildo Baldo. Frenchman Abbe Michon coined the term 'graphology' in 1872 from the Greek grapho or 'to write.' Later, a child psychologist, Wilhelm Preyer, philosopher, Ludwig Klages, and psychiatrist, George Meyer approached it from the perspective of the 'total individual'. Most pioneering research was performed before 1929 in Europe. The modern scientific method of analyzing individual strokes in handwriting began in 1915 by Milton Bunker.

In the 1930s, research conducted at the Harvard University proved that handwriting is a significant and accurate measure of individual personality. Today, graphology is taught as a science in American universities and used as an analytical tool. One of the most common uses of graphology is to test personality traits when hiring people for jobs that need specific character inputs. Latent personality disorders do not emerge during routine job interviews and later, it may be too late.

Handwriting Analysis is a clinical science. The Library of Congress categorized it as a credible social science in 1981. It is not a hard science like chemistry, but falls under the same category as psychology.

How does handwriting reveal personality?
Handwriting is often referred to as "brain writing." Research scientists in the fields of neuro-science have categorized neuro-muscular movement tendencies as they are correlated with specific observable personality traits. Each personality trait is represented by a neurological brain pattern. Each neurological brain pattern produces a unique neuro-muscular movement that is the same for every person who has that personality trait. When writing, these tiny movements occur unconsciously. Each written movement or stroke reveals a specific personality trait.

Handwriting analysts identify these strokes as they appear in handwriting and describe the corresponding personality trait. Handwriting is like body language, but is more specific and is frozen for a more detailed analysis of our unconscious movements.

Can I really change my personality by changing my handwriting?
Grapho-Therapy is one of the most modern and effective behavioral modification tools available today. It works for two reasons. First, neuro-muscular connections have a direct impact on the neuro-pathways to the brain that hold patterns of behavior. Secondly, it gives the subject a clear and visual representation of the change he/she is making on a daily basis, reinforcing the belief system and cementing the change in behavior consciously and unconsciously. Click here to see a clip for one of Abbie's recent keynote addresses on this specific topic!