Handwriting Analysis

The History of Handwriting Analysis

     The only information about the history of handwriting, also known as graphology, before the 17^th century is the Chinese scholar’s prior knowledge for hundreds of years that the way a person wrote reveals a lot about a person’s character.  The first known published book on graphology was in 1622, written by Camillo Baldi who was an Italian doctor of medicine and philosophy. 

 

     The word “graphology” was invented by Jean Michon who was a Frenchman in the 1870s and wrote the first handwriting analysis book in 1872. Possibly the greatest advancement for graphology was near the end of the century when psychology became a profession. The United States is responsible for the most significant single breakthrough in graphology. The Handwriting Research Corporation (HRC) has successfully transformed the mass research of graphology into a practice with greater reliability and accuracy than the abilities of an individual graphologist. HRC’s research team was able to modernize an age-old “practice” into one of the most powerful personality assessment tools available today with assistance of Convergent Technologies 68020 Mighty Frame II.

The List of the 12 Characteristics

1.     Line quality. Are the pen marks smooth and free flowing or shaky and wavering?

     This can be connected to the speed that the document was written at.

2.     Spacing of words and letters. What is it the spacing between letters and words? Is it consistent?

3.     Ratio of the relative height, width and size of letters. What is the ratio? Is it consistent?

4.     Pen lifts and separations. Does the person stop to form new letters and begin words?

     Forgeries may have lifts in unusual places.

5.     Connecting strokes. Are capitals connected to lowercase letters and are there connecting strokes between letters and words?

6.     Beginning and ending strokes. Are these straight, curled, long or short, an upstroke or a downstroke?

7.     Unusual letter formation. Are there any unusually formed letters such as backward, letters with a tail, or unusual capitals?

8.     Shading or pen pressure. Is the pen pressure on the upward or the downward strokes?

9.     Slant. Is slant left or right or straight up and down? Is there consistency between the slant of letters.

10.  Baseline habits. Is the writing above or below a line?

11.  Flourishes and embellishments. Are their any? If so what are they?

12.  Diacritic placement. How are the t’s crossed?Take note of the dotting of i’s, j’s. For example

are the dots to the right or left of the letter?

Pictures and Analysis of Handwriting Analysis Template

     In my reflection on the handwriting activity, I feel my attempt of replicating my partner's writing free hand was rather unsuccessful due to my darker letters because I was applying extra pressure on the pencil while I was conducting the forgery. On the contrary, with the use of tracing, my writing in comparison to my partner's, increased slightly because the tracing technique allowed me to follow the intentions left by my partner.

Check Forgery Lab

     For the check forgery labeach person had to create a fake check. After the checks were made, each group traded with another group and were given the task to determine who forged the checks. By using the prior activity as a guide the identification process was successful.  Since each person had distinctive characteristics in their writing it became quite easy to identify the individual. Noticeable characteristics were identified, such as the way the person left their "q's", "y's" and "g's" endings shorter and didn't allow the "tails" of the letters to loop. The spacing and slant of the words were also evident and directed my group to the individual who conducted the forgery.

Famous Case
   
     Charles Lindbergh Jr. was the 20-month-old son of the famous aviator who was kidnapped on March 1, 1932 and although a ransom of $50,000 paid, Charles was never returned. In May his body was found just a few miles from home. From tracking the circulation of the bills used in the ransom payment, authorities were led to Bruno Hauptmann. Authorities discovered over $14,000 of the ransom money in his garage. Even though Hauptmann claimed the money belonged to a friend, handwriting analysts were able to match his writing to the ransom notes. Through additional forensic research there was a connection between the wood in Hauptmann’s attic and the wood used in the make-shift ladder the kidnappers built to reach the Lindbergh’s bedroom window. Hauptmann was convicted and executed in 1936.