WATERLOO, Ont. -- Think you can read between the lines by analyzing someone's handwriting? Think again.

A recent University of Waterloo study examined the judgment and decision-making processes involved in handwriting analysis, or graphology. The results are in, so prepare to take notes. But don't be self-conscious about your handwriting.

Previous studies have questioned the validity of graphology as a method of personality assessment. New research conducted by UW psychology Prof. Derek Koehler and graduate student Roy King suggests that, although graphology provides little information about the personality of the writer, it offers plenty of insight into the mind of the reader.

"My interest and Roy's interest is in the area of human judgment and decision-making," Koehler explained. Their article on graphology appeared in the December 2000 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. "Our study is an interesting example of how intuitive judgment can go wrong," Koehler said.

He points out that the study was not intended to directly refute the validity of handwriting analysis, and did not involve any trained graphologists. Instead, the study investigates why people continue to infer personality traits from handwriting even when there is no empirical evidence to support the validity of graphology.

Belief in handwriting analysis is persistent. In the past several decades, organizations around the world have begun to depend on graphology to evaluate future workers. The practice is especially prevalent in Europe, particularly France, where it's estimated that as many as 90 per cent of organizations use handwriting analysis in personnel selection.

Reports suggest that graphology is quietly gaining acceptance in corporate North America as well. That means prospective employees might have to mind their p's and q's if they hope to land a job.

"Some companies rely on handwriting as an additional tool for making hiring decisions. For instance, they use graphology to assess how honest or reliable a person is --traits that people might not be all that forthcoming about," Koehler said.

Why might employers depend on handwriting instead of birth signs or palm lines? Unlike astrology or palmistry, graphology involves an expressive behaviour from which to infer personality.

"Everyone has different handwriting styles," Koehler explained. "Because it's distinctive, it's tempting to assume that handwriting reflects an internal disposition. That's one of the reasons why people are inclined to think it might be valid, even when presented with evidence that contradicts that belief," he said.

The study involved two experiments in which handwriting samples were paired with fabricated personality profiles and presented to undergraduates who knew nothing about graphology. The experiments were controlled and any statistical associations were eliminated.

Still, students tended to "discover" the same relationships between handwriting features and personality traits that trained graphologists claim to rely on. A descending slant was thought to correspond to pessimism, a large font was thought to correspond to egotism - again and again students' analyses mirrored those of professional graphologists.

These results suggest that handwriting analysis is based primarily on intuition and association of meaning. For instance, large handwriting is often considered the mark of a swollen ego while small handwriting is thought to signify modesty. Handwriting that displays a "regular rhythm" is said to correspond to a personality trait like "reliability."

"The meaning of the word regular and the meaning of the word reliable are associated in memory, and it leads people to see regular handwriting and a reliable personality as being associated in the world," Koehler explained. Wires cross and imaginary connections form. This could be why graphology is perceived as a valid method for identifying personality traits. But even when links between handwriting and personality seem intuitively correct, they remain imaginary.

"It's hard to anticipate what the impact of this study might be," Koehler said, although he hopes it might reduce the "particularly worrisome" practice of using graphology as a tool in personnel selection by demonstrating how an employer might become convinced of its usefulness despite its apparent lack of validity.

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Release no. 28 - February 15, 2001