GraphologyGraphology Malia Bender Debunking Pseudoscience

What is graphology & whose brilliant idea was it? The study of handwriting Goal - to determine characteristics of the writer 1800’s - Jean-Hippolyte Michon & The Society of Graphology

Graphologists claim Personality traits Personality traits Success in career Success in career Compatibility Compatibility Health issues Health issues Moral issues Moral issues (Graphotherepeutics) (Graphotherepeutics)

What they’re looking for  Size  Slant  Width  Zones  Regularity  Margin  Pressure  Stroke  Lines  Connection  Form of connection  Word and line spacing

Examples of traits  Analytical thinking  Blunt  Broad-minded  Concentration  Cultural refinement  Emotional Intesity

 Forgetfulness  Humor  Rebellious  Vanity

How much does it cost?  ml -- $ write about recent activity ml ml  -- $55 -- write a full page on anything of interest

They have schools for this?? The Society of Graphology The Society of Graphology The Gestalt School The Gestalt School Books Books Self- accredited correspondence schools or unaccredited night school classes Self- accredited correspondence schools or unaccredited night school classes Make up your own system Make up your own system

What the graphologists say... Handwriting is brainwriting Writing is individualized, and personality is unique so each must reflect each other Writing is a form of expressive movement so it should reflect our personality The police and courts use graphology so it must be valid Hard-nosed personnel managers swear by graphologists’ usefulness in selecting employees It works

People believe this stuff? The Barnum Effect The Barnum Effect Positive Reinforcement Positive Reinforcement

It’s all pseudoscience ► Unfalsifiable hypotheses ► After-the-fact readings ► Numerous controlled scientific experiments ► Inconsistency between graphologists