Graphology

The meticulous scrutiny of the pressure, curvature, size, stroke flourishes and other idiosyncratic elements of handwriting that attempt to relate these physical parameters to psychoanalysis is known as graphology.  A very narrow field in textual criticism actually studies scribal habits of ancient documents in order to distinguish the likely author of such texts.  It can also be used in investigative purposes, though it is not an exact science – although, pure mathematics is probably the only true ‘exact’ science as statistical analysis does not have to be introduced to describe error in the experiment and one cannot fake a mathematical proof like one can fake a DNA sample.  A woman’s handwriting will likely include more curvature and longer end-strokes, opposed to more rigid, stern linear strokes of men.  Heavy pressure may indicate anger, haste, or even a child learning to form his letters.  Chicken-scratch may indicate a doctor, who, out of conforming to expectation, was lackadaisical in the art.    If this much can be inferred from the pen stroke of the author, how much more from the author’s face, in which are concealed the flourishes that generated the flourishes of the pen.  “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (Prov. 15:13)