 Scientific Handwriting Analysis
By Frits Cohen, Forensic Handwriting Analyst
Introduction
The area of Graphology has
tended not to be included in our journal. This
is mainly because as a group predominantly made up of educationalists and
therapists we tend to be more focused on young people's handwriting and how we
can support and improve this, rather than possible interpretations of what their
handwriting could reveal about their personality.
Put simply, Frits Cohen's work
as a freelance Forensic Handwriting Analyst involves examining samples of
handwriting in order to provide information for his clients who include the
police, lawyers and banks. A
lot of his work involves criminal investigation of fraud, for example Frits was
recently asked to give evidence in a case where a carer was accused of extorting
money from an elderly lady. Using
methods involving in-depth handwriting analysis he was able to support the
defendant in his claim that he had signed cheques with his employer's
permission.
In this short piece Frits
explains some aspects of modern graphology in order to give some background to
his work.
Modern
Graphology
Modern graphology features in a
multitude of disciplines and is as far removed from the era of the quill pen in
terms of communication as the aeroplane is from the horse and cart in modern
transportation. The word Graphology
is derived from the Greek “graphein” meaning to write and “logos”
meaning to study or reason. Baxter
(1972) reasoned that if taken in its broadest sense, the term graphology
“correctly describes the activities of many who would vehemently deny that
they are Graphologists, but as such they may be correctly described”.
There are three main branches of
modern graphology and in reality practitioners tend to fit into one particular
branch with there being little cross over in each field.
The three aspects of modern Graphology are described in more detail
below.
Script-psychology
This usually involves the
interpretation of handwriting by a skilled script analyst with psychological
know-how and experience. This is commonly what is understood by Graphology in
the eyes of the general public, the popular perception being that of a portrait
in writing with in-depth consideration of character and personality.
However this branch of graphology when used in a professional capacity
can be an empirical diagnostic appraisal used for career guidance and
occupational purposes. It can also
be used in behavioural profiling, risk assessment, counselling and consultancy.
In this context analysis is based on theories to explain the cause of
writing behaviour, trajectory and use of space. Frits has produced a book, 'Handwriting Analysis at Work'
that explains this process in more detail and this is available free of charge
to HIG members (read on to find out more!).
Interpretations are attached to the way handwriting is done.
In my opinion scientifically this is the most
intriguing, demanding and neglected area. There
is a big difference between professional analysts with great ability and those
who lack the basic ingredients of scientific methodology, experience and
perception. Personality is a
complicated subject, which is difficult to define and further research is needed
in both graphology and psychology in order to refine this field.
However experienced practitioners can be extremely accurate with clients
sometimes reporting diagnostic success rates of over 80%.
Forensic comparison
This commonly involves
handwriting comparison, examination and identification in a legal context,
usually involving the analysis of disputed documentation and signature
examination by an expert who groups similarities and dissimilarities.
Writing construction, proportion and shape are important elements of the
analysis. This and wider aspects of
authentication, fraud and disguise are uncovered and researched with verifiable
methods and modern scientific equipment. However,
analysis in this area is not an exact science. Conclusions are based on facts,
weighed for significance by the expert and leading to his or her opinion.
In civil cases an expert's duty is to provide written reports and
giving evidence is to help the courts. This
duty overrides any obligation to the party who has engaged him or her.
Two expert witnesses may well arrive at different opinions, leaving room
for lawyers to argue and judges and juries to form their own conclusions.
Research, development and education – from brain to script
This branch of graphology deals
with what happens in our brain and on the way to the finished ink-trail, namely
our writing. This area includes
experimentation and computer-aided research in the recognition, comparison,
identification and development of all expression leaving visible traces for
communication: be it handwriting, drawing, or any other graphic skill.
Recording can be via the pen or any other associated means of
implementation involving the manual use of writing and drawing implements.
At the educational level handwriting research also embraces the early
discovery of symptoms likely to cause problems, such as the common association
of reversals of numbers or letters with dyslexic type problems.
It establishes rules for observation and subsequent medical, therapeutic,
or psychological treatment by qualified specialists.
Analysis
Frits Cohen has devised his own
tool which uses computerisation as part of the analysis of handwriting samples,
The Segmentation of Handwriting and Signatures Tool' can be used in the three
areas of modern graphology described above.
As a forensic analyst he looks for similarities and dissimilarities in
handwriting in order to establish who wrote that anonymous letter or whether or
not the signature on a cheque, contract or will is a forgery.
In terms of relevance specifically relating to an educational context
such in-depth methods of analysis can be used in a questionable scenario where a
failing or average student suddenly produces a 'grade A' assignment (where
work is handwritten). It can also
highlight specific problems that individual pupils may have or highlight
progress over time.
Segmentation
Segmentation in forensic terms
involves the process of script examination.
A common procedure used in the United Kingdom and all around the world
involves letter by letter analysis. This
supposedly gives the analyst an understanding of the writer's letter shape
formation. In practice however it
only does that to a limited extent as the shape of the letter often varies
depending on where it is placed within a word as well as what precedes or
follows it. Moreover people do not
usually think in separate letters.
For the purposes of the
'Segmentation of Handwriting and Signatures', segments are writing elements
considered in isolation, such as whole words, or parts of words separated by pen
lifts. The following example shows
the same sentence copied by two different people.
The handwriting samples are scanned and segmented using computer
software. The segments between pen
lifts are then numbered and indicated by slashes. This is followed by the transfer of each segment to the
alphabetical (first letter) home , the segmentation table.
A teacher would automatically notice misshaped letterforms which need
attention, or 'wrong-way-round' letter combinations typical of dyslexia or
laterally inverted b's or d's as well as other characteristics of pupils
writing.
Picture 1: Showing comparison of segmentation of
the phrase - “Experience is the result of comparison and the mother of
wisdom.”
The degree of reliability and
other aspects of the Segmentation of Handwriting and Signatures tool are still
subject to further research which is dependent upon Frits receiving
approximately 1000 handwriting samples. He
is inviting HIG members to send samples of their handwriting to him. In
return all participants will receive a free copy of the book 'Handwriting
Analysis at Work'.
There are four easy steps to
follow for members who wish to participate:
- Copy the following 11 sentences.
- Add the following details: the date, your age,
gender and whether you are right or left handed.
- Finally if you wish to receive a free copy of the
book include your name and address on a separate sheet.
- Information should be sent to the address at the end
of the article.
| Please copy the following in your own handwriting:
1. If the human brain were so simple that we could understand
it, we would be so simple that we couldn't.
2. It's no accident who your friends are
3. Experience is the result of comparison and the mother of wisdom.
4. Qualifications needs a danger warning, They are relative and
perishable. Don't lose sight of the sell-by date.
5. Tall in Lilliputia is Small in Realland. It is easy to become a
big fish in a small pond.
6. All are not thieves that dogs bark at.
7. Anonymous writers have a need of a good memories.
8. The value of ISO 9000-type schemes is called into question
because they validate the process, not the product.
9. Graphic co-ordination and handwriting rhythm go pen in hand.
10. Justice is the moral value considered to be the end which law
ought to try and attain.
11. Humour originates from unsettling reality with wit
|
Fritz Cohen can be contacted at:
Graph-O-Logica Limited
White Lodge Laboratory
48 Oakleigh Park South
London N20 9JN
Tel: 020-8445 9203
Email: fc@graph-o-logica.com
Graph-o-Logica Ltd.
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