A twin study of graphology

Abstract

The object of the study was to make an objective assessment of the validity of ascertaining personality from handwriting. The subjects chosen for the research were twenty-four pairs of identical and twenty-four pairs of non-identical twins. Personality scores were obtained from each subject, and each pair of twins was rated by their parent(s) on a questionnaire comparing their personality and development. These ratings were compared with ratings of within-pair personality differences based on the examination of samples of handwriting by a consultant graphologist and by a team of eight amateurs. The results showed that handwriting is not likely to be helpful in the study of neuroticism and is of no value in the determination of zygosity. In the case of extraversion, however, the correlations were low but in the expected direction and with reasonably good internal consistency.