From the author: the article was published in the magazine "Map" in 2004. Samara. The article uses data from Oybek Nadzhimov’s book “How to recognize a person’s character by his signature.” GRAPHOLOGY studies the manifestations of individual characteristics of the human personality in handwriting. The main areas of application of modern graphology are personnel selection, professional guidance, and historical research. A graphologist is a “handwriting consultant.” In this article, I invite you to become such a “consultant” yourself in relation to the signatures of those people you encounter in your life, and, first of all, for yourself! Once again, you cast a surprised glance at the strange hieroglyph that the interlocutor’s hand automatically drew, and which is usually used to depict a signature. Even this involuntary stroke of the pen can tell a lot about a person. Our conversation is about graphology - a science that interprets the connection between handwriting and the psychological characteristics of an individual. Is it really shamanism again? Not at all! Any trace left by a person carries information about himself. Many psychological tests, so-called projective techniques, are based on this principle. Projection is the same Through the Looking Glass, where one’s own personal qualities are displayed externally, and anything, even handwriting, can act as a white sheet of the screen. Each of us in late puberty (the age of puberty, when a hormonal storm rages in the blood) experienced a painful period of choice signature style. Well, as soon as we didn’t mock our last name, just to amuse our eyes with another dashing autograph. In the signature, a person expresses his invisible presence. Eternal - “Vasya was here.” We will try to guess just who this Vasya is from his creation.1. Pay attention to the location of the signature on the sheet (for example, in a personal statement when applying for a job). Top-bottom guidelines can tell you how things are going with self-esteem. The dependence is as direct as it gets. If the signature “gathers dust” somewhere at the bottom of the sheet, then self-esteem leaves much to be desired. This can be either situational self-doubt or a sign of long-term depression. If the signature tries to “jump” higher, then the level of claims of your counterpart is too high. The more stable and realistic the self-esteem, the more centered the position the signature occupies on the sheet.2. Right-left orientation should be the next point in graphological analysis. Thus, a signature proudly striving towards the right flank of the sheet characterizes a person active in action, decisively moving towards a bright future. The signature, timidly pressed to the left edge of the page, suggests that the problems of unsuccessful karma worry its owner much more than future achievements. A meditative immersion in the wilds of the past and sweet soul-searching are his joy and tranquility. It is worth mentioning right away that each cricket has its own nest. Both can find their place in your company, just in different jobs and positions.3. Let's talk about pressure. This is a very important thing, especially if you are hiring a security guard, because only by the pressure in his signature can you guess how remarkable physical abilities he has, as well as how firm and confident his hand is. But handwriting invisibly sliding across a sheet of paper reveals both a useful tendency to compromise and dangerous negligence and carelessness. Seriously though, great pressure when writing is characteristic of extroverts - open, straightforward people. The sophistication of a secretive introverted nature also leads to the “exhaustion” of handwriting. 4. The next point in the signature analysis should be its direction. If the autograph, like a proud brigantine, is carried away in the direction of the North-East (to the upper right corner), then know that this is an indestructible optimist. If, unwaveringly, without losing its course, like the nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin", it is aimed at the east, then harsh realism is the credo of your interlocutor. If you have to deal with the Titanic going to the bottom, substitutevest, you won’t have to wait for depression. 5. Estimation of the size of letters. Small insects that overlap each other belong to the hand of an egoist and a miser, whose mind is occupied with specific types of activities. If you think that this is an extremely unflattering characteristic, think about how invaluable such an employee can be in the accounting department with his accuracy and thrift. Large, sweeping letters, widely spaced from each other, usually belong to those who are used to thinking globally, like a strategist who does not waste time on trifles. Most often, such signatures belong to managers of various ranks. However, it happens that these people are not used to keeping track of money, so such a signature will immediately give away a potential spender. 6. The shape of the letters (rounded or angular) will signal the level of aggression. The nervous angularity of the handwriting will let you understand that patience and peace of mind are in short supply for the interlocutor. So if you are looking for a personal driver, and not a Formula 1 driver, we advise you to take a closer look at the smooth and rounded signatures of the applicants. You may not win in driving speed, but it will be difficult for you to find a more responsive interlocutor in long traffic jams. 7. Simplicity - complexity of the signature. Remember the axiom - the simpler and clearer the signature, the simpler the person himself. However, let’s immediately mention the exceptions - these are exaggerated, “emasculated” signatures of doctors, experts, etc., whose time is more valuable than their “figured” status and whose “zakoryak” is worth more than pretentious monograms. Personalities are subtle, creatively gifted, and know how to tastefully complicate life not only for themselves, but also for those around them, they artistically decorate their favorite autograph with ornate heaps, making it look like a birthday cake with a mountain of whipped cream. Such personnel, of course, will be useful, especially in advertising agencies, where the ability to make mountains out of molehills is well paid. Other types of activities, one way or another, will be connected with the stage (artists, painters, musicians), because the ineradicable need to show themselves will push them to do anything so that the stage light illuminates them as often as possible and from an advantageous position. The logical mindset makes the signature look like a dry cardiogram, perhaps with a single readable letter. You won't get any familiarity from such people, but they can count well in their heads. When dealing with an economic analyst who makes such assessments, you can be sure that the forecast given by him will be clear and reliable. 8. Another interesting element in the signature is the various underlines. Sometimes the painting seems to be so-so, but on what a huge “tail” it lies majestically. I’m sure the king of beasts, if he could, would sign the same way. People with similar signatures have high self-esteem. Take a closer look - are such claims justified? Or maybe wagging their tail is all they can do? Some signatures have a “roof” resting on top, as if they are “held up.” And when do we see such a gesture? It is right when our pride and support - the valiant military personnel - salutes. Therefore, the secret is simple - ambition and vanity rule the show here. There are also kamikaze signatures, when the hand seemed to write correctly, tried, and finally, took it and crossed out all its work in one fell swoop. Such public suicide on paper is the result of excessive self-criticism and constant doubts (“Is Spartak a champion?”, “Which crayfish are better - those that cost 5 rubles, but are large, or 3, but small?”, etc. ), and here it’s not far from neurosis, if not already close. You can pat such a person on the shoulder in a friendly manner and say: “Do you want a bun?”, but know that there is a chance to become a “psychological toilet” for a long time. Perhaps the best option would be to leave the phone number of a good psychologist in front of his nose, as if by chance. You understand me, right? So, it’s not in vain that they say: “He who is informed is armed!” Maybe, when next time, on a white piece of paper, an autograph left by a stranger, or a beautiful stranger, will turn blue, turn black, or even blush - just for the sake of curiosity, do a psychological