One of the most common questions about
handwriting analysis concerns “negative traits. “How do I identify the
negatives?” people ask.
Many so-called negative traits are actually an overdose of the positive. One
very positive trait is to have clear, direct thinking. This would include the
ability to see through all the unnecessary information and identify the
necessary. But if this trait is very strong, you will have a writer who is
liable to be so direct and straight to the point that they suffer from “foot in
mouth disease”. These individuals can be blunt and tactless.
However there are some traits that are most definitely negative.
Let’s talk about temper. What you understand as temper, based on the behavior of
someone, may come from a variety of causes. Some are fear, anger and pent up
emotions.
The actual trait of temper shows in two ways in writing. The first, called a
temper tick, is a short, rigid, totally straight stroke, begins when the pen
first touches the paper at the beginning of a stroke, or just before lifting the
pen from the paper. Easy to miss, this short stroke indicates a short temper.
To qualify as a temper tick, after the initial short rigid stroke, the next
stroke must abruptly go in another direction. A short, straight stroke flowing
into a curve is not a temper tick.
A
more readily noticeable indication of temper is the temper t-bar. This is where
the t-bar is unbalanced to the right of the t-stem. It may or may not be
attached to the stem.
Once you have identified this, you may want to look at the slant of the writing.
How will the writer express his temper? With a strong right slant he will
explode. A writer with a left slant may withdraw and try to keep the
anger hidden. One who appears cool and calm when angered will have
an upright slant. Will the temper be taken out by trying to dominate and boss
others? If so the t-bar will not only be off to the right, but also heavy and
slanting downwards.
Help for writers with temper issues
A
writer who is striving for self-control will have t-bars
shaped like an umbrella. Here evaluation is needed. Is there more
self-control or more temper? Which will win out?
Imagination also plays a part. Take the highly abstract imaginative writer who
has large upper loops on the l,
k, and h. They tend to allow their anger to become unrealistically inflated.
This is especially true if this writer also has a far right (emotionally
expressive) slant.
Irritability is another “temper” trait but differs in that it is not usually
explosive or violent. It appears as slashed i dots, and shows
in general edginess, or a flash of temper that is
gone in an instant. Of course when both appear together, the combination effect
is stronger.
There are many more factors and traits that affect the appearance and frequency
of temper. Here we have just touched the surface. And remember, one temper t-bar
in a page of writing is not significant. As with any trait in handwriting,
frequency indicates strength. To identify a person with a real problem temper,
the strokes need to appear repeatedly throughout the entire writing.
