Do you have a Question about Handwriting Analysis?

Send your question, along with a scan of the handwriting or a detailed description, to:

practicalhandwritinganalysis@gmail.com


Saturday, March 14, 2009

When people write in all capitals

When someone writes totally in capital letters it's because they don't want who they truly are to be seen. They may well be totally unaware that that is why they are doing it, but that doesn't change the fact that it is!

People who are just looking for clarity sometimes print. Engineers, accountants, architects are some of the employment groups who very often print because exactness and accuracy are so important in their line of work.

However, capital letters provide no further clarity than printing, so all caps is not done for clarity.

The least possible is revealed from writing in all capitals. Printing shows less than script, but when all the writing is in capitals, it hides even more.

Most handwritten ransom notes, for example, are written in all capitals!

You can get something from it however. For example, the slant will still tell you the emotional make up of the writer (the farther to the right, the more the emotional expression), and the heaviness of the writing will still tell you how deeply emotions affect this writer.

There are a few other indications that will still show through in all capital writing, however, the main thing to think about is that this person, knowingly or unknowlingly, is hiding themselves away. The question is "why?"

For more on handwriting analysis...

73 comments:

  1. THANKS FOR YOUR "PROFESSIONAL" OPINION, BUT I THINK THAT IT LIKELY A GENERALIZATION, NO? I WRITE IN CAPITALS BECAUSE I STARTED ONE DAY AS A KID AND FOUND IT EASIER TO WRITE QUICKER THAN PRINTING SMALL CASE OR SCRIPT. i ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE MOST OUTGOING AND TRANSPARENT PERSON, POSSIBLY IN THE COUNTRY. (AT LEATS ON MY BLOCK ANYWAY). ALMOST NOTHING IS HIDDEN AND I LOVE SHARING LIFE WITH PEOPLE,BOTH MINE AND THEIRS. SO... I DON'T THINK YOUR THEORY IS BULLETPROOF.
    SIGNED, MR. HIDING N. CAPITALS. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So funny that you took this article as a personal attack. So funny that it's point went right over your head. Just because you are an open person doesn't mean that you are not hiding something. Many people can put on a face and pretend to be someone they are not. Many people never let anyone see who they truly are, and you may be one of those people or you may not be, but the person clearly stated, "They may be totally unaware". I find writing in all caps is difficult, obviously you do too judging from that typo of the lower case i. My point is about that, that writing in caps is easy for you because it suits you, not the other way around.
      Signed,
      JOYCE.

      Delete
    2. wait... so One cannot know if they are truly hiding something?? Oh sorry, I didn't know that I didn't want you to know that. If this is the case then they must have split personality disorder!

      Delete
    3. THIS ANALYSIS IS HOGWASH. I WRITE IN ALL CAPS AND HAVE NOT A THING TO HIDE.

      Delete
    4. The mind is a strange thing, it is not as simple as"I have nothing to hide".
      Fear is the biggest motivator, it will can do many things to us.
      I two write in Caps, and believe me I am scared of what people think of me, I am a strong person, I am outgoing, I have strong opinions, I don't want people how bad I write or spell.
      But I am not scared to tell you this now as I have learnt to see life more openly

      Delete
    5. Can I ask, what if a person prints in CAPS with the exception of one letter like the letter "i". Say in PiG or OiL or PiT. Does this indicate anything?

      Delete
    6. As a matter of fact once I wrote a note in capital letters because my handwriting is not easy to read, I have been told many times. By using capital letters I just wanted to make it easy for the reader and she told me I was showing off!

      Delete
    7. Leanne Judd, I am not a typist, so I do this because I sometimes forget to take the caps off, however now I use it as my signature thingy now, I think it looks different...like some folks use, #this, and # that. When I see caps...one, or two things...you are either screaming out something , or (people I know) do not understand syn·tax.

      Delete
    8. Perhaps handwriting analysts think that a person writing in all caps is trying to hide something because it does away with most of the information available to them. I don't think very many people write with a thought to the capabilities of a handwriting analyst whom would be the only people that any information is being deprived.

      Delete
    9. Graphology is about as ridiculous a science as Phrenology, Astrology and Palmistry.

      Delete
    10. I agree. I also tend to write in all caps for 2 main reasons: 1) I was taught to write by my father, who had been a Navy Meteorologist, and then a draftsman. I always admired his neat, perfect handwriting. Although I am old enough to have had cursive as a graded class every marking period, despite hours of practice, and my best efforts, my cursive never met my teacher's standards, and each year, each teacher had a different slant, or way of forming letters. I would just master one teacher's version of handwriting, and then the following year would be told, it's all wrong, do it this way. The second reason) By high school when I took Commercial Art and Drafting myself, we were required to write in all capital letters, and I realized, how quick, easy, and legible it was. Through years of management, and teaching, I never went back. However, I also do calligraphy with pen and ink in several fonts as a hobby, and sometimes for pay. So, I wonder what your psychological analysis of that would be? A normal person would say, I wrote in the style I saw most at home, and did calligraphy because my ancestors were artists, which is true. But I imagine, the pseudoscience psychoanalysis will be that I am hiding my true personality and dissociating, but my underlying psychosis manifests itself in alters and they each write in a different calligraphy font. What a bunch of rubbish this article is, and the fact that you actually believe this as the author actually reveals more about your personality than it does about handwriting. It hasn't escaped my notice that your response to every comment about your article that disagrees, seems to come from an NPD standpoint. ie. "I am right because I am". Occam's Razor says the simplest solution is usually correct. Some people just write this way because they were taught it by teachers/parents and prefer it as it is neat, legible and easy to understand.

      Delete
  2. Handwriting Analysis is a science. You can read more about it, and how you can use it to defend yourself from forgery:

    Expert Handwriting Analysis Cases

    ReplyDelete
  3. In my experience, people who write in all caps, especially in an email, generally have poor writing skills. Their ALL CAPS WRITING helps cover up errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling by confusing the reader with such an unfriendly script.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chris, I agree with you most!! I also feel the person is not so much hiding something as they are showing they are being serious (all caps) and want to be heard. Its why people feel they are being shouted at. I do both to show expression when necessary since text tends to not show emotion or attitude.

      And @Silly its not "EXPLANATION" mark its "EXCLAMATION".

      Delete
  4. I write in all caps because I was taught to do so in school. I am an Architect by trade & just learned to always write this way. My mother happens to write in all caps too. I am not sure why though. She is a former librarian & now works in the court system. Maybe this has something to do with it. I doubt I am hiding anything & I am pretty good at writing, rarely having grammatical errors.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just posted my store and wrote in capital letters to say hey I'm here my name is .... They replied to me that I was shouting at them. What ? Well, I like to write in all caps but now I know that some people gets offended by it.And the reason I use caps its because I just like it.I can see them better.But now that you ask why? I think that maybe I just write in caps to put a front you know like a more serious less personal feeling . For me ALL CAPS = More serious less warm approach.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I write in all caps because I think my handwriting looks about 30 times better then writing lowercase. My English teacher says that it is wrong to write in All Caps even though I make sure that the capital letters that are SUPPOSED to be capital are bigger then the ones meant to be lowercase.. IF I was yelling at someone then my letters would be supersized, otherwise, I write my letters fairly small besides supposedly capital letters. All Caps makes me feel TONS better about my handwriting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I started wrighting in all caps as a teenager for the exact same reasons you do, and I do it the same way. I just found a way I felt my handwriting looked it's best.

      Delete
  7. According to Neticate, it is indeed offensive to write in all caps. So, it is an absolute no-no while you are writing an email.

    While using the keyboard to write, having a good or band handwriting does not really matter.

    Any given day, writing on with capital letters is not acceptable and is abnormal( unless it is a brochure or a newspaper heading or a leaflet for a product or a service).

    But, it is a different matter when you are using a pen or a pencil to write. Writing a letter or note, using all capital letters, does reflect that the writer, knowingly or unknowingly does not wish to divulge his/her true nature. Being an extrovert does not necessarily mean one's life is an open book for all to read...:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you can't spell mate! and FYI, an explanation mark is used to indicate that you are shouting or emphasizing a point.

      Delete
    2. Hey BOZO! What the hell is an "EXPLANATION" mark anyway? LOL

      Delete
  8. I think you got something. So I got a letter from a guy that I barely say anything to, friendly how are you's. He looked like a really well put together kind of person. dressed nice and very polite. I didnt see him for a while and all of a sudden I get a letter from him. He wrote in all caps. I thought that was sorta strange. His words were very carefully choosen. Before I decided to respond, I looked into him and found out that he was in jail and he is being accused of molesting a kid. Maybe your right. Need less to say, I didnt respond.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I began writing (and by writing I mean physical writing with a pen and paper) in all CAPS because I was tired of people not being able to read my handwriting (it was pretty bad). After I did that I had many less comments about not being able to read what I wrote, so I just stuck with it and I write in all caps.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This article definitely generalizes to a degree. I write in all caps simply because my standard print was far too messy and difficult to read. Teachers complained about it for years. One day, I discovered that my writing was significantly more legible if I wrote in all caps. So I've done it ever since.

    Perhaps there's something to be said for why my standard print was so messy to begin with, but there's nothing to be read into the fact that I write in all caps. It wasn't born from some unconscious impulse - it was an intentional change to make my writing easier to read.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is clearly a generalization.

    One thing that stands out to me is the comment that many ransom notes are often written in all capital letters. Did you know that most serial killers are white men? Do you know what that says about white men? Nothing.

    Perhaps when people are trying to make a point, or seem direct they choose to write in all capitals [perhaps], however that says nothing of people who write in all capital letters on a regular basis.

    So maybe something can be said of an individual who chooses to go out of their way to alter their normal writing style and opt for all capitals, but those who normally write in all capitals may simply choose to for a specific reason and not as an affect of some subconscious desire.

    Much like "A Lack of Better" I use all capitals when printing because I had very messy writing when young [for whatever reason] and got many complaints from teachers. My father introduced me to the concept of using all capitals when I was about ten and it resulted in my writing style becoming much neater. I've done it ever since.

    On a side note, I have never nor will I ever write a ransom note.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I agree with the majority of comments here, I certainly write (handwrite that is) in all capitals because I find that my normal handwriting is much too scruffy and illegible to be comfortably comprehended. It is all very well and good people claiming that text written in capitals is harder to read, but I can barely read my lowercase handwriting at all. It had nothing to do with covering up my grammar errors, and is nothing whatsoever to do with my general writing skill.

    I am a university student, so I have to write a lot of notes at a very quick pace during lectures, and my handwriting gets even worse when I am writing under time-pressures, so for me there is no alternative, short of dragging a computer to lectures every day.

    I wouldn't dream of typing an e-mail or document up in all capitals, because it does seem too aggressive and unnecessary given the printed format of word-processed text.

    As for it being some way of 'concealing' 'hidden intents' that is just gross extrapolation and completely sensationalist. To be honest, I had a mild interest in graphology a few years ago (being a psychology student) but it is all very subjective and there are too many external factors such as aesthetic preference, dexterity and physical skill, the mind set of the writer at the moment of writing, the type of pen used, the pragmatics of the document... It just lacks any sort of internal or external validity, but it is an appealing concept- being able to see into peoples' deep dark desires through their handwriting, which is no doubt the reason it is so popular.
    I'm not hating, it's just the truth.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here's my analysis of those whose writing is only legible written in caps. To lazy to improve themselves?Maybe want everyone to conform to their way of doing things? Basically they feel they are better than the rest of us with horrible writing,yet slow down and take our time when writing in an acceptable manner?

      Delete
  13. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. This hypothesis is certainly false. I'm a very expressive writer and am infatuated with hand written typography. I can write in 7 different scripts (Arabic, Sanskrit, Greek, Russian, Latin, Japanese[+Chinese], and Korean) in either great (almost robotic) clarity or somewhat stylized and quick.

    When writing in English, I very often use lower case non-cursive letters when lecturing in front of a black board. When I want to be expressive, or write notes for myself, I write in all capitals. There is a catch though: I have a custom set of letters and ligatures that I have developed for myself to write extremely efficiently (very little strokes) and quickly in all capital letters.

    The existence of example like this destroys this theory. A statement like "When someone writes totally in capital letters it's because they don't want who they truly are to be seen," couldn't possibly be true. I use my stylized handwritten capital letters when I want to be expressive and artistic; my lower case monotonous letters (with no ligatures) when I want to be extremely clear.

    On what assumptions was this theory based and what empirical data substantiates it?

    -- Artur Jackson

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well when i type on a PC I do small regular, but when i write on paper with a pen or so, I always do all Caps.. Its a habbit for me and I can't break it.. I have tried, I'll start writing normal with lowe case and upper case and by the time I know it, its back to just capital letters. I dont mean too, I dont know if there is anything I'm hiding, I have been thinking if there is something, but I just can't think of anything worth hiding lol. Who knows....

    ReplyDelete
  17. A lot of you people are retarded. Okay, so you're not a kidnapper because you write in ALL CAPS (although it's funny to call you that), but first of all, you JUST DON'T write in all caps. It looks stupid, and studies have shown it's harder to read than standard case. And why not just write in all lowercase? like not capitalizing the first letter in sentences, or names, or i. Why does it have to be one extreme or the other? Standard writing is a mixture of both cases.

    And what the hell are you talking about it's easier to write in majuscule than lower case? It's the same motions, straight lines and curves! That's like saying you have an easier time writing in French than Spanish. It's the same damn thing! Lines and circles and pen motions! It's all just some arbitrary system we created.

    I was trying to be open to what commenters were saying, but the more I thought about it, the more questions it raised. Like, how can you even have bad handwriting? It's not like a skill people are born with--I mean, yeah, some are naturally more dexterous with the ink, but most should get by with at least some legibility. Just take your time and do it right, don't rush through it with some chicken scratch!

    ReplyDelete
  18. @KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL Believe it or not your point was so hard to read it had no validity. Sorry but the truth hurts.

    ReplyDelete
  19. @mbenz38o ARE YOU BLIND? HOW IS IT HARD TO READ ALL CAPS? REALLY? YOUR BRAIN CAN'T COMPREHEND SMALL LETTERS TO BIG LETTERS? THAT'S YOUR STUPIDITY IN THE WAY NOT HIS CAPITOL LETTERS DIPSHIT.

    ReplyDelete
  20. All caps does have better clarity - your post even mentions engineers, scientists, architects using them for accuracy. What makes them accurate is being able to read it easier - thus less mistakes. Comic strip writers often use caps too for the same reason.

    ReplyDelete
  21. As a professional handwriting analyst, I have found that people who always use CAPS exclusively, want desperately to be seen , to be noticed , to be heard, to be an authority, or to make a point.
    At the same time, they do not want anyone to know their real inner selves or their true motives. There can sometimes be quite a bit of "heat" behind some heavy writing. There can be a " How dare you not take me seriously. Who do you think you are?" kind of intensity."
    This is only my personal take on studying handwriting for over fifty years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So agree!!! Just mentioned above!

      Delete
    2. Elan, You are absolutely correct in your analysis. I have a relative by marriage who is a total narcissist and this person writes letters tight, upper case well defined print. This person is trying to present themselves as someone else without an agenda, but I know better. I was surprised by the accuracy of this analysis and thought there might be something behind all upper case print. Wow!

      Delete
    3. What people need to realize is. These studies have been done on a multitude of people and a majority of the findings were that the reason behind most people wrighting in all caps has a deeper meaning. This does not mean EVERYONE... Before people become so offended by studies that have been done, just hear what they have to say. It's not going to be the same for everyone. This doesn't necessarily mean you...

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  22. Okay. First off, I think people are relating two different aspects of handwriting. Capital letters vs. size of the writing. Using ALL CAPITAL letters which are large and of uniform size (height) MAY or may not be a sign of anger, haste, or necessity for control. It may also be related to a profession, as noted above. Using all capital FormationS in handwriting, with regularity, uniformity, and a specific differentiation between 'upper case' and 'lower case' letters based on size (upper case M is taller than lower case M) is actually most likely tied to a desire for clarity, equality, and harmony within an individual. Call it conformity if you wish to, it's a free country. It also is regarded by some to denote genius in an individual, as more people of a higher intelligence do this vs. societally standardized writing styles.

    ReplyDelete
  23. As a Taxation Accountant, block print was required on all forms, after a few years of only writing in a uppercase font the motor skill becomes a permanent writing style.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Welcome to Graphologyindia.com....so near yet so far.... It's really I appreciate their Handwriting analysis Bangalore division in India.as i am very much satisfied with their Quality of Handwriting analysis India services and their service towards customers. I strongly recommend their service to allllll

    handwriting analysis Bangalore

    ReplyDelete
  25. Well I`m sure everyone has something to hide regardless on using all capitals or not.
    I print in all caps mostly. I got into it because of the way paperwork I had to fill out on the job required it for clarity. Just stuck with it.
    I really must laugh at how much this seems to have gotten a rise out some of you commenting and arguing here. Is there a handwriting analysis to out anal people? I mean really, who gives a shit!

    This was fun, have a good day everyone.
    Keep smiling!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Another Architect here, I also use all Caps, not to hide anything but out of habit now. Stemming from being old enough to have started in the pre-CAD age, working on a drawing board. Back then labelling on drawings could be done by stencil (still likely to be all Caps) or hand written in all Caps for clarity as the drawings formed contractual documents.

    Hope this has added some clarity as to the real reason most Architects at least use all Caps. As you can see I don;t try and hide anything (subconsciously or consciously) when I type.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Handwriting Analysis or Graphology is a technical method of identifying, evaluating and understanding behaviour through the strokes and patterns exposed by handwriting. Handwriting reveals the true behaviour including moving outlay, fears, sincerity, defences and many others.
    Graphology School of India offers Handwriting Analysis in Bangalore.
    Handwriting Analysis Bangalore

    ReplyDelete
  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am left handed and I write in capitals because I have a writing disability and I find it easier to write my letters that way. If I write any other way, my writing becomes untidy and unreadable, not because I have something to hide..

    ReplyDelete
  30. You haven't actually given a reason why you think they're trying to hide something. Maybe more people would be convinced if you explained a bit more, rather than just stating it as fact with no explanation.

    Also, I kind of disagree. All caps handwriting can differ vastly from one person to another; each with their own quirks and forms of expression. I'm each variant reveals something about the individual. It's a sweeping statement to simply say they're trying to hide something.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I know someone who uses all caps and that person happens to be controlling and frequently hides things. Coincidence? Maybe...but the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  32. And What do You have to Say About People Who Capitalize The First Letter of almost Every Word... I'd be Curious to Know...

    ReplyDelete
  33. I started writing in all capitals when i was heavy into reading comic books I liked the comic sans script as a kid so I started writing in all caps

    ReplyDelete
  34. wEn EyE rIgHt! !! !! !!!! ! me LykE TOOO?
    MIck"S"
    it
    Up.
    WuTT
    TyPPEEor i meAN of
    PerSoN R My>?

    ReplyDelete
  35. But you contradict yourself after stating that "capital letters provide no further clarity than printing, so all caps is not done for clarity," when you admit that to print is to show less than script, and to show even less via capitals. To show less, is to mitigate any unnecessary details superfluous to the characters. And to limit the symbols down to the minimum detail required in communicating them is by definition to simplify things. Finally, to simplify the task of the reader in recognizing the components of the message/designation IS to clarify the effort to understanding.
    From this, I don't think you're able to completely strike the pursuit of clarity as contribution to writing in caps.
    However, I suspect there to be some truth to your conjecture. I write all in caps: I'm extremely private. Amongst many other stylized lettering, I employ the left hemisphere of my brain with my long slants to the right, as I apply so much pressure I need to be conscientious of not ripping the page (ripped one today); I am one those messy bundles of intense emotion. It becomes paramount to aim for clarity as I always stand too lose too much in my communiqué.
    So you're right, I am avoiding revelation, though, I'm at once, deliberately showing much -- and as clearly as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  36. OMG! I AM LAUGHING MY BUTT OFF AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS! SOME OF YOU ARE HILARIOUS!!!! Uh, oh! What if I use both CAPS and lowercase when writing!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. To be honest I only write in caps because I write ugle and that is the only way for other people to read what I wrote

    ReplyDelete
  38. Cat called the Hooters girl,
    What a hoot, what a flatter,
    I didn't know cats could use phones,
    or owls for that matter.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Perhaps the daughter of an Attorney General,
    Without the rhyme nor reason to falter,
    Still works for tips flashing her flashy flesh,
    to all who can see,
    into the night the men who, for what?
    The regret of a dawned day dark and overhung,
    unspent, and undew.

    ReplyDelete
  40. "When people write in all capitals" their IQ is <80. Fact

    ReplyDelete
  41. "When people write in all capitals" their IQ is <80. Fact

    ReplyDelete
  42. i write in all caps ever since i stopped handwriting everyday because my cursive isn't pretty. funny though in typing, emails etc. it's all lowercase. perhaps i'm just lazy with such things?

    ReplyDelete
  43. I've been writing in all caps since I finished school. I only wrote in lower case because my teachers required me to. I've been out of school since 1998! I'm never hiding anything, I'm an open book! I wear my heart on my sleeves. Everyone around me knows everything about me, lol! I was diagnosed with MS back in 2012 and it's easier to write in caps because my hands shake on occasions. In conclusion, I think your assessment of people who write in all caps is wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I write in all caps, too. I am a very open person, even considered an extrovert, but I never tell anything personally to anyone. I am often amazed that I spend my life listening to every secret skelton everyone's closet has to offer, but people (thankfully) never ask me anything about myself. And when they do I always skillfully bring the answer back around to them. People love to talk about themselves to others. I 100% agree with your all-caps assessment. My caps are blocked, wide and slant very little. Thank you for giving your opinion. I enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I think a lot of you have taken this article to personal. I also think that there are a majority of you who show just how much you have that you are hiding just by the fact that you have become so offended from the article. AnYwAy JuSt MyTHouGHts

    ReplyDelete
  46. i am here to share out my testimony on how i got back my husband, i am a lady with 2 kids i am from Indian, my husband left me and his kids for about 12 months i go through a lot of pain i do all i could to make him returned to me and to his kids but nothing works out. It was really a stressful period for me because I could not go through the heartbreak. I was told to get a love spell doctor to help me out, which I did. I was lucky to get DR.COROBO Contact who was able to help me out, it cast a love spell that brought my husband back to me and to his kids. Thanks so much DR. COROBO I really appreciate what you have done for me. Here is his contact if you may require it by solving your relationship email. dr.corobospellhome@gmail.com call whatsapp +2348101571054 bye.

    ReplyDelete