Graphology in personnel selection

In recent years, much progress has been made in personnel selection techniques. It is no longer enough to have a high IQ to be a suitable candidate in a selection process, now it is essential to have a series of skills and attitudes that a test alone cannot measure, including emotional intelligence and communication skills.

But it is true that in some work areas those that are based on pseudosciences are being introduced as selection methods, among them Graphology and Morphopsychology.

Next, these two techniques will be analyzed and then the results of a small qualitative research, carried out through interviews with experts in the field in Cantabria (Spain).

It is evident that the vast majority of professionals who work in the area of ​​personnel selection, are familiar with the wide variety of techniques for selecting future candidates for a job in job. Among the qualitative techniques that can be used, the Graphology in which an elaborate and interrelated description of personality traits.

According to Gatewood and Feild (1994), the positive aspects of these qualitative techniques are the depth in the object of analysis, the decrease in the presence of desirability social as a distorting variable of the results and the dynamic and interactive vision that they make of the different characteristics that make up the structure of the personality. As negative aspects stand out the subjectivity of the interpretations, the little standardization of the answers (which makes it difficult to compare subjects) and cannot be subjected to the criteria of validity and reliability, since in these techniques addiction is not sought but integration and setting.

Generally, the role of Graphology in the selection of personnel is highly controversial and discussed, since there are many researchers and professionals who use it and many researchers and professionals who criticize it, especially for the lack of objectivity.

Melián (1996) carries out an investigation to see if graphology can determine certain negative aspects of the personality that can lead to poor job performance. The results of handwriting analysis of a number of candidates were compared with the results of reference checks in companies in which they had previously worked. The people chosen were those who had reasonable doubts in the selection process for the following reasons:

• Impulsiveness,
• Conflict in interpersonal relationships,
• Responsibility,
• Immaturity
• Perseverance

The total number of cases is seventeen. The sample size of this study is not intended to make generalizations about the results found here. The results showed that the judgments made by graphological analysis and verification of references coincided for four of the five cases studied, and did not do so for the remaining.

Melián (1996), opts for the choice of this technique for his study because it is the most used qualitative technique in personnel selection, It allows group application and does not require the presence of the evaluator.

According to Gabarre (1997), Morphopsychology, like Graphology, is a science that makes precise and concrete contributions in the business environment. This discipline scientifically studies the "character" and "aptitudes" of people through the observation of the face.

The same author believes that in the selection of personnel, Morphopsychology is a basic tool for interviewers-recruiters, since it provides all the information of any psychotechnical-intellectual-aptitude and character test, but knowing that the candidate has not been previously trained to perform said test. When we do a test we answer it consciously and there is the possibility of falsifying the conclusions. The face shows us the conscious and unconscious.

The following research has been extracted from the work of Corrales (2011), in which a study was made on the importance of professional skills in today's society. Among the different questions posed to the ten experts from Cantabria (Spain), they were asked for their opinion on the importance and validity of selection techniques based on pseudosciences, such as graphology and morphospychology.

The different opinions of the 10 experts, indicating profession and workplace.

Expert 1. Official and associate professor at the University of Cantabria in the area of ​​Human Resources

“I think that the method of graphological analysis for selection purposes, if it is carried out by an experienced and professional graphologist, is a good method, but limited to certain types of positions. From my point of view, graphological analysis cannot be extended to all positions. For example, I know that in France graphological analysis is applied for the selection of certain types of managers ”.

Expert 2. Economist

“I think they are useless. As far as I know, graphology is used by very few recruitment companies. They are used in some other environments, but I highly doubt their usefulness. There are no professionals to apply them, so their cost makes it very high, and they always have to be complementary to others. They are not the kind I would choose. "

Expert 3. Professor of Human Resources at the University of Cantabria

“They are techniques that, by themselves, are not going anywhere. I do not understand that anyone by graphology or morphopsychology, select anyone. What can be done is weed out people with these methods. They are methods of discard, but not of selection. They are techniques that complement the previous ones ”.

Expert 4. Director of an ETT

“By graphology, I have not met anyone, honestly. Now, let them tell you from your face: "I just don't like his face"..., but I think that less and less and that people are much more coherent in all that. By graphology I have never met any "rare bird" of these ".

Expert 5. Professor of Business Administration and Management and member of the Pyme Chair of the University of Cantabria

“I understand that if graphology is used in court proceedings, it will be correct. Regarding morphopsychology, there are a series of studies that deal with evolutionary morphology, so they are scientifically proven by the evolution of the species itself, that facial symmetry is a symptom of genetic perfection and is complicated, as it will have its scientific basis, Sure. Do I believe in it? Even if you don't want to believe in it genetically, psychologically you are still taking it into account. Obviously, someone who presents himself to you with a good appearance, one is more likely to say yes than yes ".

Expert 6. Psychopedagogue

"In my opinion, these techniques are not as effective as direct observation of the person."

Expert 7. Professor at the Faculty of Education of the University of Cantabria

"I believe that the selection of personnel is a very serious thing, I do not want to take the seriousness of morphopsychology or graphology. That's good for what it's worth, but I don't think it would be worth much to select the staff. In the past in psychology, personality traits were determined by whether the person was fatter or skinnier. Fortunately, I think that is already part of the story.

Expert 8. Labor Counselor

“I don't think these methods lead to knowing how competent a person is. They can show certain things that an expert in recruiting can detect, when used with many other tests. They can be an indication of the personality of a candidate, but they by themselves, for me, are useless. "

Expert 9. Entrepreneur

“I value both techniques as a complementary tool in the personnel selection process, but we have to be critical, of in such a way that we can take advantage of the possibilities offered by both techniques, but taking into account their limitations.

We have to take into account, first of all, that graphology starts from the fact that all we write differently and that this difference stems from the particular psychological reality of each person. From this point of view, it is obvious that it can be of help, however, it must be taken into account that, despite these facts, this does not exist no demonstration that there is a stable and constant correlation between a person's writing traits and their writing traits personality.

As for morphopsychology, more or less the same thing happens. This discipline establishes that depending on the facial features, we can determine what the personality of a candidate is. From what I understand, this technique is more used in the case of selection of managers and responsible personnel, but its use is becoming more and more widespread. As an advantage to note that, simply, from the photo of the CV, the analysis can be carried out, which greatly simplifies the process, however, as in the case of graphology, although this method can be valuable as a complement, we have to be critical: it is not an exact science and we cannot base the entire decision on a psychomorphological analysis of the interviewee's face ”.

Expert 10. Deputy Head of HR and Head of Training of an important company in Cantabria

“I, of course, have never used them. I do not know it in depth, but also if I can express any personal opinion, I believe that they are not objectively valid. Maybe as something complementary, but individually I don't think they are efficient. "

Taking into account the various opinions expressed by these ten experts from Cantabria, it can be summarized that these techniques are not suitable for personnel selection. They can be interesting as long as they are combined with other techniques such as the interview, the different tests or various tests that analyze and evaluate professional skills.

Likewise, in relation to graphology, as indicated by some experts, in some European countries such as France or the Netherlands, this technique is widely used in the case of the selection of managers. In the case of Spain, this technique is gradually being introduced in the selection of senior management positions.

We can conclude that given the subjectivity of graphology and morphopsychology, It is not ideal to use these techniques alone in the selection of personnel. Human Resources professionals and, especially, recruitment technicians must take this into account and not limit the selection process to the use of these techniques.