Despite the oft-reported imminent demise of handwriting, it appears to still be alive (but inarguably on the wane, aside from signatures for the purposes of identification and authorisation).
I think we'd all agree that there is some polygraphical bio-imprinting going on, when we scratch that plume across a parchment. Hurried or distressed people appear to produce characteristically-identifiable modifications in their handwriting, in a fundamental linkage that is as hard to mask as higher-pitched vocal tone when lying etc
So this is not some discountable bunkum, in the same stable as phrenology etc : but for me, the intriguing unanswered question is- to what extent is it a reliable indicator, and for what?
Psychopaths, despots, surgeons, sculptors: how well can these archetypes be identified, via a blind test?
We all know that recognition of friends/family/colleagues' handwriting is an indisputable capability shared by many (though there are some that seem decidedly-blindsighted and incapable of this bipartite anthropological identification system).
At the risk of being labled a sexist homophobic reductionist swine, I'm going to jump--in and say that I can usually tell a woman's handwriting from a man's. Stereotypical female handwriting, in my opinion, tends (though not always) to be neater, more-consistent and rounded/wider than mens'. Note this is a massive statistictical generalisation: but it's often true.
Womens' handwriting *tends* to slope left (this used to be an urban legend indicator of introversion). I think there is some evidence that some gay males tend to have handwriting that is more pseudo-feminine than hetro males (who can have writing analogous like their lives, which can tend to be unstructured, variable and random).
Hopefully I have now offended everyone (and if not, I shall try again later). Please note: this is JUST my inner thoughts on the topic. No research at all. A recounted extract of internally-held misconception and hyperbole.
But it might be more write than wrong. What think ye?
EDIT
Just remembered- dots above the descender line, to form the letter "i" or "j", that get handwritten *as little circles*. That is such a reliable girlie identifier (in my simplistic summary). I've never seen a guy write like this, unless they were a cartoon artist. Some girls never do this, and it tends to predicate younger rather than older females...but certainly not universally-so