The User's Manual for the Brain Volume I
Page 5
2.8.1 Possible Anomalies (Young, 1999)
Eyes go to the opposite side from the diagram: possible lateral reversal. The person may have a left-handed preference?
Eyes consistently go to one location first and then off to others: lead system being accessed to enable the person to do what you ask.
Eyes consistently do not go to one particular location at all: the person may have blocked V, A or K and so avoid that place.
Eyes go to atypical locations, for example, they look up and say, “I feel…” This may be a synesthesia pattern.
Eyes are motionless: they do not seem to move at all. If they really do not move at all there is immediate access. No search is necessary, as when someone is asked their name.
They may not have heard or understood what you have said: they have gone blank. They may have tranced out—they are busy thinking other thoughts.
Eyes move back and forth, for instance the eyes move repeatedly left and right: they may be searching, or scanning, or they may be comparing two images.
Eyes consistently go to wrong locations: the person may just have sorted things differently and habituated to a different style of functioning. They are probably under-performing neurologically.
Eyes seem to go all over the place: this may indicate confusion or agitated internal state. They may also need to learn where to put different classes of information in terms of VAK.
2.9 Exercise: Mapping Eye Patterns
2.9.1 Elicitation Questions For Eye Accessing Patterns
Use the following questions to assist you in mapping someone’s eye patterns. In doing this, make sure you look at the person you want to map when you ask them the question. If you look down at the question when you ask the question, their eyes will dart before you can look back at them! This process works best if you ask the questions conversationally. Then the person doesn’t become self-conscious and try to “see” themselves responding! If you use this as an exercise and you play the recipient, just allow yourself to have permission to respond freely and spontaneously, not caring if you notice the movements of your eyes. Self-awareness (self-reflexive consciousness) in this process messes things up because the person’s second thoughts go to, “How did my eyes just move, let me visually remember that now!” So just allow yourself to relax so that you can respond naturally and gracefully.
Peter Young (1999) points out:
The language you use affects another person’s internal processing, it influences first what mental operations the person engages in. If you want them to use a particular representational system then your language should signal this clearly.
Conversely, if you want to find out how they will process left to their own devices, use non-sensory language. If you say “Remember a time when …” you leave it to the subject to choose the way in which they will do this. So it might be by seeing again a particular scene, or hearing again a person’s voice, or feeling that old familiar feeling that goes with such an event, or tasting or smelling the particular tastes and smells that are forever associated with such times.
Warning: Sometimes when you ask for memories of past experiences, you may immediately get kinesthetic responses as the old memories may have painful feelings attached. Suppose you ask the question, “What color graced your bedroom walls as a child?” and the person had experienced severe trauma as a child in the bedroom? Don’t expect a visual recall eye pattern in that moment. You will immediately get a kinesthetic response with other sensory feedback like a reddening of the face and a tearing of the eyes. When this happens, sometimes I (BB) say to the client, “You have some emotion attached to that memory, don’t you?” This will maintain and deepen rapport.
Vr: Visual Remembered. Recalling an image or picture.
See the color you most favored as a child.
See the color that graced your bedroom walls at that time.
See yourself yesterday. What did you wear?
Vc: Visual Constructed. Making up pictures you have never seen.
Imagine your car as green with yellow dots on it.
Imagine yourself with red hair.
Picture a traffic light with the green light at the top and the red light at the bottom.
Ar: Auditory Remembered. Remembering sounds or voices previously heard.
Listen to your favorite song. What does it sound like?
Listen again to the very last statement I made.
Listen to the sound of ocean waves lapping on the shore.
Ac: Auditory Constructed. Creating and inventing new sounds.
Name the seventh word in “T’ was the Night Before Christmas.”
Hear me sounding like I had Donald Duck’s voice.
Hear the sound of a large rock hitting water.
Note: As you map from these questions, observe the person closely because he or she may go to auditory recall to remember what the sounds sound like before they construct what you will sound like as Donald Duck.
K: Kinesthetic. Feelings, sensations, emotions.
Feel yourself rubbing your hand over a very fine fur coat.
Feel your love for the one person you love the most.
Imagine diving into a very cold stream or pool.
Ad: Auditory Digital. Internal talk, dialogue, self-conversation.
Go inside and repeat to yourself the choices you had concerning the last major decision you made.
Recite the words of your favorite verse to yourself.
Talk to yourself about what you really want out of life.
2.10 Group Eye Accessing Exercise
2.10.1 I. Eye Accessing Patterns Exercise Number 1
A. Get into groups of three. Choose “A,” “B,” and “C.” “A” begins by asking “B” questions from the elicitation question list. Follow the questioning order as they appear on the sheet. “A” observes “B” closely as to where their eyes go in response to each question. “C” positions themselves beside “A” to corroborate “A’s” findings. Use the additional questions should you need them.
B. Once “A” satisfies themselves that they have mapped “B” accurately, do a round robin.
C. Warnings:
“B” concentrates on answering the questions and not on the placement of their eyes. For “B” to concentrate on the placement of their eyes will contaminate the exercise. Concentrating on the eyes will result in the accessing being in relationship to this rather than in answering the questions.
You may use other questions should the ones provided not elicit adequate eye movements. However, take care with that. For instance, suppose you desire a kinesthetic response. You ask the question, “Can you imagine yourself feeling warm?” The problem may arise that this question will elicit a visual remembered response first and then a kinesthetic response. The word “imagine” presupposes images or pictures. Therefore, phrase your questions to get the response you want. Remember, “communication” involves the response you get.
2.10.2 II. Eye Accessing Patterns Exercise Number 2
A. In this exercise use the same group, with each person serving exactly as they did in the first exercise. You verify the findings of your first exercise with this one. If you mapped your partner correctly in the first exercise, their eye patterns from this exercise will confirm the patterns of the first exercise.
B. “B” role plays as a spouse, child, client, customer, etc, and talks for five minutes about something they would like to do or purchase. As “B” talks, make a conscious effort to include all three rep systems, that is, include what you see, hear and feel about the product you wish to purchase or what you would like to do. “A” can ask any questions necessary to clarify what “B” does on the “inside” while talking.
C. “C” positions themselves beside “A” to permit their observing clearly “B’s” accessing patterns. “A” and “C” determine, through observation, “B’s” accessing patterns.
D. Round robin
2.11 Characteristics Of The Primary Representational Systems
Your Primary rep system contributes to defining your “personality type” (how you develop and express your overall “powers” or “functions” as a person). Studies indicate a direct correlation between an individual’s primary rep system and certain physiological and psychological characteristics. The following generalizations about these characteristics offer some patterns to look and test for. We have found that the more we used these patterns in our personal and professional lives, the more ways we have found to utilize and appreciate this information, and we believe you will too.
Your primary representational system contributes to defining your “personality” type.
2.11.1 Visual
People who specialize in the visual system often stand or sit with their heads and/or bodies erect, with their eyes looking upward. Their breathing is often shallow and high in the chest. When a visual person accesses a picture, they may even stop breathing for a moment. As the picture begins to form, their breathing resumes. Their lip size will often look thin and tight. Their voice tones will come out in high tones and loud volume with rapid and quick bursts of expression. Organization and neatness characterize the visual. Noise can distract a visual. They learn and memorize by seeing pictures. So they generally become bored by lectures and remember very little. Visuals like, want, and require visual aids for learning. They take more interest in how a product looks than how it sounds or feels. Visuals make up approximately sixty percent of the population.
Since visuals organize their world visually, they can more easily let go of emotions. By creating new pictures rapidly, visuals can install new pictures with the accompanying emotions to replace old ones. For a visual person, “As he or she sees, so he or she becomes.” Visual people tend to easily create new pictures and change their internal states.
In terms of body types, a great many visuals have thin, lanky bodies with long waists. They hold their posture in a straight and erect way. Give a visual space; don’t stand too close. They must have plenty of room in their field of vision so they can see things.
2.11.2 Auditory
People who operate primarily from the auditory rep system will tend to move their eyes from side to side. Their respiration will operate in a rather regular and rhythmic way from the middle of the chest. When you ask them to describe an experience, they will concentrate first on the sounds of that experience. This will result in their breathing adjusting to express those internal sounds they hear. Often they will give forth a sigh.
Having processed information in terms of sounds, auditory individuals will happily respond using their own sounds, and with musical language. They often have a “gift of gab.” Often they will go to lengths to explain a concept or event. Auditory people even take pride in enunciating thoughts clearly and with good sound quality. They can even tend to dominate a conversation because of their abundance of words. When they so alienate people through too much talking, they become the “loners of our culture.” They talk to themselves a lot. They frequently have an intense sound sensitivity and can become easily distracted. Because of this heightened sense of sound, unpleasant or harsh sounds will distract them.
People with auditory focus learn by listening. Inasmuch as the auditory channels address information in a sequential way, they too will “think” and memorize by procedures, by steps and by sequences. Auditory people like for others to tell them about the ongoing progress of things. Since they give supreme importance to sounds, match their tonality and predicates in your conversation with them. Treat their ears very well. When you match their predicates and tonality, it sounds good to them because it fits their inner reality. People with this rep system make up approximately twenty percent of the population.
In body form and shape, auditory people tend to have a moderate form in between the skinny visual and the heavy kinesthetic. Often their hand gestures will point to their ears. An externally oriented auditory person will lean forward while talking. When sounds occur internally, they will lean backwards. They will keep their voice rhythmic and even. Speak clearly with an auditory person.
2.11.3 Kinesthetic
Those who use the kinesthetic system primarily express themselves with their eyes down and to the right. They use action predicates indicating sensation, movement, action: touch, feel, grasp, warm, etc. They breathe low in the stomach. It makes sense for someone who feels deeply to breathe deeply. Their breathing will change with their feeling states. Their lips usually look full and soft. Voice tone for a kinesthetic will often sound low, deep, breathy and/or soft. They typically speak slowly and use long pauses as they access their deeply stored information. If they take an internal orientation, their bodies will look and feel full, round and soft. If, however, they take an external orientation, their bodies will look and feel hard and muscular.
Many kinesthetic people will move verrrry slooowly. To motivate a kinesthetic, give them a physical reward or pat them on the back. Kinesthetic types love touching. You can also get up close to a kinesthetic person, they love closeness. Kinesthetic people do tend to have difficulty in getting out of negative emotions. If they feel sad, the sadness may lead them into depression. Then that heavy sensation will lead them to become even sadder and so it continues into an ever descending loop. A plus for most kinesthetic people lies in their ability to feel deeply and love deeply. To motivate a kinesthetic, get hold of their feelings. Kinesthetics represent approximately twenty percent of the population.
2.11.4 Auditory Digital
A person who primarily uses the auditory digital rep system essentially operates at a meta-level of awareness above the sensory level of visual, auditory and kinesthetic. As a consequence, this individual comes across as if in “computer” mode. I (MH) like to say that if a person has too much college, they will more likely move into the world of auditory-digital! I (BB) have noted that these people become the researchers and the accountants in our society. Woodsmall (Hall, 1989/1996) noted that such individuals love lists, criteria, rules, meta-communication, etc.
The eye movement and position for this meta-representational system will operate on a lateral movement pattern, like auditory processing, except when accessing information and then they will tend to move their eyes down to the left. They will breathe in a restricted and uneven way. Their lips will often look thin and tight. The posture for the auditory digitals usually involves an erect head with shoulders back and arms crossed. The voice will come across in a monotone and robotic manner, like a computer talking. They will often have a soft and full body type. And yet, because the auditory digital mode will often exhibit characteristics of the other rep systems, they may very well vary widely from the above description.
2.12 Submodalities—The Qualities of the Modalities
A key element of the rep system, and hence of NLP, concerns that of the elements or qualities of the rep system. These rep system elements offer a major contribution of NLP to the domain of personal change and the technologies that make such transformation possible. Our internal processes function with a profound literalness. Consider the following statements:
“I feel pretty dull today.”
“I hear you loud and clear.”
“Something smells fishy about his proposal.”
“I have a bright future.”
These seemingly metaphorical sayings can actually enable us to track back to the individual’s internal map-making in terms of their rep system “modes” (modalities). Until the discoveries of NLP, most people treated such language as “just metaphors.” Today, however, we know better.
With the insights of NLP, we know that such metaphors typically cue us about the person’s internal representing of the world and so we hear such as literal descriptions of the speaker’s internal world. Brains often use the metaphorical language that we speak to run some literal internal program.
Submodalities represent one of the most basic components of the way the brain functions.
Submodalities represent one of the most basic componen
ts of the way the brain functions. Given that we use three primary modes (modalities) for “thinking,” these modalities (VAK) mean that we represent the world in our minds by sights, sounds, and sensations. We also use smell and taste, but typically they play a minor role.
The modality of language exists at a higher logical level than these sense modalities inasmuch as words function as symbols about these sights, sounds, and sensations. For now, we want to focus on the primary level sensory-based representations—our VAK representations––and describe how we can make further distinctions in these internal representations, namely, their qualities.
The modality of language exists at a higher logical level than these sense modalities inasmuch as words function as symbols about these sights, sounds, and sensations.
In this NLP Practitioner Training Manual, we have included the latest discoveries about the role meta-states play in what works and what doesn’t work in NLP. For you to understand this, you need to understand some terminology. These terms consist of “logical levels,” “primary levels,” “Meta-levels” and “Meta-states.” As the manual progresses you will find further explanation. In the meta-state model as developed by Michael, the “primary level” refers to our thinking about, responding to, and the meaning we give to, the world outside our internal experience. Hence, “primary states” describe those states that result from our experience of the outside world. States such as fear, anger, sadness, joy, happiness, etc., describe those everyday states that we access from our primary level experience of the outside world.