NLP: The Modeling Process

Hello men and women, this is Stalinlingus. Today, I’m going to talk to you about the mechanisms and processes involved in building and using models of the world (maps of perception)—call them what you like. These mechanisms are at the core of how we plan, learn, focus, dream, speak, and listen. Since we’re talking about manipulation, this topic is very important, but it’s rarely discussed. Usually, articles about manipulation just tell you how to make someone obey you out of the blue. That’s not how it works—manipulation is an art, something you have to create and craft. And to do that, you need information that isn’t directly related to manipulation itself. (For those who have studied logic or psychology, this won’t be new.)

So, let’s talk about the mechanisms: Generalization, Omission, and Distortion.

1) Generalization

The generalization mechanism allows us to learn as quickly as possible. Many “new” behaviors are actually made up of pieces of past behaviors that are similar to the new one (crawling-walking-running). Thanks to this process, we can generalize from previous behavioral experiences and avoid having to learn everything “from scratch” (we’re constantly connecting past experiences and layering them—generalizing). This mechanism, like the others, is at the heart of what we call thinking.

One form of this process is our ability to remember information as “word = symbol.” For example, once you learn what a couch is, you start to generalize and categorize all similar objects as couches. In communication, this shows up when you tell a story without describing every figure and action in detail. For example:

• “Young people used stimulants.”

Here, both the action and the people involved are generalized. Despite the overgeneralization, everyone understands what I mean, even though I had something specific in mind—like some high schoolers trying amphetamines for the first time.

2) Omission

By now, it’s no secret that our brains receive an endless amount of information (some say millions of units, but I’d say it’s more like infinity). This is where the process of “omission” comes in. We leave out a lot of information when we go somewhere or talk about something. This mechanism helps us avoid overloading our minds and lets us focus only on what interests us.

How does this show up in communication? Let’s use the same example: “Young people used stimulants.” Here, what was omitted is: who exactly, and what exactly. I think you get the idea—it’s pretty simple.

3) Distortion

Distortion, as a universal process, is at the core of how we form our reality. This process is the foundation for most acts of creativity. When used correctly and managed well, a person can create works of art, music, or literature. This process is also used to perceive these arts. But the main function of this process—put simply—is bullshitting.

How does distortion show up in speech? If you and a friend were in the same situation, you’d each tell the story differently. That’s what it is.

Now, an Exercise:

Take the mechanisms of omission and generalization, and as you listen to people, ask clarifying questions. The goal is to gather as much information as possible, note the person’s reaction, and decide if you need that information or not. When I did this myself, it was a real eye-opener.

Stalinlingus