Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Digital: What Do These Mean in NLP?

You’ve probably come across the terms visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and digital. Let’s break down what they mean and how they’re used in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

We perceive the world through five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Together, these elements form our experiences. Try to recall a moment from your past—say, a conversation with a friend. If you imagine removing the visual component, you’re left with words and the voice. Remove the sounds, and you’re left with the smells, your emotions, and feelings. Take away the smells, emotions, and feelings, and you might remember tastes—especially if you were eating ice cream or drinking a cold beverage. If you remove even the taste, all that remains is the knowledge that you had a conversation.

So, our experiences consist of visual, auditory, sensory, olfactory, and tactile components. The ways we perceive these experiences are called perception systems.

How We Communicate Experience

Imagine you want to describe your conversation to someone else. It’s not hard, because our language has words for each perception system. These are mainly verbs and adjectives, called predicates in NLP. For example:

• Visual: “see,” “bright”
• Auditory: “hear,” “loud”
• Kinesthetic: “carry,” “soft”
• Olfactory: “catch a scent,” “sharp”
• Gustatory: “taste,” “sour”

NLP founders noticed that people tend to favor one perception system when talking about their experiences. You can often tell which one by the predicates they use. For example, if I say, “I want to clearly outline my thoughts so you can picture what I’m describing,” I’m using mostly visual predicates.

It’s important to note that no one uses only one type of predicate. But by analyzing someone’s speech, you can see which system they prefer. Think of your mind as a person sitting in front of five information channels, favoring one but still aware of the others. The worldview they build is mostly based on, say, visual information, but it’s supplemented by the rest. When they communicate, their speech will contain more visual predicates, but also some from other systems.

People don’t speak only in one system’s predicates—unless they’re in a psychiatric clinic! Instead, you might hear, “I noticed you’re saying things I understand, but I’d like a clearer idea of our goals.” Here, visual information is prioritized, and this person will understand you better if you use visual language. Matching your communication to their preferred system builds rapport, a key NLP skill. To do this, you need to consciously shift your attention to one channel at a time—a flexibility developed through practice.

Grouping the Perception Systems

In NLP, the sensory, olfactory, and tactile channels are grouped together as kinesthetic. So, we usually talk about visual, auditory, and kinesthetic channels. Now, let’s see how to identify which channel someone is using at any given moment.

It’s important in NLP to focus on which system a person prefers right now—not to label them for life. The processes we care about are reflected in both language and nonverbal signals. By calibrating these signals, we can determine which system someone is using in conversation. Watch for predicates, voice characteristics, breathing, gestures, and body position.

Identifying Preferred Perception Systems

Visual System

• Predicates: “see,” “notice,” “look,” “bright,” “clear,” “obvious,” “transparent,” “murky,” “vivid,” etc.
• Voice: Fast speech, often louder and higher-pitched due to rapid airflow.
• Breathing: Quick, chest-based breathing with raised shoulders.
• Gestures: Pointing to imaginary objects, as if showing locations or directions.
• Body Position: Sitting back with head tilted up, or standing with head raised and eyes moving upward.

Auditory System

• Predicates: “listen,” “discuss,” “talk,” “sounds good,” “I hear you,” etc.
• Voice: Speech varies in speed, volume, and pitch, like musical instruments.
• Breathing: Centered in the solar plexus (diaphragmatic), with still shoulders and abdomen.
• Gestures: Like a conductor, keeping rhythm with one hand at chest level.
• Body Position: Standing straight, possibly tilting head to listen.

Kinesthetic System

• Predicates: “try,” “take control,” “move,” “feel,” “touch,” “approach,” “give,” “delicious,” “warm,” “soft,” “easy,” etc.
• Voice: Slow, low, and quiet, reflecting fewer sensory impressions.
• Breathing: Deep, slow, abdominal breathing.
• Gestures: Touching oneself, stroking, or rubbing the body.
• Body Position: Leaning forward with elbows on thighs, hand supporting chin.

Digital (Audio-Digital) System

This system isn’t about sensory experience, but about analysis and meaning. When you remove all sensory components from a memory, what’s left is understanding—whether something was good or bad, right or wrong. The digital system is about logic and cause-effect relationships.

• Evaluative Judgments: “good,” “bad,” “clear,” “unclear,” “logical,” “normal,” “right,” “not cool,” etc.
• Language: Shifts from “I” to “me,” losing gender markers (“I had to go” instead of “I went”). Uses past or future tense, and speaks in categories (“furniture” instead of “chair,” “table,” “cabinet”).
• Behavior: Tries to consciously control all actions, leading to stiff, robotic movements. Fingers are held together, gestures are angular, and walking may look mechanical.

Why This Matters in NLP

Understanding these characteristics allows you to adapt your communication style. If you can shift your perception to match someone’s preferred system, you’ll naturally adjust your posture, breathing, gestures, voice, and language. This is a crucial skill for NLP practitioners: the ability to consciously switch between visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or digital modes.