Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) What is it and how does it work?

It is easy for the concept of Neuro-Linguistic Programming create confusion. What is it based on? When is it applied? Here are some key ideas to know what NLP is.

What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?

Steve Bavister and Amanda Vickers (2014), define Neurolinguistic Programming as a communication model that focuses on identifying and use thinking models that influence a person's behavior as a way to improve the quality and effectiveness of the lifetime.

A problem with NLP is the nature of its name, since when the term is mentioned Neurolinguistic Programming to people who have never heard of it, the reaction is usually a little negative. On the other hand, the name could suggest that we are dealing with empirical techniques derived from the neurosciences, but there is no evidence to confirm the effectiveness of these.

Stephen Briers (2012) says that NLP is not really a coherent treatment, but "a hodgepodge of different techniques without a very clear theoretical basis". This author maintains that the maxim of Neurolinguistic Programming is 

narcissistic, egocentric and dissociated from the notions of responsibility.

In addition, he states that "sometimes we have to accept and mourn the death of our dreams, not just dismiss them occasionally as inconsequential. NLP reframing puts us in the role of a widower avoiding the pain of grief by taking a leap towards a relationship with a younger woman, not stopping to say a proper goodbye to his wife dead".

What is the Neurolinguistic Programming model focused on?

The world is experienced through five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. A lot of information comes to us continuously; consciously and unconsciously we eliminate what we do not want to pay attention to. They tell us that the remaining information is based on our past experiences, values, and beliefs. What we end up with is incomplete and inaccurate, since part of the general information has been eliminated, and the rest has been generalized or distorted.

What is NLP based on?

The most important thing to have a vision about what Neuro-Linguistic Programming is is to know that it is based on four fundamental aspects, which are known as the “four pillars” according to Steve Bavister and Amanda Vickers (2014).

1. Results

To achieve something, we talk about objectives, in NLP the term results is used. If there is a prior concentration on what you want to achieve, there will be a guide that will guide all the available resources of that person to the achievement of a goal.

2. Sensory acuity

Sensory acuity refers to the ability to observe or detect small details to be aware of what is happening around us. People vary greatly in their awareness of what they see, hear, or feel. There are people who are more dedicated to observing their surroundings, while others are more focused on their own emotions and thoughts.

3. Flexibility in behavior

When you start to know what your results are and use your sensory acuity to observe what is happening, the information you get allows you to make adjustments to your behavior, if it is necessary. If the actions you perform do not lead you in the direction you want, it is clear that you should try to take another path or try something different, but many people lack that flexibility in behavior and simply insist on doing the same over and over again time.

4. Rapport

The rapport could be considered as that component that unites people. Most of the time it happens naturally, automatically, instinctively. Some people we meet seem to share our perspective on life, while there are other people we don't connect with. It is necessary to improve the capacity of rapport with other people to obtain more effective relationships.

The presuppositions of Neurolinguistic Programming

Salvador Carrión (2008), refers that a presupposition is something we take for granted, without any proof. It tells us that Neurolinguistic Programming does not pretend that the presuppositions are true, although there is quite palpable evidence to support many of them. I have tried to find the "evidence" that supports these assumptions, but I have only found one explanation for each of them.

Life, mind and body are a single system

The mind and body are considered as a single system, each directly influencing the other. For example, what happens inside your body affects your thoughts and will affect the people around you.

You can't stop communicating

The message that we try to convey is not always the one that others receive. Therefore, from NLP they tell us that we must be aware of the reactions of others to see if our message has been successful. This can actually lead to serious difficulties in crafting a message, as focusing on the reactions or be alert to possible consequences, it is not something that will add quality to the communication.

Beneath each behavior there is a positive intention

In an addiction or a bad behavior there is always a positive intention, therefore finding the root of that problem and expressing the positive intention, you can go from smoking for 15 years to not having that need.

If what you are doing is not working, do something else

If you try a way to tackle a problem and you don't get the results you expected, try something different, and keep varying your behavior until you get the answer you were searching.

If one person can do something, everyone can learn to do it

There is in NLP, the process of modeling excellence. If you want an article published for you, for example, you could look at someone who is brilliant at writing and imitate the way she does it. In this way, you will be soaking up valuable knowledge.

Criticisms of Norelinguistic Programming

Roderique-Davies (2009) states that using the word "neuro" in NLP is "effectively fraudulent since NLP does not offer any explanation at the neuronal level and it could be argued that its use is falsely fed on the notion of scientific credibility ".

On the other hand, Devilly (2005), maintains that the so-called “power therapiesThey gain popularity, because they are promoted, like other pseudosciences, using a set of social influence tactics. These include making extraordinary claims such as, "a one-time cure for any traumatic memory." These kinds of strategies are incredibly disproportionate and they play with the health of many people who trust in professionals with supposed preparation and ethics when carrying out their activity.

Finally, Borgo (2006) refers that the few effective tools or more or less proven theories of Neurolinguistic Programming do not belong exclusively to him and what is novel about him has not been empirically proven. What's more, what is new about it, either seems very simplistic, or contradicts what science says.

To know more...

First of all, we suggest a practical extension of the fundamental questions of NLP by reading this article:

"The 10 principles of NLP"

In this conference, Javier Gil from the University of Vigo explains in detail more concepts and techniques related to NLP.

Bibliographic references:

• Bavister, Steve., Vickers, Amanda. (2014). Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Ama
• Borgo, A. J. (2006). Neurolinguistic Programming: The mirage for executives. The skeptical eye. http://www.elojoesceptico.com.ar/revistas/eoe06/eoe0605
• Briers, Steven. (2012). Exploding the myths of the Self-Help Generation. Pearson
• Carrion, Salvador. (2008). NLP practitioner course: the new technique for change and success. Obelisk
• Poffel, S. A., & Cross, H. J. (1985). Neurolinguistic programming: A test of the eye-movement hypothesis. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 61, 3, 1262.doi: 10.2466 / pms.1985.61.