Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

[Admin]

Who knows what NLP is, and is there any truth in it?

It's not something I've ever looked at deeply but my impressions are that there are one or two claims for it that may work, but most of it is just overhyped psychobabble.

A fair picture or is there more to it? ???

[Mongrel]

Skeptics Dictionary (http://skepdic.com/neurolin.html) is your friend ;)

I've also seen the term used in customer service training. It's the sort of thing were you're not allowed to use certain words because they have 'negative' connatations, it's the sort of thing that's thought up by consultantants who've never met a real customer :P

Example, when I was on a PC helpdesk we weren't allowed to say "I just need to put you on hold while I check with a senior" because 'the customer likes a choice'. We had to say 'Do you mind if I put you on hold because I have to consult with a senior'. We never liked it because giving the customer a false choice often caused more trouble and use of even more negative words and phrases (No, can't, calm down, going to have to terminate the call if you swear one more time etc)

[Dr B]

There is evidence that NLP can work on certain people. It taps into certain cognitive biases and attentional styles - it does not work on everyone.

The problem is, it is an area that has been hijacked by commercial psychology and that stuff you should be skeptical of....

I use to have some books on it somewhere....will search them out.

The thing with NLP is you make people feel like they are choosing but you have already made the choice for them by trying to bias them towards certain decisions before giving them the choice. The thing is - you do not need NLP to do this - other cues can do it also (ask Randi or any other skilled magician). Some argue it works on primacy and recency effects - others that the processing is more deeper than that.

It is not a science in itself, but an application of some psychological theory. I really do not like all this NLP stuff we see in the pop-media as most of that is sheer bollocks.

However, the point about certain people being influenced by certain forms and structure of information is a well-founded premise.

[tkingdoll]

I've also seen the term used in customer service training. It's the sort of thing were you're not allowed to use certain words because they have 'negative' connatations, it's the sort of thing that's thought up by consultantants who've never met a real customer :P

Example, when I was on a PC helpdesk we weren't allowed to say "I just need to put you on hold while I check with a senior" because 'the customer likes a choice'. We had to say 'Do you mind if I put you on hold because I have to consult with a senior'. We never liked it because giving the customer a false choice often caused more trouble and use of even more negative words and phrases (No, can't, calm down, going to have to terminate the call if you swear one more time etc)


Marketing uses a similar approach. For example, if I'm designing a customer survey, I can phrase questions in a certain way to subtly influence the outcome whichever way I want the results to go. Consumer research is particularly rife with this, marketing gets its bad reputation from this sort of shenanigans.

[Zendal Darkman]

I have read several posts on other forums attributing Derren Browns 'abilities' to NLP. However, as far as I am aware, Derren has never made the claims himself.

[Admin]

Yes, I've seen those claims too but not from Derren.

Derren just uses standard mentalist routines but does a great job of making them look spookily sinister.

[Dr B]

Derren does not use the term NLP - but he does practise it. He may well use it via a different name. he does hint that he uses 'psychology and misdirection' in his techniques. I guess the psychology is the primacy / recency and NLP stuff. O0

[Admin]

I think he uses the 'eye accessing cues' effect to do the routine where he can tell whether someone's lying or not, but I don't think that much of his work relies on NLP.

I could be wrong of course but I think most of his routines are tried and tested standard mentalism.

[Sgt Badass]

I can field this one...

Being deep into a sales course at the moment I can say that the techniques sometimes said to be 'NLP' do work on some people. Even with my skeptic mode set to 'annoying cynical' the top class sales dudes can run rings around me (probably more of a reflection of my weak mind than their skill).

It's just manipulation though and they keep spouting crap about Derren Brown being an 'NLP Master' (some fake certificate crap you find banded around in networking circles). DB himself has said that NLP is bunk - but he's probably talking about the really nutty stuff like how listening to some whiny blokes on a tape on the way to work every morning can increase your profits by 100%.

Anyhoo, it seems that if you break someone's expected train of thought, you can get them to do things they wouldn't normally do. In our case not to slam the phone down when you cold call them or throw coffee in your face when you turn up at the door.

If I learn how to get someone to eat an onion without gagging, I'll report back.

[Admin]

Welcome to the UKS forum Sgt Badass O0

I think that Derren's view of NLP is that some of the basic stuff is real and works but the majority is overhyped bunkum.

I don't claim to know much about NLP but I read something recently about how it started off with good intentions but ended up being hijacked by new-age types and the motivational gurus who try to advise business people and also those who work as life coaches.

[median]

NLP..?

Whatever happened to good old fashioned electric shocks? ;D ;D ;D ;D

Pass the clamps please nurse.. >:D

[Admin]

Therapy time... :nurse:

Ooph, suits me sir!

[Dr B]

did someone say nurse..... ;D :D

[tkingdoll]

This forum is full of dirty old men :o

*gets out the spanking paddle*

[Dr B]

oooohhhh nurse teek.......is it time for our correction????? :-* ;D I fear it will take a big paddle and lots of spanking to knock us into shape..... :D

[Sgt Badass]

I'll join the queue!

[Ginger Rogers]

I thought I would comment on this thread as I've had NLP therapy in the past, a couple years ago, and also about 4 years ago, with the same person.

The first time I went I found it fairly helpful. But when you have problems, just speaking about it can make you feel better so that might have been it. The last time it didn't really do much for me.

I thought it was like mild hypnotherapy in fact.

I had to relax into a chair, and I was told to picture in my mind various thiings, and I was asked quick fire questions and had to say the first thing that came to my mind, and I kept being asked 'and what is the highest possible intention of (whatever it was I'd previously said)
I also had to imagine myself as whatever it was I wasn't - confident etc, and then I had to 'walk into' the person who I wanted to be, who was apparantly sat in the other chair, so I had to go sit in the other chair and 'become' that person.

But I couldn't really picture myself as being like that, so therefore it didn't really work. because I was thinking in my mind 'Yeah like it's going to work' therefore it didn't.

I bought Paul McKenna's book, change your life in 7 days. All that stuff he does is NLP. ( I didn't finish the book btw)

I found it a bit strange to begin with, but I really got on well with the person who I saw.

[kath23]

Is this the sort of behaviour which one should exhibit in front of a lady? :o ;D