Introduction to NLP Meta-Model

by Loren Larsen

Last updated: 4/9/2006

META-MODEL

The Meta-Model was first described by John Grinder and Richard Bandler in their book Structure of Magic vol. 1. In their observation of successful therapists, like Virginia Satir, they began to notice systematic use of certain language patterns that allowed these therapists to ask just the right question and enabled them to often get right to the heart of the matter. This page describes the meta-model patterns.

Introduction

John Grinder was a professor of linguistics at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and his area of speciality was something relatively new at the time called Transformation Grammar. The meta-model is based loosely on some of that model of linguistics, particularly the notion of surface structure and deep structure.

Basically, surface structure describes the words being used, and deep structure represents the intuition a person has about the words that enables them to make sense of it. The surface structure and deep structure are different, in that the surface structure contains deletions, distortions, and generalizations. These 3 processes, while essential to functioning in the world, can also allow people to walk around with limitations in their view of the world. For example, if someone walks up to you and hits on the head, and then another person, you might conclude that you should avoid all people because "People always hit me on the head." It might useful for preserving ones safety in certain situations, but not very useful in forming wonderful and long-lasting relationships. The meta-model provides a way for you to open up possibilities in what people say...

The Model

PATTERN	RESPONSE
DISTORTIONS
MIND READING (claiming to know someone else's thoughts without specifying how you know) He doesn't like me	How do you know he doesn't like you?
LOST PERFORMATIVE (Value judgements where evidence for the judgement is omitted) It's bad to be late.	Who says it's bad to be late? According to who? How do you know it's bad?
CAUSE & EFFECT (Statement implies that A causes B) If he ever leaves me I'll be so sad.	How would him leaving you cause you to feel sad? Has anyone ever left you before and you not felt bad? (Seek counter-example)
COMPLEX EQUIVALENCE (Statement implies that A is equivalent to B) His being late means he doesn't love me I know he's mad because he gave me THAT look.	How does his being late mean he doesn't love you? (Seek evidence) How does his giving you that look mean he's mad?
PRESUPPOSITIONS (The statement assumes that something is true or will be true) I'm concerned that my new manager will be as unreasonable as my last. Presuppositions: Person has a manager, person had a manager who is no longer his/her manager, his/her previous manager was unresonable.	How specifically was your previous manager unresonable?
GENERALIZATIONS
UNIVERSAL QUANTIFIERS (words like: always, all, every, everyone, never, no one) He's always nicer to you. She never listens to me. Everyone thinks I'm wonderful	He's always nicer to you? Has there ever been a time when she listened to you? Everyone?
MODAL OPERATORS (of possibility: can, will of impossibility: can't, won't of necessity: must, have to, it is necessary) I can't do it I have to be at the meeting	Have you ever been able to do that? What would happen if you didn't?
DELETIONS
NOMINALIZATIONS (verbs that have been made into nouns; the rule is, if it's a noun and you can't put it in a wheelbarrow then it's a nominalization;) We had a communication She values her freedom He's a visual	What were you communicating about? What about being free is important to her? How does he visualize?
UNSPECIFIED VERBS (verbs where some detail of the action is not specified) He rejected me He touched me	How specifically did he reject you? How did he touch you?
LACK OF REFERENTIAL INDEX (an action is specified, but WHO is doing the action is left unspecified. Put another way, it's any non-referring noun phrase) They stole candy from my house It's not fair	Who stole the candy from your house? Who is it not fair for?
COMPARATIVE DELETIONS (A comparison is made, but what it is being compared to is unspecified; included words like: better, worse, more, less, best, worst) I'm a better person She's the worst	Better than who? Compared to who?