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Neuro-linguistic programming

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a set of techniques and beliefs that adherents use primarily as anapproach to psychotherapy, healing, communication and personal development. Critics say that NLP is

pseudoscientific and is promoted using fake jargon and exaggerated claims characteristic of fraud and

charlatanry. NLP methods include the use of visualization, affirmations, guided fantasy, ritual, trancestates, hypnosis, and specific body language such as posture and eye movements.

NLP was proposed in 1973 by Richard Bandler and John Grinder as a set of models and principles to

describe the relationship between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic, both verbal and non-verbal) and

how their interaction might be organized (programming) to affect an individual's mind, body andbehavior. It is described by the original developers as "therapeutic magic" and "the study of the structure

of subjective experience" . It is predicated upon the assumption that all behaviours have a practically

determinable structure.

NLP is based on New Age beliefs in unlimited potential and the access to subconscious engrams, and

body language cues derived from the observation of therapeutic wizards. Techniques include behavior

change, transforming beliefs, and treatment of traumas through techniques such as reframing and "metamodeling" proposed for exploring the personal limits of belief as expressed in language. NLP has been

applied to a number of fields such as sales, psychotherapy, communication, education, coaching, sport,

business management, interpersonal relationships, seduction, occult and spirituality.

Professors Sharpley, Druckman, and the National Research Council have criticised NLP in research

reviews which conclude that its claims are unsupported and that it has failed to show its claimed efficacy

in controlled studies. Several reviews have characterized NLP as pseudoscientific and mass-marketedpsychobabble. NLP is identified by many scientists as charlatanry and fraudulent as a dubious therapy

and a cult described by Winkin and is promoted in the same mold as Dianetics and Scientology.

Beyerstein, Lilienfeld, and Eisner report that there is much concern about government and businessorganizations being duped into adopting NLP and other non-supported therapies due to lack of scientific

awareness.

Overview Foundational assumptions Theory

Meaning of "Neuro" Brain lateralization Common patterns/ritualsModeling Fundamentals Presuppositional beliefs

B.A.G.E.L. Model Eye accessing cues, body cues,

and representational systems

Meta model and Milton model

NLP Models New Age Alternate brands

Background and Applications Background Applications


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NLP "Therapy" Scientific analysis Criticism

False claims to science Pseudoscience Ethical concerns

Questionable applications Cult characteristics See also

Overview

Hunt, a sociologist, characterizes NLP as a development with implied religiosity in the healing/self-

development field and states that NLP is an alternative to Scientology". Barrett states that NLP "is used

by some religions, and NLP as a philoshopy does exhibit some characteristics which are sometimesfound in some religions, but overall the balance comes down against it being labelled as a religion".

Hunt states While not an alternative religion per se NLP can be seen as similar to new religions of

eastern origin that trace themselves back through a progression of gurus, and to esoteric movements

claiming the authority of authenticity through their descent from previous movements". Winkin (1990)also says that NLP is like a religion .

Psychologists Beyerstein and Lilienfeld, characterize NLP as a New Age therapy. Devilly, professor of

psychology considers NLP to be an "alphabet" or "power therapy" similar to Thought Field Therapy or

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Emotional Freedom Technique and TraumaticIncident Reduction.

Foundational assumptions

Distinct from its formal presuppositions, NLP incorporates a variety of foundational assumptions that

precede the presuppositions. These are:

1.There is a mind-body connection

2.The mind is broadly composed of a conscious and a subconscious (or unconscious) component.

3.A person's experience of the world is processed and organized exclusively in terms of the five senses

4.Physiology, sensory representation ("submodality") and emotion comprise internal state

5.Behavior is the result of systematically ordered sequences of sensory representations ("strategies")

6.All behavior occurs in the context of internal state.

7.Internal state mediates experience and influences or determines behavior.

8.Internal state and strategy hence behavior have a discernible and communicable structure .

9.People exhibit their internal state in their language (verbal and non-verbal) .

10.Since behavior and its substrates internal state and strategy can be codified, a person's skill can


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be reproduced in another person

11.Behavior is learned

12.Direct and objective knowledge of the (external) world is not possible (you create your own reality.

Theory

Robert Dilts says that "NLP is theoretically rooted in neurology, psychophysiology, linguistics,

cybernetics and communication theory". Other NLP proponents say it is not based on theory, it is based

on modeling (and Richard Bandler states that he does not "do theory"). Singer states that "the process

involves pretending that a model works, trying it, then if you dont get results, discard it and trysomething else". Dilts et al. state that NLP is more interested in what works than what is true. Corballis

states that "NLP is a thoroughly fake title, designed to give the impression of scientific respectability.

NLP has little to do with neurology, linguistics, or even the respectable subdiscipline of

neurolinguistics".

A NLP practitioner may, after observing a person's behaviours, develop a theory of what a person isdoing. When they have observed a pattern in a person's behaviour, this could be considered their theory.

NLP trainers says not to let a pre-existing "general" theory or belief affect the observation of what is

actually going on now. Singer says that NLP proponents make hypotheses and propose armchair

theories. For example, NLP assumes that all human behaviour is neurological, and all human behaviouris based on the 5 senses, rather than attitudes, reason, emotions, mind, morals or ego. According to

research reviews, the main tenets of NLP has been found to be conceptually erroneous and false.

Meaning of "Neuro"


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Explaining the neuro in NLP in relation to V-K modalities

All NLP literature refers to the altering of one's neurology through the neural pathways of the senses and

the neural circuits of the brain. Most current NLP literature mentions no more than the reprogramming

of mental habits and associations. However, the Engram is used within NLP to explain how NLP works.

Practitioners such as Derks, Singer, and Goldblatt theorize that NLP processes can be explained throughthe neurological concepts of programming and reprogramming engrams. According to Derks, NLP

anchors are conditioned stimuli which work by activating engrams in the subconscious. Within NLP,Engrams are proposed "to give a patterned response which has been stabilized at the level of

unconscious competence"

Brain lateralization

Hemispheric differences (brain lateralization) is used to support assumptions in NLP. Robert Diltspropose eye movements (and sometimes gestures) correspond to visual/auditory/kinesthetic

representations systems and to the specific regions in the brain. For example, the left side is said to be

more logical/analytical than the right side, which is said to be more creative/imaginative or that regionsof the brain are specialised for certain functions such as mathematics or language.


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Common patterns/rituals

Meta model (NLP): Questions and challenges designed to gather specific information.

Representational systems: In this model, human thinking can be reduced to ordered sequences of Visual,Auditory and Kinesthetic representations. Also, a person's choice of words, use of gestures, eye

movements and other subtle changes reveal information about people organise their thinking

Milton model Artfully vague language that is considered to be the inverse of the meta model

Circle of excellence: Imagining "your own magic circle on the ground in front of you", filling it with

symbols and archetypes of choice, in order to banish negativity and enhance positive thinking for use inany NLP situation

Anchoring: Resourceful states from the past are recalled and a bridge is created for those resource to be

available in future contexts

Perceptual positions: A situation is considered from different points of view or different descriptionsare created of the same event. E.g a situation is considered from the perspective of self, other, neutral

observer, God's eye view etc.

Logical levels / logical types: Ordering information into different by type. * Neurological levels:

Categorisation of information into a hierarchies consisting of environment, behavior, competency,

belief/value, identity and or spirituality (purpose). Sometimes associated with the chakras with spirit

linked to the crown chakra.

Visual / kinesthetic dissociation: A process to reduce the negative feeling associated to a memory

Rapport: Mirroring or matching somebody's verbal (for example, sensory predicates) and non-verbalbehavior (gestures, movements, eye movements) in an attempt to gain their willing unconscious

attention

Submodalities: Deliberately changing the size, brightness, movement of internal images in an attempt to

alter the impact of those images

Swish pattern: A quick fix technique that involves repetitively pushing away negative mental imagery

and pulling forward positive imagery using body language and saying "SWISSSHHH" in order to affect

a behaviour changetop

Modeling

NLP modeling is a method that is promoted for duplicating behaviour, expertise or excellence, or

reproducing "magic" abilities of experts. It is considered by Grinder to be at the heart of NLP. It can be

thought of as the process of discovering relevant distinctions within these experiential components, as


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well as sequencing these components, aiming to achieve a specific result. NLP proponents claim that it i

used to discover and codify patterns of excellence as demonstrated consistently by top performers in anyfield. For example, Dilts states that psychic states of consciousness can be modelled by changing the

sense sequence (instead of getting feelings from what you see, generate images from what you feel).

NLP modeling has also been applied to clinical conditions, such as the "skill" of schizophrenia and

notable people of whom we have only writings, such as Jesus of Nazareth and Sherlock Holmes. It hasbeen argued that modeling from writings is unverifiable (both within and outside NLP).

Fundamentals

Presuppositional beliefsThe presuppositional beliefs or presuppositions of NLP are sometimes described as an epistemology]. Apresupposition (linguistic term) is a background belief that is treated by the NLP practitioner "as if" it

were literally true.

The fundamental presuppositions in NLP include:

The map is not the territory - The process by which we create of perceptions and repond to the worddistort, generalise, delete portions of our experience. These filters occur even before we are first aware o

them (for example, a typical human eye will respond to wavelengths from 400 to 700 nm).

Life and 'Mind' are Systemic ProcessesThese presuppositional beliefs are considered groundbreaking by NLP proponents because of a

contradiction with the modern scientific Aristotelian view that reality can be objectively measured], and

the psychoanalyst view is that the presuppositions upon which NLP are founded are not valid,

The other commonly related presuppositional beliefs are derived from the these two fundamentalpresuppositions. Some researchers consider the NLP presuppositional beliefs of unlimited resource andthe positive intention behind every behaviour to be ultimately spiritual in nature.

B.A.G.E.L. Model

The B.A.G.E.L. Model specifies the five elements (in mnemonic form) that purportedly comprise thebehavioral cues that indicate an individual's internal processes. The B.A.G.E.L. Model is predicated on

the notion that internal processes are subjectively represented in sensory terms: visually, auditory,

kinesthetically and least likely, olfactory and gustatory.

1.Body posture (eg. leaning back, head upwards and shallow breathing indicates visual representation)

2.Accessing cues (eg. fluctuating voice tone and tempo indicates auditory representation)

3.Gestures (eg. gesturing below the neck indicates kinesthetic representation)

4.Eye movements (See Eye accessing cues and the representational systems below)


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5.Language patterns (specifically sensory based, eg. "I see!", "Sounds right!" or "I feel that...") .

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Eye accessing cues, body cues, and representational systems

Eye accessing cues of NLP (for a normally organized right-hander)

A core NLP training exercise involves learning to calibrate eye movements patterns with internal

representations. According to NLP developers, this core tenet loosely relates to the VAK guidelinesbelow:

Visual: eyes up to left or right according to dominant hemisphere access; high or shallow breathing;muscle tension in neck; high pitched/nasal voice tone; phrases such as I can imagine the big picture.


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Auditory: eyes left or right; even breathing from diaphragm; even or rhythmic muscle tension; clearmidrange voice tone, sometimes tapping or whistling; phrases such as Let's tone down the discussion.

Kinesthetic: eyes down left or right; belly breathing and sighing; relaxed musculature; slow voice tone

with long pauses; phrases such as I can grasp a hold of it

According to Dilts and, Lewis and Pucelik a persons body type corresponds to their thinking style and

their body type will be shaped by their thinking style. A tense thin body with protruding eyes, protrudingchin, stiff jerky movements, tight lips and nasal speech are characteristic of a visually oriented person. A

full soft body, big soft lips, and slow speech is characteristic of a kinesthetic person, and an auditory

person is somewhere in between. NLP theory explains these breathing and mental processing accordingto the varying levels of chemical composition in the blood that affects the brain, and Visual people

tend to be fast visual thinkers and can seem untrustworthy to kinesthetic thinkers because thinking by

feeling is inherently slow. It is further claimed that matching VAK predicates can build rapport withindividuals. Some authors use internal Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic strategies in order to categorize

people within a thinking strategies or learning styles framework for instance, that there exist visual,kinesthetic or auditory types of manager. According to Menon the representational systems in NLP havea mystical origin and correspond with the vedic occult elements of air/fire (most people), water and earth

(VAK).

Meta model and Milton model

The meta model of NLP is a set of thirteen language patterns developed from their observations of

Virginia Satir and Fritz Perls, and is proposed as an information gathering tool, and to challenge(theoretical) distortions, generalizations or deletions in the speaker's language. The meta model can be

reduced to the asking "What specifically", or "How specifically?" to clarify the thinking of a client (orunspecified syntactic elements)

The meta model involves the identification of the abandoned theoretical concepts of Chomsky's

transformational grammar.

These are the three features which are common to all human modeling processes: Deletion, Distortion,

and Generalization. These are the universal processes of human modeling - the way that people create

any representation of their experience" (Bandler and Grinder1 1975 page44).

However, in contrast with Chomsky's abandoned theory and with linguistics theory, distortions,

generalizations and deletions are considered by Bandler and Grinder to be universally applicable to anylanguage, and are applied directly as a prescription from untested theory to empirically untested

application.

The inverse of the meta model is the Milton model a collection of "artfully vague" language patterns

elicited from the work of Milton H. Erickson. It is said that the use of non-specific language patterns canallow the client to make their own meaning for what is being said.


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NLP Models

Aside from the fundamental Meta model, Milton Model, and Representational Systems, NLP proponents

also proposed methods for belief change, meta programs, the George A. Miller's T.O.T.E. model.

Longstanding practitioners Robert Dilts and Judith Delozier claim that the SMART model, amongstothers are also part of NLP.

New Age

Professors Beyerstein and Lilienfeld class NLP as a New Age development, and Kelly says NLP wasinvolved in the foundation of the New Age. This is partly due to related New Age notions that were

common at the time of development, such as Dianetics promoted by Perls, the human potential theorist.According to Dilts, Grinder developed NLP rituals from the shamanic teachings of Carlos Castaneda,

such as the the NLP double induction process, and perceptual positions, designed to move attention or

energy to other realities.

Despite the lack of empirical evidence, NLP adherents continue to believe in its efficacy for personal and

spiritual growth, and as such, NLP has been associated with New Alternative Religions and analternative to Scientology, though its religiosity is more implied and it is less organized than the Church

of Scientology.

Alternate brands

Individual trainers have often introduced or idiosyncratically developed their own methods, concepts and

labels, branding them under the "NLP" name:

John Grinder teaches New Code of NLP

Anthony Robbins teaches NAC (Neuro Associative Conditioning )

Michael Hall teaches Neuro-Semantics

Tad James teaches Advanced Neuro Dynamics & Time Line Therapy

Richard Bandler himself now teaches his own offshoot of NLP, called DHE (Design HumanEngineering)

Margo Anand promotes a form of NLP called SkyDancing Tantra

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Background and Applications

Background


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One of the earliest influences on NLP were General Semantics (Alfred Korzybski) as a new perspective

for looking at the world which included a kind of mental hygiene . This was a departure from theAristotelian concepts of modern science and objective reality, and it influenced notions of programming

the mind. Korzybski General semantics influenced several schools of thought, leading to a viable human

potential industry and associations with emerging New Age thinking. By the late 1960s, self-help

organizations such as EST, Dianetics, and Scientology had become financially successful. The Esalenhuman potential seminars in California began to attract people, such as the therapist and dianetics

proponent Fritz Perls, as well as Gregory Bateson, Virginia Satir, and Milton H. Erickson.

While at Kresge College, University of California, Santa Cruz, John Grinder then an Assistant Professor

of linguistics was invited by Richard Bandler, then a fourth year undergraduate student to visit his

Gestalt therapy group. Between 1973-1979, under the mentorship of Gregory Bateson, the co-founderscollaborated, and published several books including The Structure of Magic Volumes I & II (1975,

1975a), Changing with families and Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson,

Volumes I & II (1977, 1978) based on the patterns of Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir, Milton H. Erickson.

The practice of neuro-linguistic programming attracted mostly therapists at first although it eventuallyattracted business people, sales people, artists, and "new-agers". As it expanded, Leslie Cameron-Bandler, Judith DeLozier, Stephen Gilligan, Robert Dilts, and David Gordon (Therapeutic Metaphors,

1978) made further contributions to NLP and the seminars of Bandler and Grinder were transcribed by

Steve Andreas into a book, Frogs into Princes. This was published in 1979 and drove the demand for

seminars which in turn became successful human potential attractions. A dispute between Bandler andGrinder over trademarks and copyright was resolved in court of California in 2000 who deemed NLP a

generic term.

Applications

Much of NLP is now largely targeted for niche markets (particularly commercialized, cut down or self-help usage), and may be more controversial or esoteric, sometimes charismatically or evangelistically

taught. Some of the original developers, notably Richard Bandler and the stage hypnotist Paul McKenna

have encouraged these trends and the resulting fragmentation and move towards "pop NLP" has

discredited the subject in the eyes of many people.NLP is sometimes applied to coaching and for personal or business development, including motivational

communication and systems thinking. NLP is often promoted as large group seminars, similar to or in

combination with Landmark Forum seminars Barrett (2001:238)states that "Like many alternativereligions, particularly the Estoeric movements, there is a career ladder within NLP. Many people find the

introductory seminar interesting and thirst for more. Practitioner training is the place to go next."

Some of these involve day long, or several day periods of large group awareness activities including theintroduction of authority figure guest speakers and promotion of New Age products. For example,

Anthony Robbins promotes NLP as a "systemic approach for change" through his seminars, and otherproducts. NLP trainers and consultants are now applying NLP rituals and techniques in some HR

application areas.

NLP "Therapy"


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Dilts and Grinder (1999) have proposed that healing is facilitated by 1; Ritual 2; Prayer, and 3;

Relationship to an authority or guardian angel. They propose that this applies equally throughout everyhealing situation. "Experts such as Beyerstein (1990p31) and consider NLP to be a fringe or alternative

therapy . Although studies on NLP have failed to support its claimed effectiveness, NLP is used, or

suggested as an approach, by a few mental health bodies, including the National Phobics Society of

Great Britain, MIND, the British Stammering Association, the Center for Development & Disability atthe University of New Mexico Center for autism. Around 1978, NLP practitioner certification was set up

as a 20 day program with the aim of training therapists to apply NLP as an adjunct to their professional

qualifications. In Europe, the European NLP therapy association has been promoting their training inline with European therapy standards. Barrett 2001:239) says that NLP promoters sell a biofeedback

GSR meter which is "cheaper and perhaps more effective than the Scientology E-meter". The Handbook

of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies and others classify NLP as a "dubious therapy".

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Scientific analysis

On the questions of does NLP work? and is NLP effective? Singer cited the NRC research

committee who stated that there was no evidence of its claimed effectiveness.

Von Bergen et al state that "in relation to current understanding of neurology and perception, NLP is in

error", and Druckman et al (1988) say that "instead of being grounded in contemporary, scientifically

derived neurological theory, NLP is based on outdated metaphors of brain functioning and is laced withnumerous factual errors".

The 1988 US National Committee (a board of 14 prepared scientific experts) report found that"Individually, and as a group, these studies fail to provide an empirical base of support for NLP

assumptions...or NLP effectiveness. The committee cannot recommend the employment of such an

unvalidated technique". In addition, Edgar Johnson, technical director of the Army Research Institute

heading the NLP focused Project Jedi stated that "Lots of data shows that NLP doesn't work". Heap(1989) says "NLP has failed to yield convincing evidence for the NLP model, and failed to provide

evidence for its effectiveness".

Heap says "the conjecture that a person has a preferred representational system (PRS), which is observed

in the choice of words, has been found to be false according to rigorous research reviews". "The

assertion that a person has a PRS which can be determined by the direction of eye movements foundeven less support".

A single critique by Einspruch and Forman (1985) said that Sharpley's review of NLP contained

methodological errors. However, Sharpley refuted this and provided further experimental evidence todemonstrate that NLP is ineffective and in error in both method and model.Von Bergen et al state that "NLP does not stand up to scientific scrutiny". Thus, objective empirical

studies and review papers have consistently shown NLP to be ineffective and reviews or meta-analysis

have given NLP a conclusively negative assessment, and the reiterated statement is that there is no


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neuro-scientific basis for any of NLP's claims, or any scientific support for its claimed efficacy.

Efran and Lukens state that the "original interest in NLP turned to dissolusionment after the research and

now it is rarely even mentioned in psychotherapy". Eisner (2000) states that "NLP proponents have

provided not one iota of scientific support for their claims"

Devilly states that "controlled studies shed such a poor light on NLP and those promoting theintervention made such extreme and changeable claims that that researchers found it unwise to test the

theory any further". "NLP is no longer as prevalent as it was in the 1970s or 1980s, but is still practiced

in small pockets: The science has come and gone, yet the belief still remains and some people stillenroll".

Beyerstein states that NLP is a pseudoscientific fringe therapy, and explains that "bogus therapies can beexplained by the placebo effect, social pressure, superficial symptomatic rather than core treatment , and

overestimating some apparent successes while ignoring, downplaying, or explaining away failures." In

Brianscams, Beyerstein states that when the New Age brain manipulators such as NLP are challenged,"critics typically encounter anecdotes and user testimonials where there ought to be rigorous pre-and

post treatment comparisons" .

Criticism

Sanghera, a columinst for Financial Times (London, 2005) writes, "critics say NLP is simply a half-

baked conflation of pop psychology and pseudoscience that uses jargon to disguise the fact that it isbased on a set of banal, if not incorrect, presuppositions"

NLP has been criticized by clinical psychologists, management scholars, linguists, psychotherapists andcult awareness groups, concerning ineffectiveness, pseudoscientific explanation of linguistics and

neurology, ethically questionable, cult-like characteristics, and promotion by exaggerated claims. Schtzan NLP practitioner outlines the varying length and quality of NLP training, and the difference betweenthe hobbyist courses and full length training, he outlines some criticism of NLP saying it has even been,

"labeled in unfavorable political ways (nazilinguistic programming)"

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False claims to science

Professor Singer (1999) states that "NLP often associates itself with science in order to raise its own

prestige". Anthropologist Winkin considers such promotion to be "intellectually fraudulent" andcompares NLP's association with Science to astrology's association to astronomy.

As with any other science, theory is central to behavioural science. However, Gregory Bateson in the

introduction to Structure of Magic Volume I writes, "The behavioral sciences, and especially psychiatry,have always avoided theory...". The co-originators have also stated, "We are not psychologists, and we're

also not theologians or theoreticians". However, proponents claim that the Milton model is based on the

behavioural patterns of Milton H. Erickson and that if these patterns can be 'formalized it will make a


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solid foundation for a science of communication' yet Grinder & Bostic St Clair (2001) say that "the

coding phase of NLP modeling is at present an art".

Singer states that "none of the NLP developers have done any research to "prove" their models correct

though NLP promoters and advertisers continue to call the originators scientists and use such terms as

science, technology and hi-tech psychology in describing NLP". CAP, a UK-based advertising body hasissued an advisory in relation to "Stop smoking claims by hypnotherapists" that "references to NLP

should avoid implying that it is a new science".

Psycholinguist Willem Levelt states that (translated into English by Drenth) "NLP is not informed aboutlinguistics literature, it is based on vague insights that were out of date long ago, their linguistics

concepts are not properly construed or are mere fabrications, and conclusions are based upon the wrong

premises. NLP theory and practice has nothing to do with neuroscientific insights or linguistics, nor withinformatics or theories of programming".

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Pseudoscience


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Winkin 1990 and Beyerstein 1990 associate NLP with the classic pseudoscience of phrenology

NLP has been classed as a pseudoscientific self help development, in the same mold as EST (Landmark

Forum) and Dianetics(Scientology). Self-help critic Salerno associates NLP with pseudoscience, and hascriticized its promotion as self-help. Psychologists such as Singer and management experts such as Von

Bergen (1997) have criticized its use within management and human resources developments.

Numerous extraordinary and unsupported claims have been made by some NLP promoters. There havebeen claims that the heightening of perception using NLP can allow a novice martial artist to beat an

expert], and that it is possible to develop photographic memory through the use of NLP.

Historically, NLP has many pseudoscientific associations such as the explicit and implicit erroneous

adherence to the subconscious engram concept, claims to rapid cures and treatment of traumas, the use

of popular new age myths such as unlimited potential, left/right brain simplicities, past life regression,and the use marketing/recruitment models similar to that of Dianetics (Scientology) and other cults.


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Pseudoscience is prone to certain fallacies and characteristics. These can be; Overgeneral predictions,pseudoscientific experimentation, dogmatic adherence or recycling of un-validated claims].

Lilienfeld states "the characteristics of pseudoscience are more specifically shown thus", for example:

"The use of obscurantist language" (eg meta programs, parapragmatics, submodalities etc)

"The absence of connectivity"

"Over-reliance on testimonial and anecdotal evidence"

"An overuse of ad hoc hypotheses and reversed burden of proof designed to immunize claims from

falsification"

"Emphasis on confirmation rather than refutation (eg reliance on asking how rather than why)"

"Absence of boundary conditions"

"Reversed burden of proof (away from those making claim (NLP promoters), and towards those testing

the claim (Scientists))".

"The mantra of holism and eclecticism designed to immunize from verifiable efficacy" (Claiming that

NLP is unmeasurable due to too many factors or to simplistically do what works.

"Evasion of peer review" (If claims were true, why were they not properly documented and presented

to the scientific community?)

Pseudoscientific arguments tend to contain several or all of these factors, as can be seen in this example

that shows ad hoc hypotheses and holistic argument as an attempt to explain away the negative findings,

and an emphasis on confirmation and reversed burden of proof etc.

Critics point of that NLP is based on outdated metaphors of brain functioning and is laced with

numerous factual errors. Modern neuroscience indicates that NLP's notions of neurology are erroneousand pseudoscientific in regards to: left/right brain hemispheric differences, the association of eye

movements or body gestures to brain hemispheres. The idea that people have visual, auditory and

kinesthetic learning styles which has little substantative evidence.

Professor Robert Carrol states that it is impossible to determine a "correct" NLP model. NLP is also

based on some of Freud's most flawed and pseudoscientific thinking that has been rejected by the

mainstream psychology community for decades.

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Ethical concerns

Ethical concerns of NLPs encouragement towards manipulation have been raised. As such, NLP is seen

as encouraging people to find more ways to manipulate individuals against their will within seduction,sales and business settings. NLP book titles include "The Unfair Advantage: Sell with NLP" and NLP

the New Art and Science of Getting What You Want.The therapy and coaching fields require an ethical code of conduct (eg: Psychotherapy and CounselingFederation of Australia Ethical Guidelines). It has been found that NLP certified practitioners often show

a weak grasp of ethics.

In addition, Beyerstein states that "ethical standards bodies and other professional associations state that

unless a technique, process, drug, or surgical procedure can meet requirements of clinical tests, it is

ethically questionable to offer it to the public, especially if money is to change hands". NLP is also

criticised for unethically encouraging the belief in non existent maladies and insecurities by otherwisenormal individuals. Drenth 2003 explains that NLP is driven by economic motives and "manipulation of

credulity" of clients, and explains that "often pseudoscientific practices are motivated by loathsome

pursuit of gain". Drenth clarifies this with reference to the well known "financial exploitation of thevictims of scientology, avantar and similar movements".

NLP has also been described as a commercial cult, and has been criticised within the business sector forbeing coercive, including undue and forced adoption of fundamental beliefs and intense confrontational

psychological techniques, tantamount to forced religious conversion. Its various forms, such as those

promoted by Grinder, and Tony Robbins are said to be ill conceived and coercive in some business

settings.

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Questionable applicationsCurrently, there is criticism from psychotherapists about the promotion of NLP and dubious therapies

within psychotherapy associations. NLP certification for therapists in general still does not require any

professional qualifications.

Singer 1996 criticises Dilts for presenting the healing patterns of Jesus of NazarethHuman resources: As with other pseudoscientific subjects, human resource experts such as Von Bergen

et al (1997) consider NLP to be inappropriate for management and human resource training. NLP has

been found to be most ineffective concerning influence/persuasion and modeling of skills. There is ageneral view that NLP is dubious and is not to be taken seriously in a business context. Within

management training there have also been complaints towards NLP concerning undue and forced

adoption of fundamental beliefs tantamount to a forced religious conversion.

Many such courses appear to depend more upon charismatic appeal, wish-fulfillment, quick fixes, and

lack of critical faculty, than actual quantifiable results, and so are often considered pseudoscience. The

original fad of NLP has undergone further controversy and abandonment since the further realization


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that it is simply a fad and a cult, and the divorce of Tony Robbins despite his commercial promotion of

"Perfect Marriage" counseling has led to a great deal of disenchantment from his own followers. Thevarious claims NLP proponents make have no clinical support and are grossly missleading.

Education: Although Winkin says NLP has no reliable neuroscience foundation, it is sometimes

considered as part of "accelerated learning" or "brain based learning" Beyerstein states that a methodshould be supported using controlled studies before it is applied in education.

Cosmetic effect claims: NLP is applied to breast enhancement and penis enlargement. For example, the

NLP practitioner, Goodman sells NLP audio recordings of the NLP swish pattern for enlarging penissize. Eisner states that if these miraculous effects are true, then why have they not been properly

documented, nor presented to the scientific community?

Occult and New Age practices: Winkin states that with its promotion with Tai Chi, Meditation, and

Dianetics (Scientology), NLP is in the margins of contemporary obscurantism. NLP is often criticised as

being a dubious new age therapy. Practitioners sometimes attempt to model spiritual experiences, whichinherently, are lacking in scientific support. NLP's new age background often leads to it being sold in

combination with shamanic methods of magic such as those by (by Richard Bandler) or Huna (by TadJames).

Cult characteristics

NLP is sometimes referred to in scientific research reviews as a cult. Others have described it as apsychocult, and in research it is often considered to be akin to a cult. A German educational ministry

banned the use of NLP in education and stated that it has a close similarity to Scientology.

Similar to other pseudoscientific subjects such as Dianetics (Scientology) and EST (Landmark), NLP is

adopted as a pretext for applying ritual, authority control, dissociation, reduced rationalization, andsocial pressure to obtain compliance from the cult's victim or to induce dependence on the cult.According to Devilly it is common for pseudoscientific developments to set up a granfalloon in order to

promote in-group rituals and jargon, and to attack critics. Thus, although NLP is ineffective for its stated

purposes, it is used as a fake science in a similar way to other psuedoscientific therapies such as primal

scream therapy, EST and Dianetics.

See also

Brain washing - history and techniques

Hypnosis to fight pain

meditations top

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