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Revision as of 01:37, 31 October 2005 editAaron Schulz (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users26,051 editsm Neuro-linguistic Programming to improve AI and human/computer interaction← Previous edit Latest revision as of 04:52, 3 December 2024 edit undoMarmotteNZ (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users808 edits Really bad sentence ?: new sectionTag: New topic 
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==Mediation Requests==
|action2date=19:38, 17 May 2006
<font color="darkblue">'''1)''' Can we agree that the framers of NLP used Engrams as per the references provided?
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<font color="darkblue">'''2)''' Can we agree that the framers of NLP used PRS as per the references provided per "PRS, or the shifty eye diagram is core to NLP even now if you would like to look through a few books including those by Bandler and Grinder"?(any quotes from Bander or Grinder would end the PRS issues)
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<font color="darkblue">'''3)''' Given the answers to #1 and #2, can we begin drafting how the article will be modified to include this about engrams?(any quotes from Bander or Grinder would end the Engram issues, Sinclair could work too; cult book quotes are not so good though :(...)
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<font color="darkblue">'''4)''' Everyone should read this link. It mentions quite a bit about NLP and its framers. (and it is well sourced)
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<font color="darkblue">'''5)''' Can we agree on a draft for the "Pseudoscience claims" as a criticism subsection?
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<font color="darkblue">'''6)''' The credibility of the old NLP studies should be beifly mentioned, but only by quoting or paraphrasing a reference. This will go in the criticism section.
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<font color="darkblue">'''7)''' After we have completed #5, should "Pseudoscience" be in the into? What is the consensus for that(don't answer until #5 is worked out).</font>] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 03:50, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
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== Shortened Citation Notes ==
===Engrams===


The article currently uses a mix of referencing styles and there are missing page numbers for quotes or what may or may not be paraphrased text but we don't know because there are missing page numbers. See ] for a guide how add page numbers and quotes. --] (]) 01:34, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
"In many ways NLP resembles earlier controversial self improvement cults, notably Dianetics, which made similar claims, and also retreated from them (while continuing to charge large amounts from the self improvement seekers)."...hmm perhaps Dianetics again ;-).] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 04:21, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


* '''Oppose''', it's disruptive. See ], which requires a ] from the regular editors of the page before you may do so: "'''Editors should not attempt to change an article's established citation style, merely on the grounds of personal preference or to make it match other articles, without first seeking consensus for the change.'''" ] (]) 23:25, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
Oh, and I just got a sample text from Sinclair's ABC of NLP book:
*:I would contend that it was not "merely on the grounds of personal preference". I was looking at the best practises in other Good and Featured Article candidates. I'm personally most comfortable with the APA format but done research papers using Harvard referencing style with footnotes. I was thinking that style was the best for this article. Given that the article covers critiques from counseling psychology, coaching psychology, communications theorists, sociology and linguistics, its not simple. Do you have examples of article with similar content and multidisciplinary critiques? What referencing style worked best? --] (]) 06:18, 7 May 2024 (UTC)


:I also notice that {{ping|Newimpartial}} reverted you on just after you broke a bunch of citations by trying the same thing back on 5 May, a day or so before I noticed what you were doing. So that's 2 opposed. ] (]) 23:41, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
"The same four stages apply to the learning of any skill. A patterned response, which has been stabilised at the level of unconscious competence is known as an '''engram'''. These engrams are beneficial if they involve automatic activities which are useful, but also comprise activities which are automatic and pernicious, such as addictive behaviour."
::I’ve already explained this and it is also in the edit comments. I fixed that citation errors. I didn’t know about the display error setting which was off by default. Again, I did appreciate your help. When I get more time, I’ll go back and justify each change. —] (]) 03:30, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
:::'''• Oppose,''' as ] explained to you, you can't just change citation style without ]. If you want to do changes '''you have to clearly justify them''' in order to show other editors your reasons or concerns about it, and if these go according to the ]. ] (]) 04:52, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
::::You're absolutely right about needing consensus. My first step should have been proposing these referencing changes here on the talk page. Would you be willing to join a discussion about how to best improve the consistency and verifiability of the article's references? --] (]) 06:01, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::As the ] sustains. Citations are key for ]. Looking at the changes you , im concerned that these could compromise the access of common editors and readers to those sources. Which is '''very''' crucial for this article.
:::::Editors with their own personal bias can incur in practices (like meat-puppetry) that violate ],],].
:::::The controversies sorrounding NLP obligate us as editors to make sure we are not doing ]. Which, for surprise of no one, has to be verified by others. For that reason, i think is naive to compare it to other articles just because different citation styles were used, or due to their extensivity in other disciplines. ] (]) 06:29, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
*'''Oppose''' There are several ways to add pagenumbers in/with reftag-refs (not surprisingly), including ]. ] (]) 05:46, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:The inconsistent styles and missing page numbers make ] and editing difficult. Have you come across similarly complex articles that successfully used <nowiki>{{Rp}}</nowiki> or other templates to maintain readability while ensuring accurate citation information? Especially ones covering multiple disciplines, as this article does? The immediate issue is that there are paraphrasing of sources without clear page numbers which makes ] difficult. Another issue is that are duplicates of the same sources across the article. That was an advantage of using <nowiki>{{efn}}</nowiki> and <nowiki>{{sfn}}</nowiki>. We are already using <nowiki>{{r}}</nowiki> in the article. <nowiki><ref></nowiki> is also often combined with <nowiki>{{sfn}}</nowiki>. Also some of the quotes in the current article are inside the cite element when they would be better handled as an <nowiki>{{efn}}</nowiki>. We have critiques from linguistics, counseling psychology, anthropology and sociology. --] (]) 06:12, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*::I have nothing against sfn etc as a style, though ref-tag is always my choice when ''I'' start articles, with rp if necessary. IMO reftag is generally more understandable for general and new users, and both VE and source editors benefits from named refs if used. But an article should be consistent, and if consensus here is to use sfn or whatever, that's fine. ] (]) 06:21, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*::Fwiw, my knee-jerk reaction when scrolling through the ref section, is that "traditional reftag" seems to be the majority use, so if I was to start working on consistency, I would change the "Jeremiah 1995." style ones and get rid of the "Works cited" sections. But if the primary/secondary division is considered valuable, that might not work. I think some Wikipedians consider the more academic look of sfn-style a mark of quality. ] (]) 06:31, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:I'm told that <nowiki>{{cite Q}}</nowiki> would solve one of the issues I had with existing use of <nowiki><ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite journal|...}}</ref></nowiki>. <nowiki>{{cite Q}}</nowiki> enables you to pull the reference data from wikidata by using its Q ID. It was too verbose and made it difficult to maintain especially in source mode. My proposal is for any citations that are current citations that are defined inline such as <nowiki>"<ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite journal..."</nowiki> that if that citation is on wikidata then we is replace it with <nowiki>"<ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite Q|..."</nowiki>. That will reduce some of the clutter and retain existing r and rp template use. Then we can use r and rp. Then if there is consensus to use sfn then we can adopt that together with efn which is already in use in the current article. --] (]) 08:32, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*::No, you should revert to the previous citation style per consensus and ], full stop. ]] 09:20, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::Do you know what I mean by <nowiki><ref name="...">{{Cite Q|...}}</nowiki>? It just moves the clutter of the reference out of the content. That is one of the biggest issues with the article in its current state. Its still using the same citation style. It is a wrapper for <nowiki>{{Citation}}</nowiki> that returns formatted citation from statements stored on a Wikidata item (referred to by its Q identifier or QID) for citable source. It would be a good interim solution while consensus is sought for sfn which is my preference as it would be far more professional. efn has been used in the article for years. --] (]) 10:19, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::Yes, I know what it means, I've used it myself. It is a different method of referencing, even if the output looks the same. The words "method" and "style" are used interchangeably on the guideline page, but the reason underlying changes in both is {{em|the changes are disruptive to others}}, hence why the guideline is to defer to the first format used in a dispute: other editors who want to edit this page don't want to suddenly swap to having to look up Wikidata codes. You seem increasingly unwilling to understand that. ]] 10:33, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::Do you understand that we are currently using <nowiki><ref>{{Cite Journal |...}}</ref></nowiki> in the article and post people use tools already like to populate the details of that from the DOI, ISBN, etc. So using <nowiki><ref>{{Cite Q |...}}</ref></nowiki> might actually be less work, and they'd be familiar anyway. The editors who don't undertstand wiki syntax usually use a visual editor or they just rely on other wikipedians to clean up after them. I guess we'll need to wait for others to chime in with their preferences. --] (]) 13:13, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::Do you understand that whether you think they'd like it better doesn't matter? ]] 13:17, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::some like the simplicity of ref even thought sfn is technically better. There are featured articles that use ref only but the longer ones with notes and many references prefer sfn. —] (]) 04:45, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::Again, as pointed out just above, that is irrelevant here. The only relevant thing is whether you have consensus or not. Clearly, you don't. ] (]) 11:26, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::::I’d like to hear the arguments for and against sfn v ref, with examples. Besides none of the regular contributors to this specific article have raised objections so there is no evidence of clear consensus from regular editors. I have enabled errors so I can correct the errors you complained about. I think now consensus can be sought through editing and discussion. —-] (]) 21:11, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::::No, the burden to demonstrate a change is preferable is on you. If no one agrees, then you may not make the change. (You have; no one has; you may not.) People are entitled to establish consensus regardless of contributions; frequent editors do not ] the articles in question. ]] 06:43, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::::::I must have misunderstood what you were saying on AN/I. I thought your earlier point was that changing from ref to sfn referencing format would be unwelcome because of the learning curve for the existing or previous editors of this article, or that existing editors might not like it. You said, "the changes are disruptive to others" (above). I assumed you were referring to previous editors of this article. How could it possibly be disruptive to edits who have never edited this article? I assumed you meant you needed to obtain consensus from them (previous editors of this article). None of them have commented yet. However, the silence from the previous contributors could be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that they are indifferent to the change, that they are unaware of the discussion (most likely scenario), or that they are still forming opinions. Anyway, I'm going to help out at ] not to recruit or canvas support but to learn more about the interaction between sfn, efn and ref formats - as well as learning more about ] --] (]) 16:30, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::I'd note that converting references to Cite Q en masse would be contentious even without CITEVAR. -- <small>LCU</small> ''']''' <small>''«]» °]°''</small> 15:54, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::my intention for suggesting sfn was to enhance readability and maintainability. With sfn, you define the reference using cite templating in the bibliography. Assuming ref is inadequate too, do you know of an alternative solution that meets that need given the huge number of citations on this article? —] (]) 02:10, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::120 inline citations is simply not a particularly high number, and is adequately accommodated by any common means of citation. ]] 06:48, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::I'm well aware of how {{tl|sfn}} templates work, but your supposition that ref tags are inadequate is simply your own personal opinion. You won't find any concensus that one form of referencing is better than another, the editing community is deeply split on the matter. This is why CITEVAR warns against changing style types, as it causes unnecessary drama that wastes editors time. -- <small>LCU</small> ''']''' <small>''«]» °]°''</small> 10:55, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::::Afaik, neither VE or ] has any "format ref as sfn/harvn" option, is that correct? Also, no ref-tag, no named ref. ] (]) 12:15, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::::Kind of, VE supports adding templates so it supports {{tl|sfn}} (as long as you know what they are), the same would be true of {{tl|r}}, {{tl|ref}}, {{tl|efn}}, etc. I don't think the REFTOOLBAR point is relevant, if you already using source editing then using the toolbar to format sfn/harv would take longer than typing it.<br>I don't think REFTOOLBAR has any ability to re-use a refname, but again it would be quicker to type it, VE certainly can though. -- <small>LCU</small> ''']''' <small>''«]» °]°''</small> 10:46, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
*:::::::::::Reftoolbar absolutely has the ability to re-use a refname, "Named references", to the right of the ref-template drop-down. ]. In VE it's Cite > Re-use. In source, you name them with the "Ref name" field in the template window. ] (]) 10:56, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
*::::::::::::Your right, I had missed that in REFTOOLBAR. -- <small>LCU</small> ''']''' <small>''«]» °]°''</small> 12:05, 11 May 2024 (UTC)


* '''Neutral'''. I'm not super educated on the nuances of citation styles, but I feel like the citation style used on this article in particular is not super important. I think the bigger issue is that when Notgain tried to convert it all to {{tl|sfn}} without gaining consensus, they did so ''incorrectly'', and broke citations in the process. I've used {{tl|sfn}} and tend to prefer it with more complicated articles such as this one, but if other editors are opposed, I'm prepared to respect that; I'm not convinced Notgain is, which is another issue. (Also, the ] on this issue ended without clear consensus and without admin closure; I'm not sure what to make of it, but it feels relevant.) '''〜''' <span style="font-family:Big Caslon;border-radius:9em;padding:0 7px;background:#437a4b">]</span> ] 16:41, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
Oh...oh...;-)] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 04:30, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
*:sfn was it is easier to read in source mode but I now have source highlighting so I’ve settled. I’m not going to push sfn on the great unwashed. —15:38, 14 May 2024 (UTC) ] (]) 15:38, 14 May 2024 (UTC)


== Druckman & Swets 1988 ==
Hi again VOA. Yes I agree. NLP uses neuro and engram is core to that. PRS are a core of the origin of NLP and that still holds (any book with VAK will determine this (most if not all NLP books). I will be extremely happy to move on and continue drafting.
Before I forget, can someone who has editing rights update the reference to Druckman & Swets 1988 report? The consensus of the committee was discussed in chapter 8. Note that the DOI in the current reference to Druckman&Swets 1988 is incorrect (it points to a of the committee's consensus report, not the report itself), please change to: <nowiki>{{cite book | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | chapter=8: Social Processes | pages=133-166 | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | ref={{sfnref | National Academies Press | 1988}}}}</nowiki> or if you want to include the editors: <nowiki>{{cite book | last1=Druckman | first1=Daniel | last2=Swets | first2=John A. | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | chapter=8: Social Processes | pages=133-166 | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | ref={{sfnref | National Academies Press | 1988}}}}</nowiki> That was a honeytrap for some researchers copy and pasting from wikipedia without checking sources. Otherwise, there's the named reference version for those who prefer that style: <nowiki><ref name="Druckman-1988">{{cite book | last1=Druckman | first1=D. | last2=Swets | first2=J. | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | pages=133-166 | chapter=8: Social Processes}}</ref></nowiki> --] (]) 04:13, 10 May 2024 (UTC)


:The use of Druckman and Swets (1988) as a reference to support the statements #1 "Numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence for NLP's assumptions or effectiveness as a therapeutic method" and #2 "Bandler led several unsuccessful efforts to exclude other parties from using NLP" is problematic. Druckman (2004) clarifies that the panel evaluated techniques like NLP for their potential in "enhancing learning, improving motor skills, altering mental states, managing stress, or improving social processes." The panel's focus was on NLP's potential for social influence, not its therapeutic applications. They found NLP's assumptions and effectiveness ''in social influence'' to be unsupported by psychological evidence. Its worth noting that the panel was "impressed with the modeling approach used to develop the technique," this interest in modeling does not directly speak to NLP's effectiveness as a therapeutic method. The fact that the planned NLP training was not implemented could suggest the type of "unsuccessful efforts" hinted at in statement 2, but this remains speculative. I couldn't find anything in the cited source to directly support statement 2. Therefore, it's recommended to remove Druckman and Swets (1988) as a supporting reference for these two statements. --] (]) 08:23, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
The article you present is absolutely great. It shows firstly how NLP is, and then it shows how NLP is promoted despite the scientific findings. The present article is actually quite mildly phrased in comparison, but still encyclopedic. I suggest our article contain more science than the example you posted for the sake of neutrality, and then say what NLP claims and perhaps some idea of what some anecdotes and testimonials claim (as has been done already to some extent), and then say what science thinks of those claims (mostly pseudoscience due to unsupported findings).
::'''•Denied''', while the Druckman and Swets (1988) aim is not the therapeutic effectiveness of NLP, it touches the lack of empirical evidence on representational systems, you even quoted this from the article: ''"Numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence '''for NLP's assumptions <u>OR</u> effectiveness as a therapeutic method"'''''
::The review is clearly relevant. ] (]) 18:40, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
:::I think there may have been a misunderstanding here. Statement #1 was from the current article, not the source. The NRC (Druckman and Swets 1988) did not review NLP as for its therapeutic application. And you have have not addressed statement #2 which is not suppprted by the source either. If you think it is please provide page numbers to substantiate for verifiability. —] (]) 20:57, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
::::It seems you're reading statement #1 as "and/or", which would make the Druckman & Swets (1988) source relevant because it addresses the lack of empirical evidence for NLP's assumptions. However, if we interpret "or" to mean that both parts of the statement need separate supporting evidence, then a source that doesn't address NLP's therapeutic effectiveness might not be suitable for this statement. It is important to distinguish between NLP's assumptions, and its effectiveness in different areas of application - whether it be therapeutic, management or social influence, as we discussed earlier. To be clear while the NRC (Druckman & Swets 1988) provides a strong review into NLP's assumptions, it does not directly address its therapeutic effectiveness. Other reviews do. Therefore, I’d prefer to cite separate, relevant sources for each part of statement #1. This will aid in ]. —] (]) 21:40, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::What? Where is stated that the sources for that particular case should adress both?
:::::Even you proposed a section around persuasion, which is one of the different approaches of NLP. The whole article, including that single sentence is referring to NLP '''in general.'''
:::::It gets worst when we analize your own statement: ''"However, if we interpret "or" to mean that both parts of the statement need separate supporting evidence, then a source that doesn't address NLP's therapeutic effectiveness might not be suitable for this statement."''
:::::For your own argument then a source that adresses just one aspect is still valid, because it's providing evidence for a specific claim; it would be a problem if and only if was the only source cited to sustain the lack of evidence in regards to the therapeutic approach of NLP; which is not the case.
:::::The "interpretation" (which this is '''not''' about) you highlight plays against you.
:::::I don't get it. ] (]) 22:08, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::I hear your point about the use of the word “or” in the statement #1 and how it could be interpreted to mean that a source addressing just one aspect is still valid. However, my premise is that for a more accurate representation of the sources, it would be ideal if each part of the statement is supported by citing relevant sources that directly address the respective claim in line with ].
::::::While the Druckman & Swets (1988) source does review NLP’s assumptions from a psychological perspective, it does not directly address its therapeutic effectiveness. It is not a systematic review, meta analysis or critical review of ‘’’its therapeutic’’’ effectiveness. So my suggestion was to use separate, relevant systematic review, critical review or meta analyses to substantiate each each part of the statement in line with ]. The textbook you mentioned (that had a section critiquing the use of NLP in influence) would not meet that criteria either but would also require page numbers for verifiability, and it is not a systematic review.
::::::Statement #1 makes specific claims about NLP’s assumptions and its therapeutic effectiveness, which are distinct aspects of NLP. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the sources cited for this statement directly support the respective claims in line with ]. —] (]) 00:21, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::So we agree but we don't agree... I still don't get it.
:::::::''"It is not a systematic review, meta analysis or critical review of ‘’’its therapeutic’’’ effectiveness."'', and how is that a problem?, did you even notice that is not the only source listed in the specific note (which is the '''''k''''' one) for those affirmations right?
:::::::As i said, it would be a problem if it was the only source for such affirmations. Which is not the case. ] (]) 03:13, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::The use of endnote to reference Statement #1 (S1) without page numbers makes it difficult to confirm if the claims are supported. Its unclear which source supports which part of the statement raising issue of ]. The statement mentions "numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses," yet none of the six references in are meta-analyses, so it is misleading. Witkowski (2010) is the only more recent quantitative and qualitative literature review of the empirical evidence (there are more recent ones that could be added). Sharpley (1983/87) and Heap (1988) focuses on the contested PRS. Heap (1988) explicitly states that NLP's effectiveness in clinical settings had yet to be experimentally evaluated at that time. Von Bergen et al. (1997) is unrelated, focusing on NLP in human resources development (HRD) - there are more recent review related to HRD. So I suggest page numbers should be added, and the relevance of each source to the statement should be clarified. Modifying Statement #1 to accurately reflect the cited sources and potentially incorporating additional, relevant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. --] (]) 12:40, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::Witkowski 2010 is a meta-analysis.
:::::::::The sources themselves cite other studies and meta-analysis which aren't as accessible (the use of public access sources is something that we as editors must try to implement, there are instances in which a reliable source is behind a paywall and shouldn't be discarted. This aspect kind of limits the sources that can be used by Misplaced Pages, more on that here: ].) ] (]) 16:51, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::Witkowski 2010 is a literature review, not a ]. The paywall issue, while important, doesn’t address the relevance and accuracy of sources. Druckman & Swets (1988) doesn’t directly address therapeutic effectiveness, so it may not be the most suitable reference for that part of the statement. —] (]) 20:38, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::::The wikipedia article of Meta-analysis as well: ''"Meta-analyses are often, but not always, important components of a systematic review procedure."''
:::::::::::The wikipedia article for systematic review''s: "In practice, when one is mentioned the other may often be involved, <u>'''as it takes a systematic review to assemble the information that a meta-analysis analyzes, and people sometimes refer to an instance as a systematic review even if it includes the meta-analytical component'''.</u> "'' Which is the case for Witkowski 2010 (which is not a literature review as you said), and is presented in the page 60.
:::::::::::I didn't explained myself well on the subject of accessibility, sorry for that; but i brought it to the table because we are also discussing citation problems within the article and the changes you have been trying to do. The thing is that we cannot put more and more sources for a series of affirmations. For that we need to follow certain guidelines like the mentioned ], to ensure the ], and ], the other issue is that the changes you did would infringe not just the previous citation style but the "orientation" sort to speak of editors of what sources are public, hard to verify (like ]) or behind a paywall. This is important because it could help improve the article if an affirmation hasn't been verified.
:::::::::::The sources more than just once conclude with the fact that NLP lacks empirical evidence. There is no original research problem in such affirmations. ] (]) 21:39, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::::With all due respect, Witkowski 2010 is a critical analysis, not a systematic review. It lacks a pre-defined protocol, specific research question, and rigorous assessment of evidence quality, which are key characteristics of a systematic review. See ]—01:03, 12 May 2024 (UTC) ] (]) 01:03, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::::: —] (]) 01:07, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::::::If the statement #1 is claiming that “numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence for NLP’s assumptions or effectiveness as a therapeutic method,” then it should be supported by references to actual literature reviews and meta-analyses. There are no meta analyses directly cited, so either add a citation if it exists and meets ], or revise the statement for accuracy. —] (]) 01:28, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::::::The systematic review of Witkowski is rigorous enough in its analysis of the quality of the presented evidence. If you have any concern in such aspect then clarify it, be ''specific'' for those concerns.
:::::::::::::There is no affirmation that violates ] with the cited sources. ] (]) 02:40, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::::::In the letter to the editor of the Polish Psychological Bulletin, Aleksandra cite Witkowski 2010 as a "systematic review" {{cite journal | last=Witkowski | first=Tomasz | last2=Luszczynska | first2=Aleksandra | title=Letters to Editor | journal=Polish Psychological Bulletin | volume=44 | issue=4 | date=2013-12-01 | issn=0079-2993 | doi=10.2478/ppb-2013-0049 | pages=462–464}} along with Sturt 2012 {{doi|10.3399/bjgp12X658287}}. So at least one third party source refer to it as a systematic review. However, it does not meet the PRISMA criteria for a systemic review and there is no statistical meta-analysis. So I still maintain it would be better described a critical review of empirical research. There are a number of systematic reviews that came after Witkowski 2010 as we discussed earlier. And I think there is at least one 2015 meta-analysis, Zaharial, Reiner and Schütz 2015 {{PMID|26609647}} that has not been cited yet. --] (]) 11:24, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::::::::The meta-analysis of Schütz et al is flawed. I'm reading it and is worrying that the total of studies that were analyzed were just 12.
:::::::::::::::But there is another issue.
:::::::::::::::''"Overall, we finally included 12 studies with a total number of individuals of 658 (studies that analysed different subgroups from the <u>same population</u>). On average, the numbers of participants in each study was small, ranging between 12 and 115 subjects".''
:::::::::::::::One component of the inclusion-exclusion criteria: ''"Not the right population: studies conducted on healthy individuals with social/psychological problems (n=19)"''
:::::::::::::::Data analysis: ''"The inspection of the funnel plot was done visually."''
:::::::::::::::Jeffrey Chan and Amer Harky warn of the inclusion of non-randomized studies without risk of bias assessment (I mention it too because the small commentary also mentions the risks involved in methods that use visual inspection of heterogeneity across studies).
:::::::::::::::Schwarzer et al. give a more comprehensive picture of the risks sorrounding meta-analysis that use small studies. Like the one you cite. Im well aware that Schütz et al. conducted a publication bias analysis: ''"Begg and Majumdar's rank correlation nor Egger’s regression test was significant (p=0.73 and p=0.45, respectively), which indicates no publication bias."''
:::::::::::::::But, as Schwarzer et al. Point out other possible causes: ''"Another possible cause of small-study effects is clinical heterogeneity between patients in large and small studies; e.g., patients in smaller studies may have been selected so that a favourable outcome of the experimental treatment may be expected. In the case of a binary outcome, also a mathematical artefact arises from the fact that for the odds ratio or the risk ratio, the variance of the treatment effect estimate is not independent of the estimate itself Lastly, it can never be ruled out that small-study effects result from mere coincidence . Empirical studies have established evidence for these and other kinds of bias . There is a vast range of tests for small-study effects , most of them based on a funnel plot which will be introduced in Sect. 5.1.1"''
:::::::::::::::My concerns is that the meta-analysis you brought to the table is a false-positive, even the authors write: ''"there is a major lack of high-quality data from observational, experimental studies or randomized trials on this field, Up until now there is insufficient data to recommend this form of therapy strongly in reducing some psychosocial problems."'' Making it an inconclusive study. ] (]) 20:04, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
::::::::::::::::Let’s not cherry pick. I return to the Statement #1 that currently mentions “numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses”. The limitations of these studies should be mentioned if in line with ] —] (]) 23:57, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
:::::::::::::::::Cherry pick what?
:::::::::::::::::Are you really trying to reach a consensus or not? because i don't see you actually addressing the points that emerge of the sources that you, '''you''' as a proponent of them should be considering and analyzing in a careful manner.
:::::::::::::::::You know what's the worst?, that i shouldn't have made that analysis, not only because is your responsability to at least read the sources you want to implement, but because the page talk is not for that. Neither of what is your opinion of what is or what is not a systematic review. As you said, reliable sources refer to Witkowski 2010 as a systematic review. '''End of the debate.'''
:::::::::::::::::There is no original research involved, period. ] (]) 02:34, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
{{od}}That was an astute observation. The funnel plot inspection in the Schütz et al. study was done visually, which can introduce subjectivity and potential bias. While they noted this limitation and the small number of studies, this impacts the robustness of findings. This is amplified because the authors (e.g. Peter Schütz) appear to be practitioners (not academic researchers) which introduces another source of potential subjectivity bias. If it were to be cited, the limitations would need to be made clear. I maintain that Witkowski 2010 is not a systematic review or meta-analysis - it was a scathing critical review of empirical literature. It does '''NOT''' meet the PRISMA criteria for systematic review or meta-analysis as noted earlier. I encourage you to consider these points and reevaluate. If you have evidence to the contrary, I would be interested to hear it. --] (]) 09:28, 13 May 2024 (UTC)


:Why you keep insisting on the PRISMA declaration?.
The promotional version with "is it a science" as a heading is completely wrong according to the actual references that critique NLP. All the refs that I see assessing NLP do so with a view to clarity (testing the background theory, and claims of NLP effectiveness). This was done because it can be done, and the results were published in academic journals which will accept no nonsense at all. They conclude that NLP is ineffective and pseudo (they use dodgy new age/pop psych theories).
:I don't know if you are aware, but the PRISMA declaration was sort of an "update" to the QUORUM declaration in 2009. Which it's main focus at the beginning was clinical meta-analysis and systematic reviews. It was not as adopted in 2010 like now, even the paper presenting the declaration was published at the beginning of 2010.
:Still tho, Witkowski meets the QUORUM declaration. But the declaration is not necessary in order to consider something as a meta-analysis or a systematic review. It just secures that the data analysis is not biased in certain ways. ] (]) 15:03, 13 May 2024 (UTC)


== Morgan 1993 ==
More can be provided about commercialism of NLP. I just found a great new reference that covers this to a deep level (a new book called SHAM about self help charlatans by wosisname).


Removed the following from further reading because it is impossible to find and its outdated or near impossible to find: {{Cite journal |last=Morgan |first=Dylan A. |title=Scientific Assessment of NLP |journal=Journal of the National Council for Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Register |series=Spring |year=1993 |volume=1993 |ref=none}} --] (]) 09:42, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
I agree that the refs state engrams (I have seen too many to change my map of reality into delusion), and prs is what Druckman and all the others state. Plus they measured loads of other stuff such as phobia cures and communication, which turns out to be ineffective also.


:This has been discussed in the past in ]. The consensus was to replace any citations with citations to Heap. But that was already done and Morgan isn't used, so I agree removing it from Further reading is fine. ] (]) 11:15, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
Here is one sample from one of Drenth's (an extremely solid prof and researcher into such matters) papers: "Then they take off. With rich phantasy concepts and relationships are introduced (engrammes, nominations, perception types) and conclusions drawn (on emotions, on creativity, on left orright brain dominance) which lack each theoretical or experimental basis." Drenth 2003
::Looks like it... These were the Heap papers:
:: --] (]) 13:16, 6 May 2024 (UTC)


== Really bad sentence ? ==
(Hollander claimed that he was too critical, but Hollander himself actually writes articles about NLP and engrams:)


"NLP posits that consciousness can be divided into conscious and unconscious components".
And one from Levelt's (a world renowned academic of psycholinguistics with a lifetime of books and publications). een lange beschouwing kunnen vinden over engrammen, 'ruimtelijke en tijdelijke patronen van actieve hersencellen'. Een actief engram, zo lezen wij, veroorzaakt een kettingreactie van elkaar activerende engrammen. Levelt 1995
Seriously?

] 04:52, 3 December 2024 (UTC)
Here's a rough translation: a long consideration is given to engrammes, ' spatial and temporary patterns of active circuits '. , Thus we read active engram, that cause a chain of responses with each other and activating further engrammes(Levelt 1995)

I noticed there are many other German refs that say similar stuff. They did invent the term though back in the early 1900s:)

Plus the web sources you have seen already, plus encyclopedias plus the rest. I can provide you with more explanations of engrams if you like, but I doubt if you will need more for such a simple concept. ATB] 04:52, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

I'm still chuckling over the large NLP concern in Eurasia called "Engram Co":)] 05:15, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello VoiceOfAll. As you have constructively requested, we have engrams as the refs have stated, and we have prs as the refs and decades of research have stated, including decades of research on stuff other than prs, the refs on pseudoscience are already being explored, with 3 references (and more to come if you like) covering at least 7 facts on NLP being pseudoscience (because it is unsupported(fact), because it refers to odd pseudoscientific theory(fact), because it is ineffective(fact), because it devotes itself spiritually to holism to avoid the results (fact) because it emphasises pressure on the tester to prove, rather than the claimer of the extraordinary(fact), because it claims that science is generally unreliable(fact), and because it continues to promote using scientific sounding jargon and hype(fact). So what do we have left?] 16:48, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

::Voice of All, can you give us a time frame on the above requests? I need time to check the references provided and prepare a response. best regards, --] 05:48, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
:::Take your time...but not too much..:). As long as we are working on an issue, then the timeframe is not too important, but the order is--lets keep this neat.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 05:53, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Here is a computer translated version of the French NLP author's. (http://www.ressources.be/articles/34emotions.htm) "It is the way of the action reflex which activated before even you have really perceived anything. If the started emotion is sufficiently strong, the stimulus associated with the emotion is the engram (association V=K). The training, concerning the reflexes of survival, is a function of the importance of the state of the system." Regards] 06:16, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Yep, I also have more refs on engrams I can post if need be. Looks well covered already though, especially the encyclopedia one (which I have also seen elsewhere on the web).] 07:19, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

===Pseudoscience===
NLP as a pseudoscience as criticism will depend on how it is framed. Currently it seems to be very neutrally framed (a neutral scientific assessment of NLP due to no support from science, plus pseudo theory, plus criticism or no regards for scientific testing of NLP, plus trying to immunize against testing by claiming wholism and so on). I believe it is just a neutral statement.] 06:28, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Pseudoscientific is definitely right up front. This article is definitely going to become far more scientific. It needs it because people keep chucking in lots of pseudo terminology that is designed to confuse. Also, there is no need to put so many refs on the statement. I could demand that the word "programming" requires 20 refs also, but that would just be as pointless and unproductive as asking for refs for pseudoscientific when they are all over the place already.] 06:34, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Here is a ref for VAK or PRS (which of course is about primary rep system visual auditory or kinesthetic) http://www.selfleadership.com.au/neurolinguistic2.htm. It explains prs as Bandler and Grinder state. Very accessible!] 06:39, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Well Request 2 is satisfied. Here is a quote from Dilts_1980 Dilts, Robert B Dilts R, Grinder,J. Bandler,R Cameron-Bandler,L, DeLozier J, (1980). IN their highly overblown title: NLP: The Study of the Structure of Subjective Experience., Cupertino, California: Meta Publications,.
"Eyes up and to the left = eidetic (visual)
Eyes up and to the right = Constructed" Page 80. They talk about prs and VAK in the same breath and they provide a nice diagram like the one that Comaze keeps irritatingly trying to hide, even now. The diagram has 6 faces looking to the six different directions and they seem to be frowning quite a lot (the 6 face article graphic is richer and happier than the one provided by bandler and folk). The same stuff is all over the place in NLP books, including other tomes by Bandler and Grinder, and recent publications also include this set of information] 07:04, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Satisfied request 6. Can put it in criticism section also if you like.] 08:04, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Oh Nice work folks! I feel more like chipping in now. I also believe the pseudoscience section is quite neutral as a statement about the nature of it's nature and promotion.] 10:35, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi VoiceOfAll. Its interesting what you say about Dianetics. It has been suggested that NLP become a religion in order to gain more income (similar to Scientology). The NLP concern has fallen into disrepute in many countries, including France, where it recently narrowly avoided being labeled as a cult. China also has it on the same list as FalunGong. I have only just started exploring the French databases, and there is a great deal of deep thinking there and plenty of scientific views there calling it pseudoscience and even new age proto-religion. I have enough to introduce it here.] 10:47, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


I see what you are saying FT2. Dianetics has had some very damning reviews and it is certainly not attractive to the biz world. But practitioners (such as Platt), and papers about the use of dubious therapies and techniques (Von Bergen et al) all say that it is entirely nonsense. In fact people explicitly state that it is pseudoscience. The pseudoscience label for NLP has a great deal of support. Remember that NLP promotes in a pop psych way, using jargon that is stolen from other areas of psychotherapy and psychology, but used out of context and hyped up to the further ends of the universe:) NLP has been the flavour of the month in some multinationals (some of them would not touch it with a barge pole). The world view takes it as a bunch of fluffy banal trite truisms designed to get you to do what you do not want to do (empowerment during downsizing usually:) and other people state that it is a kind of religious conversion at work (Singer 2003). As far as psychotherapists see it (the world view), it is right there alongside dianetics, energy therapy, and flakesR'us. It is discouraged harshly during the first year of psychology study along with all the other appealing brain myths that get people into trouble all the time. NLP started of as theraputic magic (Bandler and Grinder 1975), and has become remote kahuna seduction pseudoscience with some empowerment banalities thrown in. I personally see it as a kind of substitute for religion or spirituality that people seem to want to cling to in the postmodern world. None of my business though really. I just report the facts.] 11:26, 27 October 2005 (UTC)



:The problem I have with pseudoscience is that core NLP (and I mean the roots of the subject 1960 - 1980's, not whatever junk may have come into it in the last 10 years) seems credible. For example, I am not aware of any multinationals that use dynetics as a management coaching tool, or engrams to improve their staff effectiveness. I '''am''' aware of global corporations that use NLP technologies for these. I'm not aware of a major professional body of psychiatry that treats homeopathy as a serious means to heal, but I am aware that there are such colleges that treat the grinder-bandler derived ericksonian model in NLP as a serious methodology. There are sufficient concerns here over thepseudoscience label that I have one question: might part of the problem be, that NLP started out as one thing and over the years acquired other aspects that are less solidly founded and more pseudosciency? If so, perhaps that is how the article should approach it. Can someone with more knowledge of the history of development of NLP comment? ] 11:07, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


== PRS or representational systems (RS)==

::I also noticed that PRS gets very gew hits on Google, and I didn't even type in NLP+PRS. PRS seems to be yet another minority view.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 23:18, 26 October 2005 (UTC)
:I think, and I'm sure some knowledgeable NLPers will correct me if I'm wrong, the concept of rep systems shifted early in NLP.
:Grinder (& Bandler?) said that in their earliest experiment with representation systems, they listened to people talking in their group, and allocated each person a card which labeled the representation system they used. As a test, they paired everyone up with people who were of different systems, then paired everyone up with people who were of the same representation systems.

:They found from this brief experiment that when rep systems were matched, the rapport was higher. This is exactly the result that early studies (see Druckman, and Heap) said was unsupported (and they called it PRS). People didn't report better rapport if someone matched a single rep system to the system they were judged to have. The studies do have certain flaws (Druckman says they were all of female psychology undergraduate students, for instance) but lets ignore that for now.

:I don't know if Grinder and Bandler ever called this "Primary Rep Systems" or "Preferred Rep System". In Frogs into Princes (79), they mention primary representation systems three times. The first is to describe a signal from the body
:*''now that's a really elegant non-verbal response. In doing reframing we strongly recommend that you stay with primary representational systems: feelings, pictures, or sounds. Don't bother with words, because they are too subject to conscious interference.'' (pg 141), and
:*''There is always a slippage between primary and secondary representation. There's a difference between experience and the ways of representing experience to yourself. One of the least immediate ways of representing experiences is with words. If I say to you "This particular table right here has a glass of water partially filled sitting on top of it," I have offered you a string of words, arbitrary symbols. We can both agree or disagree about the statement because I'm appealing directly to your sensory experience.'' (he's pointing to a table) (pg 16)
:This sounds alot like what is now called "First Access".
:In talking about representation systems he describes people as either being flexible or rigid - some people are "stuck" or can't use some systems (they don't say what proportion "alot" is).
:*''A lot of school children have problems learning simply because of a mismatch between the primary representational system of the teacher and that of the child. If neither one of them has the flexibility to adjust, no learning occurs.'' (pg 40), and
:*''I made my entire approach fit their model of the world rather than demanding that they have the flexibility to come to mine. That's one way to go about it. When you do that, you certainly do them a favor in the sense that you package material so it's quite easy for them to learn it. You also do them a disservice in the sense that you are supporting rigid patterns of learning in them.'' (pg 40)
:The rep system is now taught as dynamically changing, and to be matched on a short term basis, constantly recalibrated. Strategies were also introduced in the 80s, which involve a combination of representation systems in a given order that people tend to use - different for different contexts.
:I don't know if the attitude towards a solely preferred rep system ("I'm a visual!") changed as a result of the PRS studies, or whether John and Richard noticed it themselves (either of which still shows one example that NLP theories do change when results don't support them). I also haven't got the original (pre 1979) books so I can't see if they ever taught it as people having a single system or if that was just their initial foray - I would assume an early book must say it or else all the early studies wouldn't have tested that (later studies may have just got their understanding from earlier studies or early books) - does anyone know? ] 07:40, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes Greg, the studies measured that focused on rep systems treated them as dynamic. In fact from my assessment the experiments were quite sophisticated and certainly passed the rigor test to get into peer reviewed journals. Pre 80 and post 80 the VAK prs stuff is really very simplistic as is most pseudoscience.] 07:54, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hang on! Did someone delete the dilts/bandler/grinder ref I posted in order to completely satisfy this request?] 07:57, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Alice, what do you mean dynamic? And how does that link with you saying VAK prs stuff is very simplistic?
:Please remove judgements "as is most pseudoscience"... it's a weasel phrase ] 08:22, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes Greg. THis request has been satisfied. So whats the deal? Get a request satisfied and then keep on badgering? OK. The PRS or as it is more wideley known in NLP lit and the research that debunked it as RS or representational systems has been debunked. Constant recalibration was taken into account in experiments. Even so, relatively recent books on NLP still teach RS as "this person is primarily a visual person" (Alder in the Right Brain Manager). It varies as always as is the norm with snakeoil. Snakeoil is not produced to a uniform quality. You get really sophisiticated snakeoil with a fancy label, and you get really cheap snakeoil where the people do not even bother to read the label.] 08:31, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

::I think we're going to have to be clear on PRS. The term is used too loosely. For my part, let me say that I believe eye-accessing cues to be taught very commonly in NLP, along with training in perceptual acuity and calibration etc. I also believe verbal predicates "I see", "I hear" to be very common - I was taught that people use multiple systems and the patterns of those rep systems is useful for matching. Frogs into princes (79) actually uses PRS as a general description of our visual/auditory/kinaesthetic/olfactory/gustatory senses (as quoted above) - I believe we all agree they are our 5 senses?. We need to clarify what NLP is accused of saying, what NLP says, what the studies tested, what the results were, etc....
::Oh, Alice - you said did someone delete your ref - sorry, could you tell me which I've found an earlier ref by JPLogan but not you.... I haven't been online more than briefly for a couple of days and I'm sure I've missed some stuff. ] 12:30, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, the link you provide Voice_Of_All is very good. It shows the way the promoters frame the subject using very boosterist phrasing such as - NLP has been criticised due to its powerful communication techniques being used for sales, seduction etc. Of course, this misses the point entirely in that NLP is actually criticised for simply encouraging this sort of thing through the promotion of dubious techniques such as seduction power, remote influence and confrontational (synonym = attacking or aggressive) therapy etc and the promotion of "the unfair advantage" in bookstores etc. On the other hand there is a nice wooly line of comfort that it gives to new agers by talking about spirituality and ecology:) I agree that a midground be taken as has been achieved on the present article. Of course I agree that engrams are encyclopedically central in explicit and implicit use throughout NLP, and that NLP is scientifically unsupported to put it mildly. Looks like progress already!] 11:13, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

One thing I find interesting is that PRS was suggested as a search for web and through books. It does not appear that much. Of course experienced NLPers know why. Because it is not always called PRS. As mentioned previously today, it is also known as RS. If you do a search now, you will find the same stuff as has been written throughout the books on NLP. Some say you need to calibrate, some say that people are either v, a or k, most of the time etc. This is pseudoscientific nonsense because NLP is making money by spreading mind myths. If the NLP promoters here really wanted to clear up the PRS or RS issue, they would have suggested to search for RS. However, that would be too incriminating, wouldn't it!] 10:11, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Let's get his clear (all these terms are almost synonomous):
:*Representational systems (VAKOG) = 4-tuple (Grinder & Bandler ,1975) = primary access (Freud)
:I do not think PRS is used widely anymore in NLP, certainly not by Grinder or Bandler. I did however, find this Marketing journal article (2003) which uses tests PRS in television advertising. I don't know if it is useful. Skinner & Stephens, Journal of Marketing Communications (Volume 9, Number 3 / September 2003)

::Hello whoever... sounds like comaze? You may note from my quote from Frogs into Princes, that Grinder and Bandler were actually defining PRS almost identical to First-Access. This is unlike the experiments, which refer to matching Rep systems. Take Morgan's article as an example of misunderstanding
::*''Specifically (Heap) was looking into the idea of the Primary Representational System (PRS), which is supposed by NLP to be a very important concept. It is claimed that people tend to think in a specific mode: visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, olfactory or gustatory, of which the first three are the most common. NLP claims that it is possible to determine the PRS of a person by noticing certain words that she or he uses which will reveal the mode. It is also claimed that the direction of eye movement is an indicator of the PRS.''
::Now what I was trained was that we use all systems, sometimes favouring one or two but still using all regularly. The ones we favour can change depending on context and timing (we may favour systems in a sequence... a strategy). I've also read NLP books saying eye movements are an indicator of the internal representations currently active (which is quite a separate claim to revealing "the mode" (ala "I'm an auditory!").
::Frog into Princes also contradicts Druckman's explanation of PRS (which in this case is "preferred representation system" - we probably need to clarify this from "primary representation system"). He says "Cognitive processes are represented by sensory systems or imagery that is visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic". I wonder why he didn't say "represented by sensory systems that are visual, auditory, AND kinaesthetic... (and there must be a source, I think Druckman/US Army study did this properly). Anyway... there are other more important things for now. ] 12:30, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


===Raja (research on mulitple modalities in learning contexts)===
Dr. Radhi Raja; and Norman Tien have been researching NLP and its application for multi-modal learning.
*{{Conference reference | Author=Dr. Radhi Raja; Norman Tien | Title=National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University | Booktitle=Exploring multi-modality tools of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to facilitate better learning among Primary School students | Year=2005 | Pages=8}}
This paper also cites:
*{{Journal reference | Author=Tosey P.; Mathison J. | Title=Neuro-linguistic programming and learning theory: a response | Journal=The Curriculum Journal, Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group | Year=September 2003 | Volume=Volume 14, Number 3 | Pages=371-388(18)}}


===no Engrams===
:HeadleyDown. I trained in NLP under John Seymour and Joseph O'Connor, the first two major UK trainers, in NLP, in 1990. I worked on NLP training courses 1991 - 1997. I trained for what is called the "Master Practitioner" under Robert Dilts and Judith Delozier in 1998, in Stanta Cruz, where NLP all began. And I had to look up what an engram was, because despite nearly 10 years training under several world-class NLP trainers, I had never heard the term or seen that viewpoint. Core NLP is not concerned with the biological ''mechanism'' of memory, but how it subjectively, functionally, works and can be worked with. This conflicts disturbingly with the above comment as to what is "core NLP". ] 11:24, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


Great TBP. Well tell that to Alain Moenaert, Sinclaire, Drenth and all the other people who know psychology and neurology. You do stuff with NLP but you will not talk or recognize neuro? Sounds perfectly like pseudoscience to me.] 11:30, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

:HeadleyDown - that is a very neat "put down". But it is a very weak argument. I say, this is what the founders and root source teachers say, and you quote second tier people who have views that suit your perception and give a dismissal that is unfounded. I don't plan to get into personal argument. I will simply say, I have studied this, under world class teachers, for some ten years, and been using it a further five beyond that. I think I'm slightly competent to know what is core after that time, and what isn't, considering those who taught me were those who actually popularized and taught the field initially, 20 or 30 years ago.

:This is what you need to know about classical, core NLP: Its core subject matters are observables that can be objectively verified on the one hand, and consistent patterns within and between them that are experientially found to be useful to notice, on the other. Subjects beyond that are for the most part, fringe. It doesn't matter if some people use it for sales, or others associate it with spirituality or engrams. Classical, core NLP is none of those. It is a methodology for communication and psychological structure detection based strictly upon observation, feedback and utilization. This conflicts disturbingly with your offhand dismissal. ] 11:41, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

OK TBP. You have just presented a fabulously woolly concoction of pseudoargument. Observables (does that mean empirical?), that can be objectively verified (does that mean like the scientists verified it?), and useful (useful for what? Making money? Recruiting devotees?) Then you talk of fringe! Fringe to what? Fringe to fringe? NLP is a fringe practice! It is classed as a dubious therapy, and a therapy to avoid according to consumer protection bodies and according to science. I notice your use of second tier is similar to how the NLP promoters are promoting on this article. Some have written books and they are in the know. Some have been accredited (payed for the course therefore get through), and have some cred. This is an encyclopedia. It reports the facts with science as a major organizing force. Because that is a force for clarification. NLP is pseudoscientific and designed to confuse people, recruit them to pay money, then get them to repeat buy. It is a commercial self help system. Just tell it as it is.] 11:58, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

:An overview argument ''usually'' excludes detail. So ignoring the dismissive tone again, quick answers are: '''observable''' and '''objectively verifiable''' as in, two people standing side by side, or watching a video recording, would be able to observe them and agree on them. That is the usual meaning of the terms. '''Useful''' means, capable of use. Mathematicians have the same concept of usefulness, some information and methods have more "usefulness" than others to them, because it encompasses more cases, or are more common, or more widely found to be good tools for common problems. '''Fringe''' means literally, the edge, as in, speculation or non-core developments that are not a necessary or core part of a field, often included by people who are trying to develop ideas that may or may not prove to be well founded or widely adopted by others.

:(That said, we agree on this one point you make: NLP has become highly commercialized and is used like a "buzz word" by some "trainers", who have taught it selectively and inappropriately. Your point there is accurate. That is important to state, but does not change its core approach, nor are all NLP trainings of this kind. In fact we do not have scientific knowledge if it is a majority, minority or small minority of trainers of this kind)

:I believe that is twice now that your reply has been dismissal when you could with ease have understood the point being made, and addressed it in a constructive manner. But be that as it may, your points have been answered twice. Now please respond to mine, by addressing the consideration of classic, core NLP, as documented by its founders and core developers, rather than focussing exclusively on fringe NLP and the worst kind of commercializations. ] 12:12, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


I'm sorry TBP. I must now work with fact. This is an encyclopedia and there are some requests that have been satisfied, though I want to satisfy them some more. Let's just work with the most reliable and corroberateble version of what NLP actualy is according to verifiable and observable reality.] 14:21, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, VoiceOfAll, responding to your first request, NLP uses engrams as a core neuro concept, as does psychology and neurology, and is included in the majority of NLP theorist litrerature, and as such is a great brevifying and concise making concept in the article. It can be discussed elsewhere as a concept (ie the engram article). ATB.] 14:57, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


:Sorry, thats not an adequate response. Its called a cop-out. Your first answer was weak, your second tangential, your third avoidant. I say to you again - you asked, quite dismissively, expecting "pseudoscience", for answers. You have had them. It seems on the surface that they are good ones, because you don't seem to have rebutted the definitions I have given, or questioned if they apply. Indeed, a sceptic might note that you avoided the questions I asked, choosing instead to try and question the wording.

:Now I ask for you to address my question. You do know what classical, core NLP is, I hope? I would not like to think all this criticism in which you set yourself up as a judge of whether other experts are right or not, and whether I know what I am asking and bringing to your attention, is based merely on partial understanding and guesswork about classical, core NLP.

:There are many original source books on classical, core NLP. You claim to follow science. The scientific method does not ignore, or even tolerate, but actively ''requires'' consideration of possible conflictory information that may call previous belief into question. I expect you to be scientific. I repeat my previous request, which was very specific and not at all "woolly":

:Your points have been answered twice, now. Now please respond to mine, by addressing the consideration of classic, core NLP, as documented by its founders and core developers, rather than focussing exclusively on fringe NLP and the worst kind of commercializations. If you do not know what these are, or appear not to by your answer, it will be obvious. ] 15:02, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


I am truly sorry, TBP. But I know the point of wikipedia was to provide neutral fact in encyclopedic terms. If you have any fact to offer, please do.] 15:10, 27 October 2005 (UTC)


:HeadleyDown, wikipedia isn't a family social event. "I'm truly sorry" doesn't cut it here, as an excuse not to know the core of the field you are summarizing. You either have considered and learned about the full range of the subject before writing, or you have not. I am asking you if you have such knowledge yourself, and I am noting that your attention seems focussed on fringe, and the worst of commercializations. I have asked if you consider that an article on NLP should address the consideration of classical, core NLP, and your thoughts on it. And your response is dismissal, then avoidance, and then "I'm sorry" and ultimately refusal. I think, having answered your questions, twice now, you might have a go at mine.

:The issue is a simple one. On the basis of some 15 years experience training under various people who are universally recognized as world class NLP trainers and who actually over 20-30 years ago developed and publicized much of its core material, I feel that your characterization of it is in fact a characterization of selectively chosen aspects.

:My evidence for this is that I have now asked four times for you to respond and discuss classical core NLP. Your '''first response''' was a smokescreen, well these names who aren't central to NLP use these things, and to ignore the question. Your '''second response''' was to try and pick issue with the summary wording and avoid the question. I notice you didn't try to pursue that or deal with the questions though, once it was answered. Your '''third response''' was to state your belief and using that as an ''assumption'', conclude that that's all there is about it, "lets just work with" one view, and again to ignore the question. That is called ]. Your '''fourth response''' is an apology for ''still'' refusing to discuss classical core NLP here and instead just asking for more facts. If you understood classical core NLP, you would answer the question and demonstrate your evidence for how classical core NLP stands, and not merely try to duck the important issue that has now been asked four times.

:I am starting to suspect you do not in fact know much of classical and core NLP. My concern is this would imply that you are setting yourself up as arbiter in a field where you are not even close to having core knowledge. So I think we cannot sidestep the question this throws up:

:Will you, or will you not, address and discuss fully, as much as you have discussed other aspects, the consideration of classic, core NLP, ''as documented by its founders and core developers'', rather than focussing exclusively on fringe NLP and the worst kind of commercializations. If you do not know what these are, or appear not to by your answer, it will be obvious. If you need a helping hand to know what the ''founders and core developers'' (and not some random trainers that you heard about) consider <u>classic</u> and <u>core</u>, then ask. ] 15:34, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

::I doubt that engrams are currently core to NLP, but the compromise here will have to do with what the '''framers''' said, Grinder et al. I will check this at the library soon(Griner, Frogs to Princes...ect).

::Quite frankly though, I am willing to have engrams mentioned '''or''' not mentioned since it does not really matter. You do not "need" engrams for NLP, they are just a micro-concept used to desribe memory. For the sake of history though, I will look into books by the ''founders''. Modern NLP is not what is used to be in every way.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 18:14, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi Voiceofall. Take a look at that useful French link with the brain diagram posted the other day. It shows what people have been saying all along about engrams. Certainly when I first read Bandler and Grinder I saw engrams throughout each book. Whenever you read stuff about V-K or VAK, they are talking about engrams. This follows throughout each book or journal article on NLP that I have ever read. Some are more specific about it (Dilts talks about Hebbian engrams) and other simply talk about the imaginal aspects of engrams (the experienced images/feelings in mind and so on). Neuro and engrams are extremely closely linked.] 01:51, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


::I have tried to do something to fairly represent some of the points mentioned above, namely how NLP's development has led to a divergence and its current preception as more "new age" when its roots are so well established. Its a tricky question to sum up and there are few formal sources, please edit or comment but I think until we have consensus that's a good starting point to recognize the truth within ''both'' "sides" of the debate. It seems NLP started off strong. Due to various explained pressures and developments, it later veered towards new age. What are being discussed as "classical core NLP" and "new age pseudoscience NLP" are basically the two present extremes of that development. ] 20:29, 27 October 2005 (UTC)
:::It seems that Engrams are often associated with wierd new-age stuff, so perhaps some NLPers use engrams. I did find this too.

:::Anyway, I have altered the intro, what do you et al think?] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 22:07, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

::::: VoiceOfAll, You do realise that is is just a mirror of the wikipedia article. So is the other URL you provide (34). This is one of the problems of not excluded engram from this page. It is going to start alot of misinformation about NLP. People could latch onto this ] and it might falsely end up in NLP training. --] 08:44, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


Hi Comaze. Did you know that people can read this article - but it is pseudoscience! You are trying to promote NLP. That is unethical according to certain psychologist's code of conduct (you should not use methods that have not been empirically supported) at least according to Beyerstein. Therefore, this article should be deleted altogether:) On the other hand, realise that engrams are already taught as part of NLP. Just get used to it] 10:18, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:HeadleyDown, Can you please stay on topic. This thread is on engrams. --] 11:11, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

==the new intro==
Hi VoiceofAll. Sure, we really have moved on! I can live with that intro. I do have some qualms about the "modelling" being in the first line as it is not actually considered the heart of NLP according to a lot of views I have read, but I think it can stay there for now. I think the extra clarifying section (NLP 2000) needs some work, especially to take the filesize down and NPOV it, but the work put into it already is much appreciated. I have quite a lot more fact over the last few days that I can add to it as concisely as possible. Regards] 00:12, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Headley, before you "NPOV it" ''according to your POV'', please discuss what you feel would need changing, here, so it may be agreed by other editors without repeated reversion. I would not usually say this, except previous posts and edits make it likely that your POV should at least be discussed and agreed, rather than edited first and then fought over. Please therefore, if you feel the new section is ''not'' in some way neutral in its representation of NLP, list the aspects where it does not give a balanced representation of the development and standing of the field. (I accept that small wording improvements are always possible) ] 00:47, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello Voiceofall and FT2. The opening looks fine to me also for now. Engrams are definitely core in the light of the polyglottal searches that people have been doing lately. I also found the engram in European texts, and it is stated as core (as a clarifier for the neuro part plus the imaginal aspects).] 01:30, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


===POV intro===
The tail end of teh intro has a POV problem:
::Scientific research on specific NLP processes generally concludes that NLP is scientifically unsupported (Heap 1988; Sharpley 1987; Lilienfeld et al, 2003). This has led to NLP being classed as pseudoscientific (Eisner, 2000; Lilienfeld et al, 2003).
This should be rewritten to attribute "scientifically unsupported" to a source, either a group or an individual or someone. i.e. "so-and-so states that NLP is scientifically unsupported. So-and-so classifies NLP as a pseudoscience." ] 01:25, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi FuelWagon. I disagree. Misplaced Pages requires most that a name is attributed. That is enough. There were so many really irritating disputes by people implying that "only this person thinks this in the whole world of 6billion other people who think it is rubbish etc" Ok, well you know what I mean! We are trying to represent views here. You will probably find that a lot of people who have picked up a NLP book will have come to the same conclusion as those bodies of scientists who test the method and found it lacking. Except that they use the words, US BS, nonsense, trite etc. And some people really want to promote it and say that it will allow them to find the mate of their dreams and walk on water. The easiest way to solve this is to simply quote the source.] 02:20, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

:JP, you're saying you disagree and then agreeing .... he doesn't ask to restrict it to one person, just (as per Misplaced Pages NPOV) that if 2 or more groups have different attitudes/thoughts on a field, you fairly represent multiple sides. Perhaps you mean "All Psychologists view NLP as a pseudoscience"? (which I'd dispute... but I'm also wondering which groups classify it that way). ] 04:44, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

:JPLogan, yes, quote the source (or paraphrase the source), but you must ''also'' attribute the quote ''to'' the source, and provide a URL if possible to verify. The format basically boils down to:
::Source said "quote" (URL).
:Where "source" is a notable source (individual or group), "quote" is what they said or a paraphrase of what they said, and a URL to verify their quote/paraphrase. ] 22:08, 26 October 2005 (UTC)

===Modeling===
Hi Greg. That modeling the mind stuff in the first line really is a bit silly. I'd have it as it was. A method proposed for programming the mind is totally clear and disambiguates the NLP subject much more clearly from nat-lang-programming computers and NationalLawParty etc.] 06:53, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:My thought is that since modeling is distinct from NLP-processes it should be treated as such. I agree that there is a better way than what I wrote. I don't much agree with the opening at all ... ] 07:00, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

::Sure, the modeling word is confusing the way it is placed in the first line. It is very arguable also.] 07:16, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:As I said, I think there is a better way than the way it is placed in the first line. This, to me, implies we should look at a better way of saying it. Any suggestions (see mine below in 'suggested openings') ] 21:08, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

===remote ESP?===

Does anyone have ANY EVIDENCE AT ALL that NLP is "often promoted for the use of ... remote ESP influence"? I reverted it and it came straight back up... come on guys, justify it. ] 22:51, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Well, I removed ESP again, and it was reverted back by Headley. Do you have anything to back up your claim Headley?. I propose ESP is removed from the opening. ] 13:21, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi Greg. I posted a James ref, and many more can be placed in the article. Brevity was my goal but it seems that to satisfy people, the article is going to be one long block of citations.] 01:31, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

===suggested openings===
The opening should tell what NLP is without multiple POV. Multiple POV have a place in the article, just not in the Opening. I have Introducing NLP, by Joseph O'Connor and John Seymour and am proposing an opening based on the opening of that book.

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a way of studying how people excel in any field and teaching discovered patterns to others. NLP considers personal excellence in terms of both art and science. Art because everybody brings their unique personality and style to what they do, and science because there is a method and process used to discover patterns used to achieve excellence. ] 15:35, 27 October 2005 (UTC)

:I'm playing with an opening like this (trying to make one that everyone can agree to... not easy!)
:*Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) literally means "brain-language programming". People have ways of doing what they do - and NLP claims to teach how to discover these processes (these programs) - and how to change them. Their stated goal is to model how high performers excel in any field (and teach this to others), and also to simply help people improve what they are doing (to learn a new process which may be effective for them). NLP has been described as "The Study of the Structure of Subjective Experience". NLP teaches verbal and non-verbal communication patterns - which they claim are useful to gain insight into how people do what they do, and for working with people. The first processes of NLP were modeled from psychotherapists working with clients, and NLP is often associated with the fields it is applied to most often - self development, therapy, and spirituality - to the extent that some believe NLP actually IS part of those fields. ] 13:21, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

A high performer? Jimi Hendrix?] 01:33, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

==The new 2000 section==
The new 2000 section is really far too promotional. There are some very presumptuous statements, such as - "that is probably the strength of NLP that blahblah". The only strength I see in NLP is for confusing people. Its definitely far too big. World renowned experts is really over the top. Tight model, discipline, insightful etc make for a very overblown first para there. Bandler definitely actively encourages magic, and writes that way also. "Just use what works" is totally pseudoscience (Hubbard taught exactly the same thing). The NLP comming of age para is really OTT I believe. I see no dichotomy with NLP. The stuff taught in commerce is just as shaky (unscientific) as the magick and remote mindf%$#@* that goes on. From a scientific perspective, they are both as fringe and dubious as each other. Even core Grinder material is full of woolly nonsense. Considering the scientific clarity that this article has developed, I believe a lot needs to be done with that 2000 section (mostly cutting down).] 01:30, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

I agree that NLP is eclectic (mixed up holist pseudo to immunise against testing). I agree that it is said to be a "psychotechnology" developed originally by a mathematician undergrad and a linguist. I agree that it is totally focused on commercialisation with zero or negative attitude to scientific verification (just like all the other pseudo energy therapy kind of treatments). I agree that the whole thing is pop psych, and completely pseudoscientific. And I agree that it is impossible to seperate NLP charlatans from the NLP misguided who think they are doing star wars science or therapy.] 01:30, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:: FT2, I've added a couple of peer-reviewed journal references that support the view that NLP (classical NLP?) is primarily based on Cybernetic epistemology of Gregory Bateson (If Price, 1995, Tosey, Mathison, 2005; Grinder, Bostic, Malloy, 2003; Malloy, Sing et al 2005; Tosey, Mathison, Michelli, 2003). Yes, Bateson was a proponent of ] (1972, 1979). Can you please incorporate this into the draft section. All of these are published in reputable journals so they are easily verifiable. --] 01:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

]: I think there is ignorance here. Quick answers:
# "world renowned experts": virginia satir, milton erickson, for example, were indeed world renowed experts in their fields. NLP was built upon modelling of world renowned experts. Disagreement?

Yes, I disagree. They are more accurately described as a spiritualist family therapist, a dianetics practitioner, and an anthropologist.] 10:50, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


* "Coming of age" - the italicized paragraph is a quote. It gives both the "pro" and "anti" views. That seems a reasonable description to me, of what was going on, "To some people it seems unacceptable. To others it is wonderfully creative." Thats how NPOV works. It seems a good description of the development of the field.

* "I see no dichotomy". Apparently some others do. I do too. Are you aware just how widely the principles and lessons of early NLP have influenced and pervaded other fields, until people are no longer aware that what they are learning started in part as grinder/bandler models in the 70s?

OK, what techniques and what other fields? Provide citations] 10:50, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

* "The <u>whole thing</u> is pop psych"... "<u>completely</u> pseudoscientific". All of it? Or how much? Can you quantify even vaguely that statement? Do you even know? Your phrase ''There are some very presumptuous statements''... is not inapplicable to your own words.
* You mention NLP charlatans and NLP misguided. What about NLP teachers who were teaching the material in "frogs into princes" or "reframing"? Is that all pseudoscience junk? I hope not because chunks of that have been grandfathered into a variety of other fields and approaches, as recognized valued tools and attitudes.... hardly "charlatanery" or "misguidedness".

I am quoting the British Society of Psychologists.] 10:50, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Logan, in your own way, like the "pro"s, you are being fanatical. You make grandiose statements, only yours are how none of it's valuable or useful. That is a generalization, a meta-model pattern. In generalization, words like "all, every, none, never" are substituted for the more common experience of "most", "some", or "a few".

Doubtless you'll disagree. So here's a small test of your statements and viewpoint, for you. Would you like to find me a source -- just one considered, credible, recognized source that says the meta model (to take one example part of NLP) is "pseudoscience", that these linguistic patterns are not in fact accepted as serious models by linguists, and that the meta-model as part of NLP is "completely focussed on commercialization"? ] 02:08, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

OK, I'll admit I was in a slightly bad mood. But I was still correct. Even Carroll (2003) criticises the NLP muddling. My view does not matter to the article, but honestly I am coming to the conclusion that at the heart of NLP is "muddling". NLP muddling, twisting reality and denying objectivity.] 10:50, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


Hi FT2. Actually, I am going to have to agree with JP. He may talk really straight in discussion, but in additions to the article JP is well balanced and encyclopedic. I see you like the meta-model, and that is your view. I can offer two highly credible source out of many that says NLP is pseudoscience and it includes a very critical review of the linguistic aspects of the meta-model. Drenth 2003 critiques this as does Levelt 1995, both stating that is is pseudoscience. I suggest that if you want the 2000 section not to be culled down to a few key sentences, you had better go and find a collection of very solid references to back up the views. I have read most of the refs posted by Comaze and they are speculative to say the least (especially Tosey). Comaze keeps wanting to post things about epistemologies and really the general view (especially from psychotherapy) is that it is another smokescreen to make NLP look like science. It will definitely be balanced as such] 02:24, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Comaze is continuing to screw around with images and irritate. Therefore, I am far more inclined to take an extremely hard line against his activities and suggestions] 02:31, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:: HeadleyDown, Please direct personal issues to my talk page. thanks --] 02:58, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Headley, you are mistaken - possibly willfully so. JPLogan made a large overstatement. His overstatement is likely to be in error. So are many of his other statements. I've picked one, related to meta model, simply because its an example his words bring to mind. I could have picked any of a few dozen NLP models. I'm indifferent which, as many of them could have been chosen. I chose that one for JPLogan. He has asserted that "all" NLP is "completely" pseudoscience and "focussed on commercializm". All I'm asking is, evidence to back his view to a high standard. He either has it, or he's puffing air. My guess is he was puffing air. I await ''his'' response to it. The section added is a view that is quite commonly held and sourced, about how NLP developed, and how some aspects came to be one way, whilst other aspects are widely used clinically and in other serious applications. ] 02:38, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
::I would agree that JP is comming down NLP a bit to harshly. NLP is about fast recognition of correlations, which create working models. Models that don't or no longer seem to word are discarded. This is '''very''' useful for social issues, where "how to act and be liked" is such a ridiculously complex and random equation that one could never make a good solid derivation of the "right answer"/"the correct, derived model". Basically, you ''need'' to just do what works, as a scientific analysis of social situations is often inconclusive and therefore useless. The downside to quick models, is that they can be woefully wrong.

::Anyway, it is pretty Pseudoscientific and commercialized, cultish, and unverifiable, so I am not the biggest fan, but I would also not consider NLP's core ideas to be useless junk necessarily; such statements are usually the result of reactionism to its down sides, without seeing other possibilities. Plenty of NLP practitioners are likely ''full of it'', but not necessarily, and we need to represent both cases by making a NPOV article that does not overly-characterize NLP as "total trash".] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 02:59, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Um, I havn't seen anyone say NLP is total junk. Remember that cults work, as do charlatans. There is also this neat concept called misconception and misattribution in psychology. The one interesing thing about NLP is the claim to broaden one's perspective, but its actual effect doing the opposite. NLP offers rituals. Rituals involving imagery, eye movements, standing in magical circles, mirroring as a cause rather than an effect (it is the chameleon EFFECT in reality) and so on. So you learn NLP and do wierd things. FOr example, I read a hillarious account of a woman who went to see a NLP therapist and found him wierdly dressed in black, and all he did was copy her:). This is recommended in a large amount of NLP and done in an incredibly simplistic way. Research has even shown that mirroring reduces trust during experiments (80s NLP research). It is not trash, but it is great for making money out of gullible people, and it is superb for thinking your new improved map is actual reality. Cults use it because it encourages manipulation, and is full of confusing nonsense that is short term gratifying and ultimately wrong. It has been covered by business and training/ HR practitioners (eg I think Von Bergen wrote a great exemplar on that) and the conclusion is that it is ineffective, baseless, and the associations between its baseless concepts do not actually exist. It offers a quick fix and in general, any positive theraputic effect that it may have is placebo or completely not attributable to NLP at all. So it is indeed a useful entity of the new age. Great for gaining money for old rope.] 03:43, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Anyway, back to the article. I think its ok to have a specific 2000s section. It needs some serious condensing though, and there are loads of stuff missing. For example Eisner 2000, Lilienfeld 2003, Carroll 2003, and many more people reiterating that NLP is pseudoscientific and scientifically baseless, ineffective and unsupported. Then there are quotable lines about it being daft and dangerous, banal, trite, fadish, an amoral psychocult and so on. The SHAM book is also a good entry for that section. There are some very funny passages about Bandler and Grinder being unable to negotiate their legal way out of a paper bag, and T Robbins promoting NLP for marriage and then getting divorced:). Should be fun!] 03:51, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

::: I agree that 'some' NLPers combine uncritical topics with their applications of the subject. However, let it be noted that there is an effort to restore (or insert) some ] into the field of NLP. Two universities are current researching NLP (Grinder-Bateson) epistemology and it uses; headed up by Tom Malloy (University of Utah) with Dynamic Systems Theory and Paul Tossey director of research project `Neuro-linguistic Programming: Theory and Applications for Teachers and Learners' (University of Surrey, School of Management). In Australia, there is a government accredited postgraduate qualification (333 hours fact-to-face contact hours) . On a lesser note, University of Southampton offers advice to students for study skills based on NLP , and The University of Sydney offers short introductory courses in Neuro-linguistic programming as part of their continuing education program . Some in the field are really trying to clean it up, and distinguish themselves from the flakes, short "practitioner" training, and ]rs. I realise this just one POV, but it is a valid one, and verifiable. --] 04:04, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Hi Comaze. In the UK, one researcher from Guildford Surrey teaches a single module and 1 eighth of it involves only some aspects of NLP. He has written a discussion paper saying it could be tested. We know it can, because it already has been:) I think he's a little slow off the mark! The same goes for the other institutions you mention including Portsmouth. Out of all the thousands of institutions in the world the weight of this view is tiny. And the research you mention makes no difference at all on the research that has been done already. More recently people have been dissasociating with NLP as much as they possibly can, and moving into other areas. Platt, Patrick Melvede and many more. Prof Carroll wrote his 2003 book with a view to warning undergraduate psychologists and business people about the misleading silliness of NLP and similar subjects. The world view on research into NLP? There was research, but since it is full of nonsense and empirically unsubstantiated, the research stream has dried up! Only a couple of hard core NLP devotees are researching and that is probably only because the funding body did't realise that its pseudoscience.] 04:27, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:: The ] is another university that is currently researching NLP:

Hello Folks again. Just to keep the ball rolling, I have made changes to the 2000 section, removing excess claims and confusing jargon. Also backing up views using references. I'm certain it can be condensed more. ATB] 05:29, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes that's far better. Your crackdown on hype is also a fine idea. Science is the clearest way forward here.] 10:53, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Looks far better to me. I will have a go at condensing it further. I am also coming to the conclusion that there are so many terms in NLP that are just designed to hype, that it really is hard to see the hype sometimes. I mean words like "embedded command" sounds really powerful, but the psychology I know just calls it a suggestion. Anyway, yes we seem to be getting somewhere.] 06:01, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Hey! Those French refs you gave are great. The French seriously don't like NLP. It is still in the process of being labeled a cult by the govt there. Also one of their professors says NLP is "a lot of blowing wind, but no result". He also says the authors are megalomaniac fraudsters (I guess he's been talking to the British Assoc of Psychologists:). He classes NLP as a cult or proto-religion. I think they treated dianetics the same way in the 70s. Now its just a cult, and scientology is the religion. Can anyone think of a good new religious name for NLP? How about The Church of New Rolling Wizdicks?] 06:24, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Oh behave!:) Yes there are more to come also. They seem to collaborate a lot. Some of the studies are very in depth meta analyses about NLP (according to the lit). I would say they generally belong in the scientific findings section, but they all seem to state pseudoscience also. Anyway, we can introduce them anytime.] 06:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:I see what the aim is (I think), and what Alice and Dave have reduced it to. It really misses the whole point now in their edit.
:Anyway, I'm thinking, overall, "NLP 2000" (which I interpret to be "Modern NLP"... is that right?) - this should be what the article is all about. Anything not currently applicable is history. Oh, and changing it to "NLP 2000 Background" is a little stupid ... like "background to the present". ] 08:27, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

===Grinder's contributions since 2000===
This was also reverted without discussion. It simple states the movements Grinder in recent years. I think it is appropriate for the Recent developments section.... "With the publishing of Whispering in the Wind in 2001, John Grinder and his partner Carmen Bostic St Clair made explicit their intention to set up the field of Neuro-linguistic Programming as a legimate field of human endeavour. The working title, ''Red Tail math'' promises to further explicate the epistemology of NLP, including refinements of cybernetic epistemology of Gregory Bateson (1972, 1979) using discrete dynamical systems (Malloy et al 2005) and the inclusion of ecology and ] (Malloy, Grinder, Bostic, 2005)." --] 00:14, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

==2 POVs==
I wonder, with the 2 distinct POVs we have here, whether we should try something totally different. I don't think this is working at the moment. I have no idea what might work but if anyone can think of something... put it here? Voice-of-All might have a cool suggestion too, having been through this before.

One thing I'm thinking is that for EVERY section we could write 3 parts - start with agreed description, then to Group A, Group B. A would be the NPOV version ala Greg/Comaze/FT2/TBP/Andy/whoever. Then we have the NPOV version ala Headley/JP/DaveRight/Alice/whoever. I put my view first since sometimes there will be claims that headley's view will wish to respond to, it avoids duplication... though maybe that's not right. Anyway, over time, we find the commonalities and move them slowly to the Agreed section. We can also change our own section to account for quotes presented in the other section. BTW, I suggest we avoid naming groups "pro-NLP", "anti-NLP", "science", etc... since we're all claiming this is Neutral.

That idea mightn't work. At best it should be temporary. At the moment we just overwrite each other and I can't think of a way of representing clearly what both sides are saying in a way that will allow us to bring this together. Maybe someone has a better idea. Maybe some people prefer a mess. I don't know. Your thoughts? ] 07:00, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

ps. There are many POVs of NLP... but I think in our situation we have 2 POVs of it all...
pps. I'm not suggesting this as a "debate" (we're not presenting sides of an argument). I'm suggesting we both be as neutral as we can and back it up with evidence. ] 07:02, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Hello Greg and people. Actually I would have to disagree about the various POVs. I have taken a back seat for a while and I noticed that there are many distinct POVs in the promoter team, and a more or less agreed POV in the scientist/psychologist team. Seems to me because they choose a useful scientific perspective. Also, the article seems to be getting along fine also. At least, promoters are not removing cited facts 10 times a day each like they used to.] 07:14, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi Bookmain... I only have a second. Please note I'm not talking about POVs of NLP, but rather our distinct POVs here on this group. There is currently more and more low quality research mixed in with high quality stuff (Morgan is an example - but we can discuss him below). The article does not express what NLP claims, but rather what you want to say it claims - there is no point removing the unrepresentative, misframed, or unscientific stuff you're adding when you just re-add it. It's a broken record (I'm not saying it's all bad, just some). The only way to like the current situation would be if your goal was to present NLP as a mess... and I'm sure none of us want that. I'm suggesting 2 POVs as one way of at least presenting what we've found, and gradually bringing agreement together. I would welcome another option do you have one? ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

===Morgan===

I don't know if anyone's actually read the articles. But for example given the citation of Morgan (1993), has anyone actually read Morgan's work? Its basically just a restatement of Heap. Morgan did not undertake any actual research into NLP whatsoever, according to his own writing.
::Morgan states that NLP is unsupported. That is his view. It can be in the article.] 10:12, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
:::Morgan did no research. He also uses and references NLP derived methodologies himself constantly, and advertizes himself as "Your number 1 hypnotherapy site!". His statement of what Heap said has as much use as if you or I or any lay-person merely reported Heap's view. It's certainly not academically founded or "research" and it has no standing except reflected standing of heap, who is already cited. Removing from article. ] 11:59, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi TBP. I am getting tired of NLP promoters twisting the facts. Please learn to research properly.

Here is the Australian Hypnotherapists page version (copied from Dylan 1993)
http://www.mindmotivations.com/article1-nlp-assessment.shtml

This is framed
“A scientific assessment of NLP”

There is a conclusion section.
Here is the conclusion:

:Sorry headley but to be scientific is not as simple as labelling your study "a scientific assessment", and having a conclusion :)
:Everything you write below is a true quote of the article. That is not the same as being 'true'. He cites heap, he does no research, it's his opinion piece (I'm unsure if it was published?). ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello Greg. Morgan, Dylan A (1993). Scientific Assessment of NLP. Journal of the National Council for Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Register Spring 1993: -.
Question answered.] 02:13, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

“The present author is satisfied that the assertions of NLP writers concerning the representational systems have been objectively and fairly investigated and found to be lacking. These assertions are stated in unequivocal terms by the originators of NLP and it is clear from their writings that phenomena such as representational systems, predicate preferences and eye movement patterns are claimed to be potent psychological processes, easily and convincingly demonstrable on training courses by tutors and trainees, following simple instructions, and, indeed, in interactions of everyday life. Therefore, in view of the absence of any objective evidence provided by the original proponents of the PRS hypothesis, and the failure of subsequent empirical investigations to adequately support it, it may well be appropriate now to conclude that there is not, and never has been, any substance to the conjecture that people represent their world internally in a preferred mode which may be inferred from their choice of predicates and from their eye movements.”

It states “and these conclustions”

On his own site Dylan Morgan states after the article:

“I know that some members of the NCP are enthusiastic users of NLP techniques and I would be interested to know their response to this article. On the other hand if you are a member who has tried to use the indirect ways of deducing a person's PRS andfailed, or have tried to pace the presumed PRS and not gained noticeably greater rapport than usual, then you may find comfort in the thought that the fault may not lie in you.

In my own experience a simple question such as, "When you say that do you mean that your actually picture .... to yourself?" is answered happily and openly by people, so that there is no need for devious, indirect or doubtful ways of finding out in detail how their minds are working.”

Dylan Morgan presents it as a Scientific Assessment. Then he infers that if NLP does not work, it is because NLP does not work. He is stating that NLP is:

“Devious, indirect, and doubtful” (Morgan 1993) Journal of the National Council for Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Register, Spring 1993.
Regards] 12:47, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

PS. If you want to know Heap’s final word on NLP, believe me it is extremely damning and a harsh one indeed. He read Sharpley’s 1997 paper (that Heap had not taken into account for the prior 1988 report due to timing problems in publication (they take ages)) that irrefutably placed NLP as scientifically unsupported, and then said that NLP is indeed scientifically unsupported, and the conclusion is that NLP completely fails to qualify for clinical testing due to baseless theory, unsupported efficacy, and highly dubious promotion. (Heap 1989).

:I assume you mean Sharpley 1987 (not 1997), which you have continually referred to here (and on the main page), but give no further information, study name, etc. You asked if I wanted more information a few weeks back I said an abstract would be great... come on - give the study name, journal at least, or stop referencing it. ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Drenth, Levelt, Platt, Morgan, Lilienfeld, Eisner, Carroll, Singer, and many others follow this evidence and scientific thinking.] 12:47, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Once again, remember what they wrote. Cult books, Pseudoscience books, skeptic dictionary. QUality independent sources? ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

I also find it interesting - and not a little suspicious - that Morgan's own website, whose author is supposed (I gather) to be against most of NLP's findings, promotes himself as "The UKs No.1 hypnotherapy site" , and if you read his books, Morgan ''constantly'' uses Ericksonian Hypnotherapy techniques -- as modelled in NLP by Grinder and Bandler.

I'm also still waiting for your reply, HeadleyDown. NLP is not just "VAK" or "PRS". It is a methodology, and an approach, which has spawned models empirically. Your approach is unscientific. I've asked you to consider my question, five times now. I did so for a very good reason: basic NLP epistemology and models have been widely enough used that it becomes possible to say "in the hands of skilled practitioners, they work". Whether the theoretical explanation of the creators is correct scientifically I don't know. But assorted NLP models are taken seriously and used in other fields. You seem ignorant of that. I think you need to address that aspect - and you should not need to be asked. ] 09:36, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Oh yes TBP. and exactly what models are you referring to when you say that they are used in other fields? That certainly does need to be asked] 10:30, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi TBP. Also, it is not enough to say that "in the hands of skilled practitioners" because NLP is sold to the general public and hyped to ridiculous levels. Here is a good clarifying statement:

"pseudosciences are characterized by non-reproducable findings that are allegedly mediated by forces unmeasurable by scientific methods. Critics failure to validate these claims are frequently dismissed with the self-serving assertion that the results are obtainable only by those who share the pseudoscientists belief and arcane skill".

Distinguishing science from pseudoscience. (Beyerstein 1995) in Sala et al 1999. Department of psychology Simon Frazer University Canada.

IN short, you seem to be alluding to some arcane skill that cannot be reproduced. But the seminars are so expensive and promise so much! I conclude from your statement that NLP is pseudoscientific] 10:30, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:When I get a chance I'll write up a response to each pseudoscience claim - sometimes to question it, sometimes to agree. Lilienfield makes it quite clear that sciences sometimes do have pseudoscientific aspects and it's a natural part of the process - but when you get lots of the pseudoscience elements the line is not so blurry. ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello TBP. Over the years, NLP has been studied empirically (because it can be tested) and overall it has been found lacking (false in theory, in associations of concepts, and in efficacy). The views of the scientists/psychotherapists/psycholinguists and HR practitioners in the article are that NLP is scientifically unsupported. I know there are subtle differences that NLPers will talk about and they will vary a lot. The science does not vary. The same scientists/psychotherapists/psycholinguists and HR practitioners also say that NLP is pseudoscientific partly because it is unsupported, but also because of other reasons, such as NLPers denying that science has any relevance (even though they claim science half the time and make hypotheses (if you do this, then that will happen).] 10:11, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Those are reasonable questions. Here are some answers for you. I'm sorry if they are a few lines long:
:* As regards models that are widely used or respected in other fields, let us pick one example. I think thats a valid approach: If NLP methodology is shown to have validity or be empirically valued in one major case, it becomes difficult to sustain that it is "completely" pseudoscience or "snake oil". Here is one example. The work of ] and his professional standing even posthumously, is not in doubt internationally (although interestingly during the 1950s he too was accused and professionally investigated for pseudoscience - and deemed cleared - by the medical profession). His work is the subject of ongoing study, and the foundation of much modern hypnotherapy. It is not considered pseudoscience so far as I am aware, by anybody of serious medical standing. I would have to look up my reference texts next time I'm home, but Erickson himself credited at one point, "I would like to thank Grinder and Bandler, who have explained my approach and methodology so much better than I could have done". This suggests that the classical, core NLP methodology, spawns models and information that have lasting value and insight, and which had not been up until that time identified by other schools of study. (Do you want a source for that?) That in turn conflicts fundamentally with your categorization as "complete pseudoscience".
:::Heap himself a hypnotherapist talks negatively about Erickson. He uses words such as "if empirical evidence is not used, then practitioners may fall foul of the Erickson/NLP cult".
:::And concernign NLP: original interest turned to dissolusionment after research and now it is rarely even mentioned in psychotherapy.
:::Hypnotherapy : a handbook / edited by Michael Heap and Windy Dryden.(1991)] 12:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:* Your other point, I find off-target. Most disciplines require skill and practice, and many disciplines (mathematics, medicine, microchip design) are capable of producing results in the hands of knowledgeable experienced practitioners that lay-people cannot reproduce. To take an example, the fact that a thousand amateur mathematicians found Fermat's Last Theorem comprehensible and believed it accessible, and were incited to try and achieve a proof by prizes, and produced myriad flawed "proofs" in both amateurish and subtle ways, does not say anything about whether mathematics, or a proof of it, in skilled hands, are valid. So to argue that because NLP is hyped to the public, therefore it must be ineffective in the hands of a skilled experienced practitioner, is a logical ].

:::That is not what I meant. I said NLP is hyped to the public, and says if you simply do this, then such and such magic will happen. In addition, the empirical tests on NLP included highly trained experimenters fully capable of conducting NLP.] 12:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)
::Not according to Druckman, one of the flaws he gave was not using quality NLPers. How do you determine if your highly trained experimenters are capable of conducting NLP? I would have thought you'd be better off having a highly trained psychological researcher working with highly trained NLP practitioners, if you wanted validity. ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:* Your third point is misconceived. I have specifically indeed stated that core NLP is objectively verifiable by a third party. In other words, the use of good NLP, in the hands of a skilled practitioner, and the additional impact it can have in a therapeutic or other context, can be recorded, seen and discussed as a case example on video tape, and has been. Another test of its efficacy (though less so because of the placebo effect) is the client's perception of the impact of skilled NLP use, and that too can be tested. However the placebo effect is less likely to be a major factor, because by the nature of the field, good quality NLP can be retrospectively reviewed eg on video, and a commonsense connection discussed even by non-NLP practitioners between action and effect (unlike most pseudoscience). So I think it is a misunderstanding on your part. The skills are not arcane. They are skills which everyday people use daily, but which can be identified and then used very powerfully, rather than used haphazard and poorly as they are usually.

:::I did not say the skills were arcane. I am merely saying that you are saying the skills are unattainable and untestable by good rigorous and peer reviewed studies into NLP.] 12:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:* A final point, important to be aware of: It is not always certain which exact part of NLP may be critical, so practitioners as a rule use many methods combined ''and in parallel'', so there is limited clarity which specific aspect of their work is "responsible". Probably all of them contribute to some degree. This is the most complex aspect of the "skillset". For example, a practitioner with even ''basic'' skill may be using combined and simultaneously:

:::Now we are back to wholism again. Pure pseudo thinking] 12:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:::: Yes, some psychologists argue that you have to isolate the variables entirely to be scientific. Even then, the hard sciences call it the soft science. Other psychologists (particularly those practicing forms of psychotherapy) argue that the variables can not be isolated so easily. I really don't think we should have that argument in the NLP area, but if it's nowhere else.... ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

::* Crossmatching (as opposed to mirroring) in body movement or voice,
::* Watching skin tone, micromuscle movement, and eye motions for unconscious responses or other potential nonverbal communications,
::* Listening for critical metamodel or other recognized patterns,
::* Forming precise hypotheses as to what might be important unconscious or unstated factors in the client's own behavior and ways of thinking, promising directions that will benefit the client therapeutically, or other neuro-linguistic patterns, and carefully testing these with the client's own observed and heard feedback as a guide,
::* Structuring their own choice of language to keep the client exploring their own inner experience rather than "jarring" or moving away from productive internal discovery,
::* Incorporating in their communication at the same time as all the above, specific techniques (examples: metamodel, milton model, reframing, dissociation, multiple points of view, time reorientation, metaphor) which for some clients facilitate the reduction of more difficult or established emotional or conceptual limitations and other problematic conceptual hinderances in the client's world-view and thus make more self-awareness available to the client,
::* Ensuring that their entire language use avoids imposing their own preconceptions of what "must be" or how the world "is" in favor of working within the client's own viewpoint,
::* Considering broader goals such as ensuring the client is considering unexpected consequences of his wishes to choose the best ''all-round'' outcome, ie that the impact on or influence of others involved is being duely considered by the client,
::* Structuring their approach so that the work done is constructed in a way so as to be synergistic with existing belief if appropriate.....
::* ... And these are all dynamic, thus at any moment an ''observation of client action or behavior'' may suggest a completely new approach or aspect to be checked out. It's said that good NLP should be 90% skilled information gathering (of client verbal and non-verbal communication), and only 10% action.
:: That's just the start of ''basic'' skill level for professional use of NLP, and it's a bit like driving a car or truck: good NLP is constant awareness, pure learned neutral observation, constant conscious and unconscious working with objectively verifiable feedback - and never quite predictable. ''That'' is classical NLP in action, and a lab test where an unskilled reader uses word type A rather than word type B and concludes that NLP is ineffective as a result, doesn't even start to come close. To be honest, it's a testing methodology I'd ''expect'' to be inappropriate.
:] 11:55, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:Again, it makes no difference what I think. With respectable scientists/linguists/psychotherapists/and management specialists stating that NLP is pseudoscience, because it is scientifically unsupported, and because of the kind of pseudoscientific arguments you have just put forward, plus the incredibly pseudoscientific arguments that others put forward, it is clearly pseudoscientific. These views carry great weight, especially next to the pseudoscientific views of those who have absolutely zero regard for verifying their own assertions, and go on with the infomercial as if they have the answers to everyone's problems and the key to the universe. So we are back to scientology again!] 12:21, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:::Of course it makes a difference what you think. You are looking up articles to support your theory. It SHOULDN'T make a difference, but if that were so we'd be discussing things entirely differently and not quoting some of the more dubious sources (the good sources should be good enough for the article). Remember we are not saying that there are not some clearly pseudoscientific arguments put forward by some people - we are saying that the majority of NLP practitioners do not (which is entirely different). Your generalisation that NLP claims to have an answer to everyone's problem is sad and unrepresentative. Also no matter what you said previously, where do you get "back to scientology".... you're implying a link that's not there at all. ] 22:49, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


::And again you appear to willfully misread my words.
::* '''Erickson''': First, the question is, is Erickson's work snake oil? I think you'd have a hard time selling that view. Note that Heap is not referencing Erickson's work so much as the cult-like following it attracted. Erickson ''himself'' was a clinician of international standing and recognition in his lifetime, and his work has been clinically deemed to be significant. Citations available if needed. Or see the article on his life and work for more. Unless you want to present a case (despite the evidence) that Erickson's work has no validity, I think you have to acknowledge that Grinder and Bandlers methodology, analysis and models drawn from it, which he acknowledged were better than he himself could have done, were also significant.
::* '''Fallacy''': Your original statement was (summarized) "its not good enough to say genuine practitioners can achieve results, because it's hyped to the public too". That is a ]. Especially, I have ''never'' come across good quality NLP saying A will ''always'' cause B. It's always "this is a rule of thumb but always check it in each individual case".
::* '''Arcane''': 1st quote "In short, you seem to be alluding to some arcane skill that cannot be reproduced", 2nd quote "I did not say the skills were arcane". Make your mind up.
::* '''Misreading''': My comment: ''"core NLP is objectively verifiable by a third party... by the nature of the field, good quality NLP can be retrospectively reviewed eg on video, and a commonsense connection discussed even by non-NLP practitioners between action and effect (unlike most pseudoscience)"''. Your comment: "...you are saying the skills are unattainable and untestable by good rigorous and peer reviewed studies into NLP". Is it just me, or are you reading the exact opposite of my words?
::* '''Wholism''': No Headley, saying that a skill is complex and has many aspects, and it is not always clear in any one circumstance which may have been the critical one, is not wholism. Gods sake man, learn what these words mean. Wholism is saying that something cannot be understood analytically by examining its parts. I bullet pointed some 10 parts to look at, and observe that because it is multi-faceted in this way, it is more complex to design a good test for it, but that (as stated above) none the less, the parts and their impacts are objectively separable.
:: The problem with your viewpoint is, it is becoming more and more obvious that it is circular and POV: "NLP is pseudoscience, therefore any clinical evidence to the contrary must be unscientific and any statement suggesting objective verifiability can be safely ignored".
:: One of your "evidence" citations (Morgan) turns out to be using NLP and not to actually be any form of researcher at all, but merely a relayer of others research which was used to make it appear (incorrectly) there were two sets of conclusions. Another (Heap, 1988) you have selectively quoted to avoid disclosing his full view on NLP. His ''full'' comment even on the limited scope of matching, if you had read it, included:
:::"On the balance the findings have been negative but a number of positive outcomes have been reported, enough to suggest that there may be some beneficial effect of matching, perhaps not specific to predicates but to more general linguistic and non-linguistic behaviour, <u>as indeed NLP writers themselves have suggested</u>."
:::That's quite a far stretch from ''snake oil'' and ''complete pseudoscience''.
:: Don’t ever, ''ever'', quote scientific research that way, Headley, without checking sources, citing the critical caveats, and giving a ''neutral'' view of their findings. When I ask you to justify something, in a reasonable factual tone, I do not honestly expect dismissive hyperbole back.

::] 12:55, 28 October 2005 (UTC)


OK TBP. So far I hear you telling me how to behave - ever ever! I see you removing fact (Morgan's contribution to his 1993 paper includes the words devious, indirect, dubious attributed to NLP). I see you wanting to misinterpret my own words towards your point of view. I see Heap is scathing of NLP, and his final words conclude that NLP is completely unsupported and do not even qualify for expensive clinical studies. People looking in will come to their own conclusions. I want to move on and focus on the cited facts.] 13:23, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Just to clarify and simplify proceedings. Lets focus on baseline conclusions please. The article is supposed to be encyclopedic. It is not a work in itself so much as a report of findings of what NLP actually is and does, and science gets a lot of weight, especially in relation to the enormous amount of fog inducing commercial hype. Best regards] 13:28, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

:You hear me saying several times that you need to answer questions not just assume you have the answers. To consider not condescend. To not take my words and then tell me I said the exact opposite or make up ] responses. To not include a research source plus a published personal view on that source, and cite them claiming they are two different researches. Not to take research that includes important qualifiers that suggest those you think of as "opponents" are in fact not wholely rejected by those you think of as "scientists", and suppress it when it doesn't suit you.

:Your call to "just focus on facts" and "baseline" and "encyclopediac" is one I support, but not in the same way you do. Your idea of these is "I don't want to be bothered with the possibility that there could be merit in both sides' views". You already know what you want the article to say, as witness your selective concept of "neutral reporting". A good call to "focus on facts" covers <u>all</u> facts, good "baseline conclusions" are not predetermined, and a good question right now would be "what is a balanced wiki-neutral view that ''fairly represents the other information too''".

:Yes, Headley. I ''am'' telling you how to behave. So is ], if you had read it. And so is the ], if you hold any respect for it at all. I have indulged your bias and ignorance with courtesy and patience. I've asked you questions, and watched you quibble and throw up ] specious dismissals, and when answered ignore the question anyhow by effectively saying "Let's treat it as agreed and settled and I want to move on". It doesn't seem that you made any dedicated attempt to pursue NPOV by verifying whether there was in fact formal research or other academic papers contradicting your view or broadly supportive of the various NLP methodologies. Misplaced Pages is a co-operative venture, with the goal of representing what's known on topics, and &ndash; so far as NPOV is wikipedia policy &ndash; you need to learn to work within it, however much you might want it not to (or feel it shouldn't) apply to ''you''.

:] 18:03, 28 October 2005 (UTC)

Really everyone. Stop with the pointless arguments. All mediation requests for citations and refs have been honoured in a very prompt manner, as far as I can see. Job done!] 02:13, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

==Platt==

A Note from the peanut gallery....(please forgive the lack of formal Misplaced Pages formatting I just signed up the other day - I've been following this for a week or so now and I've noticed a tendency for the "antiNLP" group to consistantly ignore "ProNP" arguments. The only comment I can make on this (we all have our own viewpoint) is this example:

The Platt article is constantly cited throughout. Yet the article published <i>in the same magazine</i> the very next month as a reply by Susan Knight was never mentioned anywhere.

And for the record I am a Chemical Engineer, with a MS degree in Industrial Chemistry (so I know more about "science" than most). I also am an NLP Trainer (trained by Tad James) and hypnotherapist. User: JohnStrasser (john@lifetranscendent.com)

::I agree John Strasser. Platt ref should be balanced with the reply, and given equal weight. Be bold, if there are no objections go ahead and make the change, by adding the Sue Knight reply to the references with a paraphrase or direct quote of her opinion. You can post here as a draft. --] 02:05, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi JohnStrasser. Believe me a week is nothing here. I have had to put up with the same old argument and deletions of fact and twisted accusations for months. The arguments presented today are simply reiterated and oversized nagging that has been dealt with many times over. It will probably continue, but I don't care. The facts remain. Scientific views say that NLP is unsupported, pseudoscientific, and those views will be heard. The other info is about NLP devotees such as you saying that they don't like the facts. BTW Tad James is the remote influence ESP Huna guy isn't he? I believe he taught John LaTourrette, another remote influence guru in the US! I think that answers Greg's ESP question. Regards] 01:44, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


:Headley... the "scientific views" say, when you do research that includes reviewing and summarizing other research in a field, you review both papers that show the view you incline to, ''and'' those which tend to support or suggest the opposing view, both, neutrally. I see no evidence you have dont this. Your view is nicely summarized, one couldn't summarize more honestly if one tried: "I don't care". But NPOV means ''caring and checking both'' sides... and reporting a balanced article on the field neutrally. I don't see that your logic or knowledge justifies a claim to be competent in the field to do that.

:How hard exactly have you looked for scientists and science ''not'' concluding NLP is pseudoscience, or whose papers included indicators such as qualified interest, recommendations for further research in the light of suggestive but not conclusive results, or out and out positive findings? If you found any, shouldn't you include them? And if you didn't look properly, then by what right are you trying to say what NLP is or is not? ] 03:29, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


----

Hello I am Hans Antel an occupational psychologist

I studied NLP under Grinder's teachings. Luckilly for me and unlucky for my employer, I did not have to pay for the expensive study. I stayed open to the teachings and tried to apply them wherever I could during my job for months afterwards and found them to be lacking compared to the other techniques and applications that I had learned throughout my undergraduate training in traditional scientific methods. I also attended conference meetings with other NLP enthusiasts in Europe (especially France Denmark and Germany). I could still not get any real knowledge or effective technique from them, and they seemed to be very good at telling stories and explaining away their failures. I did make further studies and (well I knew already the theories were highly wrong because I have a Master degree in psychology), and I then found that the methods did mainly not work in experimental testing also. Regarding the engram term European NLP enthusiasts do find it useful and one of them explained to me that the word (as a nominalization) was useful for getting people to believe that words can make permanent changes in the brain. He said that engram was useful because it is convincing. I have also heard asian NLP enthusiasts talking using the engram term as central to neurology. Its a neurology word, so why not! I have also been watching this discussion and really NLP users do not have anything to add apart from stories. That is the way NLP has developed. Testing gives a very negative view and that is how my psychotherapy friends see NLP. Its actually turned out to be quite a comedy system of therapy, but not intentionally. I am grateful for the studies presented here, and I think Platt and I have a lot of experience in common. I also found the Von Bergen reference to be extremely useful. I wrote a report on NLP for publication at my local training authority and I also emailed it and other research to Alice De Grey. It is negative in conclusion, but the research is balanced according to the guidelines of my professional body.

If you like NLP, then fine for you! Just don't expect your stories or opinion to be published in an encyclopedia. Hans Antel] 03:33, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for the ref Hans. To be fair though one should not conduct one's own work for wikipedia, it is about other views. To be sure though, the other information and the refs provided are really super (especially the mainland European ones) and will be very useful. ATB] 05:54, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

:: Personal research can be included in wikipedia as long as it is published by a reputable publisher or academic journals (for academic subjects). --] 11:34, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

:Hi Comaze. Alice forwarded me a copy of the euro references. Believe me, you do not want to go there:)] 12:09, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

== Morgan and Heap ==

I added "Morgan, 1993" to all areas the do not already have Heap.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 02:41, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
:I'd accept you quoting Heap. Morgan himself does not appear to be a researcher or a source, merely a commenter on others reviews. He isn't encyclopaedic in the "cite your sources" reference sense. I've changed those additions to "Heap 1988"s since citing what are really Heap's findings as being "Morgan 1993" as if Morgan did research, is inappropriate. Morgan merely wrote an opinion on them. This does not change the impact in terms of information. ] 03:17, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
::OK, thats fine with me. Actually I considered doing that, but thought it too bold.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 03:26, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


Hello VoiceOfAll. You are right about being too bold. I believe that reference (Morgan, Dylan A (1993). Scientific Assessment of NLP. Journal of the National Council for Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Register Spring 1993) is going to have to go right back up there. Morgan is a PhD in psychology and has published many times over. I have the article right here with me, and it has an abstract that says Dr Morgan conducts a scientific assessment of NLP as a follow up to Heap's negative study on NLP. NLP continues to gain an increasingly negative assessment from clinical practitioners of hypnotherapy. Remember that the article states that "the verdict will be a harsh one indeed". Well, Morgan does further studies and action research and finds that NLP fails according to his scientific assessment and research. So he calls it Deceptive and dubious. This is a follow up. I would always second check web refs if I were you. They often snip important parts. Also, just for a little perspective, if you go to a good academic university library, NLP's contribution is puny. Next to psychology, psychotherapy NLP is incredibly fringe. In hypnotherapy books, NLP is becoming less and less mentioned and never even got much mention in the first place. Considering how little regard NLP gets from reputable sources, Dr Morgan's scientific followup and final word assessment is entirely relevant. It is also the view of a world renowned clinical hypnotherapist. ATB] 04:23, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


:Dylan Morgan... "world renowned clinical hypnotherapist". Let's see.
:* Dylan Morgans Bio which if he was "world renowned" would presumably say so, lists no signs opf world renown. he was "editor" on a Psychotherapists journal, and lists his work gained due to his qualifications as: ''These qualifications enabled me at various times to be: Road Manager for a Rock Band; Civil Servant at a Government Research Establishment (the Official Secrets Act limits what I can say about this); one of the Paparazzi - I still have a collection of informal pictures of the Royal Family and the Scottish aristocracy; Lecturer at Universities; Photographer for The Edinburgh Tatler and Horse and Hound; Private Tutor; Winner of the Flowering Scythe Award for my Gardening; a Telephone Samaritan; a World Expert in noise generation by jet engines and high speed helicopter blades; and I have travelled to Russia, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Yugoslavia and Sweden for Conferences and other purposes.'' (!)
:* Morgan cites his skill area as ''Ericksonian'' hypnotherapy. Erickson's methodology is the one unpacked within NLP which Erickson himself credited for explaining it "better than he could". Grinder and Bandler were the people who initially made Milton's skills - the ones that Morgan uses - accessible to the world, in "Patterns in the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton Erickson, Vol 1 + 2". Before then Erickson's work was renowned, but not well understood and close to unreplicable by third party therapists. It doesn't sound much like Morgan's calling their work "pseudoscience" if he bases his career on it.
:* Morgans works are (apparently) not peer reviewed. I could not find academic approval for any of what he called "Morganic" hypnosis. If an NLP trainer labelled his personal development "Morganic NLP", I think we'd hear "pseud" faster than you can say "hypnotic handshake"...
:* Erickson has a Misplaced Pages article. Gilligan has a wikipedia article. Apparently Dylan Morgan doesn't. The only single reference ''anyone'' has made to this "world renowned" expert is ]. Not conclusive, but noteworthy.
:* I have looked on Google for ''dylan morgan hypnotherapy''. There is not one significant credible link in the first 100 that indicates any professional reference other than that one might expect from a practitioner who has a practice, has published books, and has a website with reference material. (By contrast, a search for ''stephen gilligan hypnotherapy'' -- a ''genuine'' "world renowned clinical hypnotherapist", and protege of Erickson -- has within the first page many references to interviews, conference speeches, pages referring to him as an expert, and the like)

:Changes reverted, Morgan appears to have no especial standing to qualify him to make a statement any more than any other individual hypnotherapist. He is not evidenced as being especially academically reputed, nor apparently were the views you quoted academically (much less formally peer) reviewed, they are in the form primarily of an opinion regarding Heap's work. Morgan is most assuredly from the look of it not a world renowned expert, and his own self-written bio does not especiallly reflect the usual evidence of lifelong world renowned clinical expertise. His article is posted, apparently in full, on his own website , and clearly is a mere discussion and opinion of Heap. Last but noteworthy, his hypnotherapy site contains enough hype to more than qualify for labelling as "hype", in the manner you label and dismiss NLP.

:Like I told HeadleyDown. '''Don't invent facts (in your case, an attributed standing) to support a POV source, ]''', if that source is not in fact anything like the person you claim. What part of "neutral" and "scientific method" do you not understand in WP policy? Reverted.

:] 05:06, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

::I don't particularly see Morgan as having done much NLP research, although he does have notable degrees and did review words by Heaps. Lets just stick with having Heaps instead of Morgan.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 05:25, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Just a word, VoiceOfAll. The alternative is to quote Morgan specifically as a published follow up verification of Heap with additional conclusions (NLP is devious etc). I noticed that Morgan is actually quoted as a review by other sources including the Carroll book 2003 and others. regards Tim Brooks.
:If Morgan has done anything much more than opined informally on Heap, then it doesn't matter who cites him. His work is then just the opinion of a random hypnotherapist around the world, not especially skilled at the rest of NLP perhaps, with no particular qualification, giving a personal opinion on a paper. Its that simple. if you can find evidence he himself added original research, and that his standing as a researcher is such as to be a reputable competent original researcher, and that the research added by him was done to that standard and with the usual quality control expected of any academic review or testing, then please point me to it. Namely, please show me the original research Morgan added to Heap that's not on Morgan's own copy of Morgan's own article on Morgan's own web page as linked. This is what Morgan wrote:

:* Para.1: I am sure we have all read something about NLP. But not all of us have had the chance to study and test it.
:* Para.2: Heap did some research
:* Para.3: What Heap studied
:* Para.4: Why what Heap studied matters
:* Para.5: The assertations can be tested. Heap reviewed the literature to summarize previous results.
:* Para.6-7: Summarizes Heap's entire findings in 6 sentences. Morgan omits a critical qualification in which Heap stated cautious supportive evidence found for the NLP phenomenae.
:* Para.8-9: Quotes three chunks of Heap's paper
:* Para.10: If you want to know more, this is where Heap's paper can be found
:* Para.11: Soliciting views on this
:* Para.12: adding ''his own opinion'' "<u>In my own experience</u> , a simple question can be answered openly and happily, there is no need for devious, indirect or doubtful ways of finding out in detail how their minds are working." Pure personal opinion.

That is the entirety of Morgan's "paper". Its an editorial publicizing Heap's review, nothing more.

] 05:55, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi Tim. Right, I think this is a fair compromise (though I also see it as an acceptable scientific review especially since it is quoted by others). Actually we did have Morgan's conclusion that NLP is devious and dubious in the article before, but it got lost during one of Comaze's deletionfests. I'll post it back in. ATB] 05:50, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

TBP, read the actual paper. It contains far more than the web ref.] 06:04, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
:The quote you have inserted is clearly marked as personal opinion. "I don;t see the need for X". Morgan is an everyday hypnotherapist of apparently no especial standing, who uses Milton Model in his work, and markets himself with hype. This should not be a difficult one to handle..... should it? ] 06:07, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

TBP. Also read around the subject of NLP more thoroughly. I have several other refs that state and even categorize officially, NLP as a dubious therapy, a pseudoscience, a pseudoscientific subject, and daft:) Are you goint to place "personal opinion" on all the scientific viewpoints?] 06:07, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
:No, but that one especially, was. Separately, I would like to ask the same as I asked HeadleyDown. Did you also review the research literature for articles to check that there were not equally, a variety of papers that concluded supportive (or cautiously positive) to any of NLP's claims? What did you check, and what did you find? Honest answer please, I don't mind if its "I didnt look hard", I just want to know what you did and what you found. ] 06:10, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


Hi TBP. I can't speak for everyone, but the amount of refs on this article is astounding and I certainly can supply more. Nearly all of the refs I have were collected from libraries and photocopied. I can check them all. I have looked at many papers (similar to Platt's efforts) and overall they fail to support NLP. For the sake of this article we only have space for reviews of those studies. All of the refs I have on Lilienfeld, Levelt, Drenth, Eisner, Carroll, Singer, Heap, plus all the follow up books by heap and others state in clear terms that NLP is scientifically unsupported. I see no reviews that say NLP is supported.] 07:32, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Just as an aside, I have done my best to phrase the research neutrally (eg, scientifically unsupported, pseudoscience etc), but the more that supporters and promoters will try to delete and deny, the more likely it is that the fact will come back with the actual harsh words attached as happened today (devious and so on). Cooperation is important here as there seem to be newcomers who simply want to strip the article of facts and science, and replace them with the confusing hypelanguage that is present throughout NLP books. I just want to keep the article in good order] 07:32, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

== Lilienfield (2003) ==

I don't know where to post this so please move it if you need to ... I've added a link to the google print text of Lilienfield (2003), and fixed one of the attributes. The interesting point I want to make is that Lilienfield defines NLP as a unvalidated "therapeutic method" that claims to cure phobias in a few minutes. Firstly, therapy is just just one application of the NLP. And secondly empirical testing of a phobia reduction process without a well-formed outcome, or trance work or dealing with secondary gains is not fair testing. Thirdly, Lilienfield's definition of NLP is extremely biased toward apply mechanistic research methodology to natural systems. This goes back to the ] argument, and Gregory Bateson's influence on NLP. This is the problem with trying to test NLP with an outdated (but still popular in psyhcology) behavorism test. Bateson would be turning in his grave. Also note that Discrete Dynamic Systems (Malloy 2005) and other chaos/complexity theories and tools that John Grinder is now using, is argued by some mechanistic scientists to be pseudoscientific. Also, engram (although it is not common in NLP) is another example of attempting to import a mechanistic concept to test NLP, it is simply not part of NLP. Lashley, actually was instrumental in proposing distributed representation when he was not able to find an engrams (1957). The idea of distributed representation and emergence (Grinder, Bostic, Malloy, 2005) is more in line with NLP epistemology. --] 04:16, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello Comaze. I think its time for you to focus on the issue.] 04:29, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

: Could someone else please check this revert by Bookmain . The comment description does not match the changes made. --] 05:05, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

==Mechanism==
: ], To be fair, a reply to why NLP (especially Grinder & Bandler) does not use mechanistic behaviorism is relevant POV. This will sort out alot the current disputes in one hit. I urge to actually read Bateson (1972) if you want critically review NLP. This relates to chomskyan revolution that sparked the creation of Transformational Grammar which had a huge influence on NLP foundations. For example, A guide to transformational Grammar, Grinder & Elgin, ~1972 really sets to foundations for NLP's first book Structure of Magic, which also has an introduction to ]. --] 04:53, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

==Relevence of TV Marketing?==
Also, your ref on TV NLP is irrelevant in relation to all the other research presented. Firstly, if you can present that single study, then we will have to paste in all the other refs done by Platt. Secondly, it is not a study conducted using people as therapists. It uses TVs. TVs do not do constant recallibration.] 04:29, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

:Check the peer-reviewed journal Bookman, the article is NLP application to TV marketing, not therapy. This is a separate POV. NLP application in marketing is everywhere, yet there are not many journals about it. But this may be outweighed by hundreds of non-academic books on the subject from reputable publishers. --] 04:53, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

==HeadleyDown==
I am getting a little tired of Comaze's antagonism. Please VoiceOfAll, tell me exactly whether you consider my actions vandalism. Comaze has just placed one of these labels on my page:

<test4>

I just think things could be done with a little more respect for those willing to do actual good research, and perhaps just a little more control of those promoters who seem overanxious to delete facts and add add confusing hype and who seem unable to contribute anything clarifying or concise.] 07:46, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
:], I have a problem with this comment. Good science is, you say what you know, and make clear what is likely, possible or unknown fairly. Pseudoscience you make claims which are not in accordance with reality regardless. Thats the whole point being discussed. Your comment here is in that sense "pseudoscience". It is a threat or promise, that you have no jurisdiction over, no power to fully enforce, no place to make. It's a sham. It's hyperbole, not fact. Comaze may or may not post some things on a page, but you lack the authority to state that "the next time" he will or will not be "blocked from editing wikipeida". A system wide ban? You know that would take quite a bit more than one person's (especially your) upset. Ungrounded threats of that kind, are inappropriate on WP, and to that extent you too place yourself fully in the wrong. ] 09:37, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi FT2. I did not suggest that anyone be banned. I am stating that Comaze's brand of persistent antagonism is entirely unhelpful.] 10:51, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

:: I put that we move this discussion to a personal talk page. --] 11:19, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

::Headley, this is the text that you placed on Comaze's talk page: ''This is your last warning. The next time you vandalize a page, you will be blocked from editing Misplaced Pages.'' That is exactly the opposite of your later claim "I did not suggest that anyone be banned". ] 12:09, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
::: FT2, I did warn formally HeadleyDown on his talk page. It is not cool to bring it up in a public discussion page. --] 13:16, 29 October 2005 (UTC)
Hello FT2. I believe there is some confusion here. I seriously do not ever remember writing anything on Comaze's talk page. Please post the link, and we can sort this out.] 12:14, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

OK FT2 I have located the confusion. I actually posted this on the article discussion page, but then Comaze decided to post it on his own page - "Yes, thats true Comaze. But first I think we should explore options for getting you banned for your persistent misdeeds and antagonistic goading.HeadleyDown 05:39,"

I was exploring options. This was after months of Comaze deleting over 10 cited references at a time, posting nasty messages on reasonable and non-vandalizing editor's talk pages, and making stated commitments to promoting a Bandler/Grinder only viewpoint throughout the whole article. Anybody behaving such as Comaze has, will no doubt recieve far less tolerant treatment on other pages. The view was clearly shared among other constructive editors also.] 12:22, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello VoiceOfAll. I would like to enquire here, what would you regard as blatant disregard for NPOV policy? (banning action)] 12:22, 29 October 2005 (UTC)


:(I have updated the section on principles and presuppositions. It's now factual, in the sense that 1/ it does not, so far as I am aware, claim anything that is not commonly understood to be the case, 2/ it describes NLP neutrally, 3/ No claims or statements are made that are unverifiable as far as I can tell, 4/ It explains both terms. Any criticisms please bring here, do not full-revert as I am unaware of anything controversial or disputed written in that section. ] 16:01, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

===Accusations===
'''<font color="darkblue">Putting up "test4" tags when you are unable to block people generally should not be done unless perhaps, it is a vandal, and you want other admins to be able to see how many severe vandal actions the vandal comitted. Blocking people because you disagree with them is disgraceful, and his lead to the arbitration and de-adminship of SteveVertigo.'''

'''<font color="darkblue">Both of you have put up threats that you cannot enforce against each other, in addition to the fact that noy only did nobody commit vandalism, but that punishment is not even appropriate for the first instance of vandalism(if there was any). I don't know who put up the first tag, but however put up the second one is not better than the first. Thoughtlessly ''mirroring'' other people remarks that you felt offensive/and or disagreed with is used by A)People who can't control their temper or B)Experienced trolls; so both of you are in the wrong here, as previously stated.'''

'''<font color="darkblue">Unless their is true vandalism/trolling or 3RR violations, then admins will not block people.

'''<font color="darkred">False "test" signs must be promptly removed.'''

'''<font color="darkblue">Lets try to keep warning signs off the discussion page; and if you have a conduct issue, then tell me first.'''] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 16:41, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

:Thank you VoiceOfAll. That clears things up. I would like to point out that Comaze broke the 3RR rule for weeks, and did so multiple times a day, and also made a statement of commitment to continue in this way until a Bandler/Grinder view only was presented on the article. This is the main reason for intention to seek for banning of Comaze (because his behavior was persistent and entirely uncooperative). As I said, today I made no suggestion to ban. However, Comaze has been placing warning labels on any non promotional editor for weeks and not removing them dispite having zero evidence to support the posting. He also "caps" edits that he likes with his own minor multiple edits whenever he possibly can in order to make it very hard for anyone else to make changes without reverting them. It is irritating, although the only real solution is to ignore him and revert regardless of whether his edits are good or not. I noticed that it has also been irritating other NLP promoters and has possibly led to different opinions there also. I wish to keep things constructive, and Comaze is deliberately irritating. How can anyone assume good faith in the face of months of this kind of nonsense several times a day?

'''<font color="darkblue">Anyone editing an aspect of the article that is being debated in the talk should edit as a single, exclusive, edit, as opposed to mixing it with spelling corrections/ect...Also, edit summaries should mention such edits. Thank you.'''] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 17:07, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, we all know the conventions, VoiceOfAll. But how are you going to get Comaze to stop irritating hard working editors?:)] 17:19, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Comaze has been doing it again.
Regards] 02:51, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:I'm not going to take your bait. Contact me on my talk page if you wish to resolve this.--] 03:19, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


==To non-promotional NLP editors==
Hello non nlp promotional editors. Progress has been good as regards mediation and they will continue to improve as long as we all stay cool.

*Since the article has been well covered and cited, and those citations have been verified multiple times even in mediation, it is time to accept the facts. The mediation requests have been satisfied as regards citations, and there are clearly more to come that can satisfy them further. However, it is clear that some NLP promoters are using whatever tactic they can to antagonize even after statements from the mediator, they try to make it appear that questions have not been answered, to add hyperbole and jargon, and generally confuse conclusive scientific findings by adding minor single and irrelevant speculative NLP studies. They also seem to be attempting to break the 100Kilobite barrier on file size.

*The solution is to stay cool, take a harder scientific line (exclude single minor speculative studies) and do not stand for any self-desctructive NLPpromotional behaivor. NLP is about neuro, linguistics (neuro linguistics) and programming. It uses scientific sounding jargon and misplaced concepts in a confusing way, and therefore must be clarified using scientific studies, neurology, psychology and other reliable and neutral sources.

*The solid evidence presented has indeed been covered in the archives multiple times. If an NLP promoter insists that they have not had their question answered when it has been covered before, simply stay cool and refer them to the archives.

*If an NLP promoter insists that the scientific studies are wrong, or that science is wrong in general, then they are using a pseudoscientific argument, and can be directed to the archives.

*If an NLP promoter makes multiple edits in order to make editing harder then simply revert. If it is convenient, try not to delete any valid edits in the process, but if it is not convenient, simply revert the lot.

*Do your best to help the mediator as NLP is deliberately very confusing. Provide help with seperating obscurantist jargon from real neurology or psychology, and help with the identification of hype and pseudoscientific argument and NLP excuses.

*Considering the rigor of the present article (though the 2000 section still needs checking and making concise) it is clear that further NPOV clarifying and brevifying can occur. Stay cool and use science and scientific terms and thinking to clarify and brevify. Best regards ] 04:29, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:I agree if something has already been said, we should refer to what's said (from any POV). Unfortunately the archives are huge and saying "see archives" is a waste of time - I propose we simply cut the relevant quote from the archive as a response, keeping the date and who said it. This can avoid any misunderstanding of what someone has asked and what has already been said. ] 20:59, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

== Principles and presuppositions==

I have just reinstated a correct description of this section. I have re-read this section and find that everything in it is extremely common NLP knowledge, and fully in line with the coverage of these areas in standard NLP texts.

Correct according to who? I believe it needs to be reduced in size. It also needs to be framed from a linguistic perspective especially as regards the actual meaning of "presupposition".] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Headley, if you wish to revert please first mention here ''exactly'' which statements you feel are inaccurate. Rather than mass-reverting the entire definition. This is in compliance with wiki standards that say a dispute over wording should be hammered out on the talk page rather than repeatedly reverted.

I agree to some extent with this FT2, but under these circumstances (Voieofall's recommendations) Headley is justified] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

I find the other implication of your revertion, namely that you do not in fact understand the difference between a ''principle'' (core NLP assumption) and ''presupposition'' (meta model linguistic pattern), and are so unfamiliar with them as to need a reference source to be sure which is which of these two very different things, disturbing, especially combined with previous ignorance and high-handedness shown here.

As NLP is about changing presups and using the metamodel, to go into such detail is making the article a "how to". NLP is about HOW TO change beliefs. It is not necessary and it makes the article oversized] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

If you do not understand the subject, Headley, you are not an appropriate person to be editing what are fundamental common basics of definition written by those who do. It's like reverting an edit in an article on logic and then showing you do not know the difference between an axiom and a predicate. Discuss here before editing stuff you don't understand the background of. ] 21:39, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

Headley, when your read FT2's comments as above, just stay cool as you normaly do:)] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


:While we're about it, I asked ] ''"How hard exactly have you looked for scientists and science not concluding NLP is pseudoscience, or whose papers included indicators such as qualified interest, recommendations for further research in the light of suggestive but not conclusive results, or out and out positive findings? If you found any, shouldn't you include them? And if you didn't look properly, then by what right are you trying to say what NLP is or is not?"''
:It seems he didn't like being asked this, because he never answered. I'd like an answer headleyDown. Ignorance is not a credible qualification for editorship here.
:] 22:05, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

TBP, refer to the archives. Your question is answered there.] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Please provide question more clearly] 02:53, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
:: You claim you have a scientific approach. And that you have cited papers and therefore are certain there is nothing of merit in NLP and it is all complete pseudoscience. I am concerned because from here, I see you deleting competent edits and avoidjng genuine neutral discussion, brushing it off with dismissal. That may not be how you see yourself, it's how you appear at the moment here.

Referring to my claim to scientific approach. For the past months NLP promoters have been working hard to remove cited facts from this article, and even recruiting vandals from newsgroups in order to do it and asking each other to do it. Messages have been placed on my and other non promoter's talk pages warning us to stop vandalising, and threatening to block (Comaze). This slur campaign has been conducted by a long standing fact deleting NLP promoter with a commitment to push a Bandler/Grinder viewpoint only. Considering that other proNLPers have followed some of Comaze's actions, I consider him the ring leader, and you a follower of his activities. I have no time for that kind of long term and highly work-intensive uncooperative activity. If I am taking a hard line, it is completely understandable considering the uncooperative activities continue even after VoiceOfAll's instructions to stop.] 11:33, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

::A good scientist is a doubter, a sceptic. He even (especially) doubts the side he feels is right, looking for caveats and counter evidence. Thus Heap, who is quoted as being hostile to NLP, none the less in 1998 comemnted that some NLP results might none the less appear posiitve and merit further review. That seems neutral. My concern is, I have not seen a single attempt in my visits here, from you, to discuss the issue. You revert, delete, ignore, insult or dismiss.
::So my question is this. Did you actually search for "NLPpro" articles and research like you did for "NLPanti" articles, to check there were none? Did you look specifically for articles that supported NLP's claims, or which showed qualified interest and recommendations for further research in the light of suggestive but not conclusive results? Did you find any? If so, why haven't you moderated your view based upon them? If there are none, where is discussion of this?

TBP. I searched all references and found that the overwhelming majority of scientific findings were negative, and the pro-NLP ones were feeble (according to the 95% readings you are supposed to obtain in empirical studies). Other non promotional editors have done similar according to what I have gathered from discussion. Further research is promoted in most academic papers I have ever read in my career as a reviewer and writer of empirical studies. It is irrelevant. The conclusion is that the results are negative and that is the conclusion. The reviews also say unsupported, and they may contain other words such as; cult, fad, statistical illusion(when talking about other positive studies) and so on. This is in the archives already. It really makes no difference because we have many psychology psychotherapy and linguist books and papers coming to the conclusion that reviews giving negative results are correct according to them. This is their view.] 11:16, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

::A good researcher would look for NLPpro too, and document how NLP sees itself as well as possible weaknesses in his stance. It worries me that i see no evidence of you doing that.
::If you have discussed these things in the talk page, already, please point me to a time or an edit, or where to look, thanks, and I'll check. But for clarity, I would like definitive (short) answers anyhow here, for my own clear understanding. Did you, or did you not search for research supporting NLP, and if so what was the result and where is the citation? And why do you so often full-revert when people edit the text to correct the statements relating to NLP's "view of itself", instead of trying to improve and collaborate? ] 06:15, 30 October 2005 (UTC)



:(Afterword: I have also updated "Goals". You will notice there, Headley, an example of NPOV. In the Goals section I deliberately detailed the NLP view specifically to highlight the rational reasons ''why'' exactly there are such deep risks and concerns some people have with the NLP view. I am quite content to see ''both'' sides views fairly represented, because ''both'' sides have viewpoints that belong in the article. You'll notice I didn't have to ask for a source from you to do so either. Please note. ] 00:52, 30 October 2005 (UTC))

Hi FT2. Your opinion is that the goals section is not balanced. Please explain.] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:Thanks. Some discussion would be good. I get the impression this article has had some extreme editors. I'm not one. Ilike to think I can hold a rational discussion, and I'd like to see others do likewise. So lets see. I can find citations for any facts in doubt, but as I don't know what is common ground on this, I'll list what I see, and you can always ask for a source citation on any points raised. Would that work for you? Anyhow, here's NLP goals (as I see it):

:To start defining a "goal" for a subject by saying basically, "A person may want to change their state. To do this a practitioner can look at skin color and use this to see how someone relates identity" etc... is at best misleading. It isn't an approach that any NLP textbook of repute would use to describe its goals. It confuses means and end. Goals are an end. Skin color and micromovements are a means of information gathering. These are profoundly different. (To take a religious analogy, "reaching God" or "gaining salvation" is a goal of religion, "reading the words of a prayer by pointing rods and cones at a book and reading the dots" is not). I hope you can see the problem in the current version. To my mind the ''goals'' of NLP are poorly explained and therefore it is not clear the real reasons ''why'' NLPs goals are a problem or how it got that way. This is how I would tentatively approach it instead:

:1 The goals of NLP... what is it trying to achieve? NLP is notionally saying that it's trying to assist people to gain skills, abilities, self awareness, understanding, or solve problems. Thats pretty much true in all NLP, its the starting point of all NLP goals.
:: It is trying, and it fails according to clear evidence. It also does it in dubious ways, and the majority of NLP books and sites hype NLP to ridiculous levels (the levels of hype are ridiculed by psychologists, psychotherapists, journalists, the public at large and Dave Barry.] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:2 What does NLP see as the kind of goals it's after? It does not see a defined "this is what people should want". It is very open ended. It says what a good goal usually looks like (outcome model), beyond that it is silent. It does not consider itself (at least in its original form) as a panacea, it solves problems, but the choice of problem and the choice of solution is ultimately left in the hands of the client, whose exploration can be helped by the use of language and other NLP methods to move beyond the "problem" and begin to find solutions.
::It says it is all form and no content, therefore it is universaly applicable (Dilts et al 1980, bandler and grinder 1975(1) etc)] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:3 NLP books emphasize and lean towards, on the whole, a "generative" (client creativity) approach, where the client learns to be more creative and question his assumptions about things, and thus is helped to generate his own answers. So therefore NLP focusses on the process of "helping get the client out of his own way" rather than suggesting where he ought to go.
::Look at the actual definition of creativity by scientist. Creativity takes 10 years to achieve on average, and requires hard work (not NLP modeling guesses)] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:4 In this sense, NLP is quite utilitarian in nature. It sees itself as a tool, but is silent as to how that tool is used, save that in its original forms it emphasizes consideration for all effects on oneself and others, known as "ecology".
::It involves tools that do not work] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:5 That said, NLP skills are often "packaged" and targetted at specific goals, such as health, business, management, sales, or self-development, and in that context individual books and courses could have any goals the practitioner may choose. * Examples *

::Yes, they are promoted to some specific audiences] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:6 Over the course of the development of NLP, there has been a greater and greater tendency for new-age type goals and commercializations promising unlikely miracles to become suggested applications of NLP. Basic models of cognitive processing aside, many leading figures in the NLP community now routinely explore concepts such as shamanism and ESP, and attempt or claim to be able to use NLP to replicate these abilities. Following this lead, NLP trainers worldwide tend to focus on hype-promoted courses offering guarantees on everything from breast enlargement to seduction.

::It was always new age (stared in Esalen seminars)] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

::: That is just one POV. Other POV says that NLP challenges flakey New Age thinking, such as the importation of energy into the discussion of communication (Bateson, 1972, 1979; Grinder & Delozier, 1986). Bandler (Therpeutic Metaphor, Gordon, 1979) basically says that spirituality and shamanism, etc. are simply powerful metaphors. HeadleyDown's argument here seems to be straw man or biased towards New Age ideas (not science at all).. --] 06:18, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:7 This raises both its strength and weakness: proponents say that it can be applied to any goal one wishes, and that the rest of NLP is methods to achieve that and balance it with wisdom. Critics say that it opens NLP to abuse, fraudulent claims, mysical forumulae and pseudoscience that are untested. At best it changes lives for the better. Unfortunately it can also be used unscrupulously to manipulate and destroy too. Proponents recognise this, but argue you cannot not influence, and therefore it makes sense to learn to do so with wisdom and for good reasons. Critics say that there is no control over this, or over any aspect of its usage whether sensible, harmful, or even empty and fraudulent claims of magical results.

::Proponents do recognise this, and they continue to act fraudulently and manipulatively.] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:That is what I would think a reader ''needs'' to know about NLP "goals". In wikipedia style, it is clear, it describes and explains without advocating, and gives both views, but ultimately a balanced view at the end.
::The most balanced view is that of science. It will be emphasized (unsupported, pseudo, hype, etc)] 05:42, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:Thoughts? ] 04:59, 30 October 2005 (UTC)




FT2. As we all know, NLP is a confusing subject. It is also one long excuse. Your latest additions to the article are huge, and they are mostly pathetic excuses. They are also quite straw man. Dilts 1980 presents a straw man argument in saying that "we are not after truth" (he is implying science is after absolute truth). The fact is, NLP sets itself up as a pseudoscientific subject to make excuses for when it doesn't work. It was sold from the beginning as "theraputic magic" and promoted mainly by using stage hypnosis (not hypnotherapy). You are making a confusing subject (that has been clarified by science to be ineffective) by writing excuses as if they are philosophy or epistemology. You seem to forget that NLP claims to use observation to test it, (use what works), but constantly avoids multiple observations of science. You are burdening the page with exagerated claims. I could move the argument to the article page if you like, and state in as much detail as you have done about what a bunch of lame nonsense your statements are, but if we keep doing that the article is going to be huge. From book 1 NLP sets up excuses and cop outs, and those continue until even recently where Grinder realises that the science of NLP is feebly pseudoscientific and decides to tries to make a convincing change of theory. We have had an extra 30 years of added empirical knowledge in neuroscience theory and associate tech. So what does he do? He bases NLP new code on the new age teachings of Carlos Castaneda:) Please, this is an encyclopedia, and science has already clarified what NLP is. Do not keep messing up the page with NLP excuses. The pseudoscience section already shows that NLP tries to immunise against testing by using adhoc hypotheses and referring to jargon that has no relevance or accuracy in its NLP application. Lets keep the filesize to a reasonable level.] 02:12, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
: I stand by my previous comment. Please, just for me, could you pick one non-trivial example of a statement I added, that you feel is not supported factually and inaccurate. Thanks. ] 05:37, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Hi FT2. Goals 1. The line is very vague and the article needs to be specific. NLP states; excellence, the unfair advantage, magical skills even from the start. That should be represented specifically.] 01:29, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

The ESP evidence has been presented so many times. NLP (aka the structure of magic) is used for remote seduction and influence all over the web and in books such as those by Tad James and others involved with the occult including Bandler who teaches groups of people to remote bless trinkets and artifacts in order to make them "shine" and keep them from harm. This has been dealt with before ad nausium.] 02:59, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


Comaze. Bandler and Grinder talk about lrlrlrlrlrlr hemispheres in the patterns of Erickson aswel as the book you mentioned and including other books. The "right brain manager" by Alder, and books by Dilts and many more talk of LR simpleton pseudoscience, and they do it to excuse the PRS and eye accessing cues failures that are presented whenever you try it for yourself. I notice again your desire to narrow the views specifically to Bandler and grinder as per your stated commitment a few months ago. Noted] 03:05, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:Patterns of Milton Erickson is 1977 dude. And Yes they do talk about left/right hemispheres in that book. This is imported from the work of Milton Erickson (hundreds published papers by Milton on this subject. --] 03:16, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello Comaze, you have not dealt with all the other refs that talk of left right brain dichotomy nonsense. The stuff is all over the literature and this has been dealt with many times over the past months with citations as you very well know but continue to ignore nevertheless just as you ignored VoiceOfAll's direction not to make mutliple edits when editors are trying to consider balancing. You are the main cause of FT2's edits being completely reverted. You are not only irritating me, but you are irritating everyone else who wants steady progress.] 03:20, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:Headley, two requests, amicably. First, if that is so, then please take care to rveert only what is incorrect, and to carefully allow to stand what is not. Fully reverting as a shortcut and timesaver is not appropriate asif edits contain some good points and some poor ones. Second, could you look at ], an agreed ], and how such a conflict is treated in a mature article. That's how NLP should be, in my view, and what I am struiving towards. A description of NLP with critical or opposing views where appropriate, and a strong criticisms section, all supported by references. Can you look at that article and see what you think? ] 12:41, 30 October 2005 (UTC)


===Left/Right domiance side from Milton Erickson===
: Ok, I checked up at the library. This puts the left/right dominance into historical perspective. The left/right eye movements actually originated from Milton Erickson and Baleen (The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, January, 1976, 18, 153-171.1969). Here is an example from section on Two-Level Communication and the Microdynamics of Trance and Suggestion, (Erickson & Rossi, 1976) "At such moments people experience the common everyday trance; they tend to gaze off—to the right or left, depending upon which cerebral hemisphere is most dominant (Baleen, 1969) — and get that 'faraway' or 'blank' look. (p.114)". Milton Erickson gave Grinder and Bandler full access to his work around 1975/1976. --] 04:52, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:::: Additionally, the left/right lateralization and eye movements is still ongoing. A paper appeared in PubMed, just a couple of days ago, see . I've only read the abstract. --] 05:13, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Comaze. Scientists criticise NLP for using the LR brain myth. That is represented and citations are available.] 01:29, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

==JLogan warns Comaze==

Comaze. You need re-warning. You have also not removed warnings to block from other people's talk pages. You need re-warning again about that. You continue to antagonize. I wish to hilight this for everyone to see on this page because some NLPpromoters follow Comaze's "unconstructive and tedious" (VoiceOFAll 2005) antiNPOV example.] 04:40, 30 October 2005 (UTC)
:Did you just cite me :-)? Seriously, all of these warning need to go, as they are personal and anti-productive, and they all refer to vandalism, which no one has done so far. Lets try to actually comprimise the Comaze et al and the Headly et al version, as the result would likely be better than any single POV; whether it is anti-NLP or pro-NLP.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 17:02, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

== Notes ==

Can we all start using notes where appropriate to clarify. I propose we use standard citation notes as per the tradition in NLP (eg. Structure of Magic Vol 1, other linguistics texts). I just posted a sample here: . --] 23:30, 29 October 2005 (UTC)

The notes were reverted by HeadleyDown, without comment, so I'll add them again in the next edit. Please comment if you object. --] 12:54, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:Hi Comaze. At the top of the article it says how to use footnotes... and says "It is important to add footnotes in the right order in the list! "... I'm kinda worried that if we start doing that, there could be a few slip-ups with the ordering and well thought-out references could point to the wrong thing... which makes me think we should be overly verbose while lots of changes are happening, then simplify it once things start getting sorted out. Am I misreading something?] 13:36, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

:: The references are automatically numbered. I do not think you need to put hem in any order. Just see my sample, above. --] 14:15, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

== Recent copyedits ==

:: A recent revert removed all these simple copyedits, grammar or simple corrections:
* - copyedit: television (not TV).
* - copyedit: reduce ambiguity (especially overuse of it). minor content changes.
* - grinder and bandler do not use the phrase 'psychic energy' in 1975 or 1979. They say energy (collateral) can be freed up by resolving inner conflict - there is a big difference.
* - Dilts neurological levels
*- minor changes: they, it, etc. resolved some ambiguity.
. regards, --] 00:09, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

==Neuro-linguistic Programming to improve AI and human/computer interaction==

<snip --- reworded computer industry section and moved to article (Draft) >

:Put into the '''NLP Applications''' section. It will not be long, but it definetely seems to belong there. I can see how NLP's fast and rough and mainly results orientated(no theory) models could be used for social programing, since it is so vast and impossible to effectively analyze analytically.

:<font color="darkblue">As a side note, I '''do not''' want people to keep trying to use my quotes against others, so as to make it look like even the mediator took a side. I did call Comaze's old reversions tedious, and noted that some of his edits have serious changes mixed in with scatter grammar changes to make it hard to revert; However, I also noted how absurd and unproductive the "list of reasons why Comaze should be banned" was. When I modified Comaze's Morgan references deleteions, not only did I comprimise, but I left in the spelling/grammar/stlye edits.] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 21:14, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Hello VoiceOfAll. When posting negative assessment of NLP, I word the lines in a mild way deliberately to avoid problems with people wishing to remove them. It is already a compromise. Does this mean I should word them as they are cited exactly including words such as "banal, trite, daft, etc"?] 01:22, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

:<font color="darkblue">A better compromise is to have quotes, like:

:"X said NLP is unsupported and scientifically baseless"(X 19yy)

:<font color="darkblue">Rather than:

:NLP is unsupported and scientifically baseless(X 19yy).

:<font color="darkblue">. The second choice further asserts the claim as fact, which sets itself up for a high burden of proof. The first version is definitely a true statemnt(unless you misread or made up the book off course ;-)...).] <sup><small>]|]|]</sup></Sup></font> 01:36, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

==uses of NLP==
Associating NLP with "New Age" whatever unduly colors its perception of being scientific or not. NLP might even be used to treat people who claim to have been abducted by UFO's, but listing UFO-Abductees clearly is intended to imply guilt-by-association on the part of NLP. If NLP is pseudoscientific, it is pseudoscientific based on how it is claimed to work versus objective studies of how it actually performs in producing results. Clearly, there are some strong anti-NLP editors on this article, but that doesn't give you carte blanche to modify this article to the point of such biased tactics. The article must remain neutral. ] 01:34, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

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Shortened Citation Notes

The article currently uses a mix of referencing styles and there are missing page numbers for quotes or what may or may not be paraphrased text but we don't know because there are missing page numbers. See Template:Sfn for a guide how add page numbers and quotes. --Notgain (talk) 01:34, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

  • Oppose, it's disruptive. See WP:REFVAR, which requires a WP:CONSENSUS from the regular editors of the page before you may do so: "Editors should not attempt to change an article's established citation style, merely on the grounds of personal preference or to make it match other articles, without first seeking consensus for the change." Skyerise (talk) 23:25, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
    I would contend that it was not "merely on the grounds of personal preference". I was looking at the best practises in other Good and Featured Article candidates. I'm personally most comfortable with the APA format but done research papers using Harvard referencing style with footnotes. I was thinking that style was the best for this article. Given that the article covers critiques from counseling psychology, coaching psychology, communications theorists, sociology and linguistics, its not simple. Do you have examples of article with similar content and multidisciplinary critiques? What referencing style worked best? --Notgain (talk) 06:18, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
I also notice that @Newimpartial: reverted you on several occasions just after you broke a bunch of citations by trying the same thing back on 5 May, a day or so before I noticed what you were doing. So that's 2 opposed. Skyerise (talk) 23:41, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
I’ve already explained this and it is also in the edit comments. I fixed that citation errors. I didn’t know about the display error setting which was off by default. Again, I did appreciate your help. When I get more time, I’ll go back and justify each change. —Notgain (talk) 03:30, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
• Oppose, as Skyerise explained to you, you can't just change citation style without consensus. If you want to do changes you have to clearly justify them in order to show other editors your reasons or concerns about it, and if these go according to the WP:CS. Rodrigo IB (talk) 04:52, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
You're absolutely right about needing consensus. My first step should have been proposing these referencing changes here on the talk page. Would you be willing to join a discussion about how to best improve the consistency and verifiability of the article's references? --Notgain (talk) 06:01, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
As the WP:CS sustains. Citations are key for verifiability. Looking at the changes you did, im concerned that these could compromise the access of common editors and readers to those sources. Which is very crucial for this article.
Editors with their own personal bias can incur in practices (like meat-puppetry) that violate WP:V,WP:NPOV,WK:STYLE.
The controversies sorrounding NLP obligate us as editors to make sure we are not doing original research. Which, for surprise of no one, has to be verified by others. For that reason, i think is naive to compare it to other articles just because different citation styles were used, or due to their extensivity in other disciplines. Rodrigo IB (talk) 06:29, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
  • Oppose There are several ways to add pagenumbers in/with reftag-refs (not surprisingly), including Template:Rp. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 05:46, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    The inconsistent styles and missing page numbers make WP:V and editing difficult. Have you come across similarly complex articles that successfully used {{Rp}} or other templates to maintain readability while ensuring accurate citation information? Especially ones covering multiple disciplines, as this article does? The immediate issue is that there are paraphrasing of sources without clear page numbers which makes WP:V difficult. Another issue is that are duplicates of the same sources across the article. That was an advantage of using {{efn}} and {{sfn}}. We are already using {{r}} in the article. <ref> is also often combined with {{sfn}}. Also some of the quotes in the current article are inside the cite element when they would be better handled as an {{efn}}. We have critiques from linguistics, counseling psychology, anthropology and sociology. --Notgain (talk) 06:12, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    I have nothing against sfn etc as a style, though ref-tag is always my choice when I start articles, with rp if necessary. IMO reftag is generally more understandable for general and new users, and both VE and source editors benefits from named refs if used. But an article should be consistent, and if consensus here is to use sfn or whatever, that's fine. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 06:21, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    Fwiw, my knee-jerk reaction when scrolling through the ref section, is that "traditional reftag" seems to be the majority use, so if I was to start working on consistency, I would change the "Jeremiah 1995." style ones and get rid of the "Works cited" sections. But if the primary/secondary division is considered valuable, that might not work. I think some Wikipedians consider the more academic look of sfn-style a mark of quality. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 06:31, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    I'm told that {{cite Q}} would solve one of the issues I had with existing use of <ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite journal|...}}</ref>. {{cite Q}} enables you to pull the reference data from wikidata by using its Q ID. It was too verbose and made it difficult to maintain especially in source mode. My proposal is for any citations that are current citations that are defined inline such as "<ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite journal..." that if that citation is on wikidata then we is replace it with "<ref name="Joe-1995">{{cite Q|...". That will reduce some of the clutter and retain existing r and rp template use. Then we can use r and rp. Then if there is consensus to use sfn then we can adopt that together with efn which is already in use in the current article. --Notgain (talk) 08:32, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    No, you should revert to the previous citation style per consensus and WP:REFVAR, full stop. Remsense 09:20, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    Do you know what I mean by <ref name="...">{{Cite Q|...}}? It just moves the clutter of the reference out of the content. That is one of the biggest issues with the article in its current state. Its still using the same citation style. It is a wrapper for {{Citation}} that returns formatted citation from statements stored on a Wikidata item (referred to by its Q identifier or QID) for citable source. It would be a good interim solution while consensus is sought for sfn which is my preference as it would be far more professional. efn has been used in the article for years. --Notgain (talk) 10:19, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    Yes, I know what it means, I've used it myself. It is a different method of referencing, even if the output looks the same. The words "method" and "style" are used interchangeably on the guideline page, but the reason underlying changes in both is the changes are disruptive to others, hence why the guideline is to defer to the first format used in a dispute: other editors who want to edit this page don't want to suddenly swap to having to look up Wikidata codes. You seem increasingly unwilling to understand that. Remsense 10:33, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    Do you understand that we are currently using <ref>{{Cite Journal |...}}</ref> in the article and post people use tools already like to populate the details of that from the DOI, ISBN, etc. So using <ref>{{Cite Q |...}}</ref> might actually be less work, and they'd be familiar anyway. The editors who don't undertstand wiki syntax usually use a visual editor or they just rely on other wikipedians to clean up after them. I guess we'll need to wait for others to chime in with their preferences. --Notgain (talk) 13:13, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    Do you understand that whether you think they'd like it better doesn't matter? Remsense 13:17, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    some like the simplicity of ref even thought sfn is technically better. There are featured articles that use ref only but the longer ones with notes and many references prefer sfn. —Notgain (talk) 04:45, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
    Again, as pointed out just above, that is irrelevant here. The only relevant thing is whether you have consensus or not. Clearly, you don't. Skyerise (talk) 11:26, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
    I’d like to hear the arguments for and against sfn v ref, with examples. Besides none of the regular contributors to this specific article have raised objections so there is no evidence of clear consensus from regular editors. I have enabled errors so I can correct the errors you complained about. I think now consensus can be sought through editing and discussion. —-Notgain (talk) 21:11, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
    No, the burden to demonstrate a change is preferable is on you. If no one agrees, then you may not make the change. (You have; no one has; you may not.) People are entitled to establish consensus regardless of contributions; frequent editors do not own the articles in question. Remsense 06:43, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
    I must have misunderstood what you were saying on AN/I. I thought your earlier point was that changing from ref to sfn referencing format would be unwelcome because of the learning curve for the existing or previous editors of this article, or that existing editors might not like it. You said, "the changes are disruptive to others" (above). I assumed you were referring to previous editors of this article. How could it possibly be disruptive to edits who have never edited this article? I assumed you meant you needed to obtain consensus from them (previous editors of this article). None of them have commented yet. However, the silence from the previous contributors could be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that they are indifferent to the change, that they are unaware of the discussion (most likely scenario), or that they are still forming opinions. Anyway, I'm going to help out at Category:Harv and Sfn no-target errors not to recruit or canvas support but to learn more about the interaction between sfn, efn and ref formats - as well as learning more about WP:V --Notgain (talk) 16:30, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
    I'd note that converting references to Cite Q en masse would be contentious even without CITEVAR. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 15:54, 7 May 2024 (UTC)
    my intention for suggesting sfn was to enhance readability and maintainability. With sfn, you define the reference using cite templating in the bibliography. Assuming ref is inadequate too, do you know of an alternative solution that meets that need given the huge number of citations on this article? —Notgain (talk) 02:10, 8 May 2024 (UTC)
    120 inline citations is simply not a particularly high number, and is adequately accommodated by any common means of citation. Remsense 06:48, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
    I'm well aware of how {{sfn}} templates work, but your supposition that ref tags are inadequate is simply your own personal opinion. You won't find any concensus that one form of referencing is better than another, the editing community is deeply split on the matter. This is why CITEVAR warns against changing style types, as it causes unnecessary drama that wastes editors time. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 10:55, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
    Afaik, neither VE or WP:REFTOOLBAR has any "format ref as sfn/harvn" option, is that correct? Also, no ref-tag, no named ref. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 12:15, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
    Kind of, VE supports adding templates so it supports {{sfn}} (as long as you know what they are), the same would be true of {{r}}, {{ref}}, {{efn}}, etc. I don't think the REFTOOLBAR point is relevant, if you already using source editing then using the toolbar to format sfn/harv would take longer than typing it.
    I don't think REFTOOLBAR has any ability to re-use a refname, but again it would be quicker to type it, VE certainly can though. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 10:46, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
    Reftoolbar absolutely has the ability to re-use a refname, "Named references", to the right of the ref-template drop-down. Misplaced Pages:RefToolbar/2.0. In VE it's Cite > Re-use. In source, you name them with the "Ref name" field in the template window. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 10:56, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
    Your right, I had missed that in REFTOOLBAR. -- LCU ActivelyDisinterested «@» °∆t° 12:05, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
  • Neutral. I'm not super educated on the nuances of citation styles, but I feel like the citation style used on this article in particular is not super important. I think the bigger issue is that when Notgain tried to convert it all to {{sfn}} without gaining consensus, they did so incorrectly, and broke citations in the process. I've used {{sfn}} and tend to prefer it with more complicated articles such as this one, but if other editors are opposed, I'm prepared to respect that; I'm not convinced Notgain is, which is another issue. (Also, the corresponding ANI thread on this issue ended without clear consensus and without admin closure; I'm not sure what to make of it, but it feels relevant.) Askarion 16:41, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
    sfn was it is easier to read in source mode but I now have source highlighting so I’ve settled. I’m not going to push sfn on the great unwashed. —15:38, 14 May 2024 (UTC) Notgain (talk) 15:38, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Druckman & Swets 1988

Before I forget, can someone who has editing rights update the reference to Druckman & Swets 1988 report? The consensus of the committee was discussed in chapter 8. Note that the DOI in the current reference to Druckman&Swets 1988 is incorrect (it points to a book review of the committee's consensus report, not the report itself), please change to: {{cite book | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | chapter=8: Social Processes | pages=133-166 | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | ref={{sfnref | National Academies Press | 1988}}}} or if you want to include the editors: {{cite book | last1=Druckman | first1=Daniel | last2=Swets | first2=John A. | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | chapter=8: Social Processes | pages=133-166 | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | ref={{sfnref | National Academies Press | 1988}}}} That was a honeytrap for some researchers copy and pasting from wikipedia without checking sources. Otherwise, there's the named reference version for those who prefer that style: <ref name="Druckman-1988">{{cite book | last1=Druckman | first1=D. | last2=Swets | first2=J. | title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories, and Techniques | publisher=National Academies Press | publication-place=Washington, D.C. | date=1988-01-01 | isbn=978-0-309-03792-1 | doi=10.17226/1025 | pages=133-166 | chapter=8: Social Processes}}</ref> --Notgain (talk) 04:13, 10 May 2024 (UTC)

The use of Druckman and Swets (1988) as a reference to support the statements #1 "Numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence for NLP's assumptions or effectiveness as a therapeutic method" and #2 "Bandler led several unsuccessful efforts to exclude other parties from using NLP" is problematic. Druckman (2004) clarifies that the panel evaluated techniques like NLP for their potential in "enhancing learning, improving motor skills, altering mental states, managing stress, or improving social processes." The panel's focus was on NLP's potential for social influence, not its therapeutic applications. They found NLP's assumptions and effectiveness in social influence to be unsupported by psychological evidence. Its worth noting that the panel was "impressed with the modeling approach used to develop the technique," this interest in modeling does not directly speak to NLP's effectiveness as a therapeutic method. The fact that the planned NLP training was not implemented could suggest the type of "unsuccessful efforts" hinted at in statement 2, but this remains speculative. I couldn't find anything in the cited source to directly support statement 2. Therefore, it's recommended to remove Druckman and Swets (1988) as a supporting reference for these two statements. --Notgain (talk) 08:23, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
•Denied, while the Druckman and Swets (1988) aim is not the therapeutic effectiveness of NLP, it touches the lack of empirical evidence on representational systems, you even quoted this from the article: "Numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence for NLP's assumptions OR effectiveness as a therapeutic method"
The review is clearly relevant. Rodrigo IB (talk) 18:40, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
I think there may have been a misunderstanding here. Statement #1 was from the current article, not the source. The NRC (Druckman and Swets 1988) did not review NLP as for its therapeutic application. And you have have not addressed statement #2 which is not suppprted by the source either. If you think it is please provide page numbers to substantiate for verifiability. —Notgain (talk) 20:57, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
It seems you're reading statement #1 as "and/or", which would make the Druckman & Swets (1988) source relevant because it addresses the lack of empirical evidence for NLP's assumptions. However, if we interpret "or" to mean that both parts of the statement need separate supporting evidence, then a source that doesn't address NLP's therapeutic effectiveness might not be suitable for this statement. It is important to distinguish between NLP's assumptions, and its effectiveness in different areas of application - whether it be therapeutic, management or social influence, as we discussed earlier. To be clear while the NRC (Druckman & Swets 1988) provides a strong review into NLP's assumptions, it does not directly address its therapeutic effectiveness. Other reviews do. Therefore, I’d prefer to cite separate, relevant sources for each part of statement #1. This will aid in WP:V. —Notgain (talk) 21:40, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
What? Where is stated that the sources for that particular case should adress both?
Even you proposed a section around persuasion, which is one of the different approaches of NLP. The whole article, including that single sentence is referring to NLP in general.
It gets worst when we analize your own statement: "However, if we interpret "or" to mean that both parts of the statement need separate supporting evidence, then a source that doesn't address NLP's therapeutic effectiveness might not be suitable for this statement."
For your own argument then a source that adresses just one aspect is still valid, because it's providing evidence for a specific claim; it would be a problem if and only if was the only source cited to sustain the lack of evidence in regards to the therapeutic approach of NLP; which is not the case.
The "interpretation" (which this is not about) you highlight plays against you.
I don't get it. Rodrigo IB (talk) 22:08, 10 May 2024 (UTC)
I hear your point about the use of the word “or” in the statement #1 and how it could be interpreted to mean that a source addressing just one aspect is still valid. However, my premise is that for a more accurate representation of the sources, it would be ideal if each part of the statement is supported by citing relevant sources that directly address the respective claim in line with WP:V.
While the Druckman & Swets (1988) source does review NLP’s assumptions from a psychological perspective, it does not directly address its therapeutic effectiveness. It is not a systematic review, meta analysis or critical review of ‘’’its therapeutic’’’ effectiveness. So my suggestion was to use separate, relevant systematic review, critical review or meta analyses to substantiate each each part of the statement in line with WP:MEDRS. The textbook you mentioned (that had a section critiquing the use of NLP in influence) would not meet that criteria either but would also require page numbers for verifiability, and it is not a systematic review.
Statement #1 makes specific claims about NLP’s assumptions and its therapeutic effectiveness, which are distinct aspects of NLP. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that the sources cited for this statement directly support the respective claims in line with WP:NOR. —Notgain (talk) 00:21, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
So we agree but we don't agree... I still don't get it.
"It is not a systematic review, meta analysis or critical review of ‘’’its therapeutic’’’ effectiveness.", and how is that a problem?, did you even notice that is not the only source listed in the specific note (which is the k one) for those affirmations right?
As i said, it would be a problem if it was the only source for such affirmations. Which is not the case. Rodrigo IB (talk) 03:13, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
The use of endnote to reference Statement #1 (S1) without page numbers makes it difficult to confirm if the claims are supported. Its unclear which source supports which part of the statement raising issue of WP:OR. The statement mentions "numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses," yet none of the six references in are meta-analyses, so it is misleading. Witkowski (2010) is the only more recent quantitative and qualitative literature review of the empirical evidence (there are more recent ones that could be added). Sharpley (1983/87) and Heap (1988) focuses on the contested PRS. Heap (1988) explicitly states that NLP's effectiveness in clinical settings had yet to be experimentally evaluated at that time. Von Bergen et al. (1997) is unrelated, focusing on NLP in human resources development (HRD) - there are more recent review related to HRD. So I suggest page numbers should be added, and the relevance of each source to the statement should be clarified. Modifying Statement #1 to accurately reflect the cited sources and potentially incorporating additional, relevant meta-analyses or systematic reviews. --Notgain (talk) 12:40, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
Witkowski 2010 is a meta-analysis.
The sources themselves cite other studies and meta-analysis which aren't as accessible (the use of public access sources is something that we as editors must try to implement, there are instances in which a reliable source is behind a paywall and shouldn't be discarted. This aspect kind of limits the sources that can be used by Misplaced Pages, more on that here: WP:Reliable sources/Cost.) Rodrigo IB (talk) 16:51, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
Witkowski 2010 is a literature review, not a meta-analysis. The paywall issue, while important, doesn’t address the relevance and accuracy of sources. Druckman & Swets (1988) doesn’t directly address therapeutic effectiveness, so it may not be the most suitable reference for that part of the statement. —Notgain (talk) 20:38, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
The wikipedia article of Meta-analysis as well: "Meta-analyses are often, but not always, important components of a systematic review procedure."
The wikipedia article for systematic reviews: "In practice, when one is mentioned the other may often be involved, as it takes a systematic review to assemble the information that a meta-analysis analyzes, and people sometimes refer to an instance as a systematic review even if it includes the meta-analytical component. " Which is the case for Witkowski 2010 (which is not a literature review as you said), and is presented in the page 60.
I didn't explained myself well on the subject of accessibility, sorry for that; but i brought it to the table because we are also discussing citation problems within the article and the changes you have been trying to do. The thing is that we cannot put more and more sources for a series of affirmations. For that we need to follow certain guidelines like the mentioned WP:Reliable sources/Cost, to ensure the WP:V, and WP:NOR, the other issue is that the changes you did would infringe not just the previous citation style but the "orientation" sort to speak of editors of what sources are public, hard to verify (like offline sources) or behind a paywall. This is important because it could help improve the article if an affirmation hasn't been verified.
The sources more than just once conclude with the fact that NLP lacks empirical evidence. There is no original research problem in such affirmations. Rodrigo IB (talk) 21:39, 11 May 2024 (UTC)
With all due respect, Witkowski 2010 is a critical analysis, not a systematic review. It lacks a pre-defined protocol, specific research question, and rigorous assessment of evidence quality, which are key characteristics of a systematic review. See WP:MEDRS—01:03, 12 May 2024 (UTC) Notgain (talk) 01:03, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
Witkowski 2010Notgain (talk) 01:07, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
If the statement #1 is claiming that “numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses have failed to show evidence for NLP’s assumptions or effectiveness as a therapeutic method,” then it should be supported by references to actual literature reviews and meta-analyses. There are no meta analyses directly cited, so either add a citation if it exists and meets WP:RS, or revise the statement for accuracy. —Notgain (talk) 01:28, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
The systematic review of Witkowski is rigorous enough in its analysis of the quality of the presented evidence. If you have any concern in such aspect then clarify it, be specific for those concerns.
There is no affirmation that violates WP:NOR with the cited sources. Rodrigo IB (talk) 02:40, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
In the letter to the editor of the Polish Psychological Bulletin, Aleksandra cite Witkowski 2010 as a "systematic review" Witkowski, Tomasz; Luszczynska, Aleksandra (2013-12-01). "Letters to Editor". Polish Psychological Bulletin. 44 (4): 462–464. doi:10.2478/ppb-2013-0049. ISSN 0079-2993. along with Sturt 2012 doi:10.3399/bjgp12X658287. So at least one third party source refer to it as a systematic review. However, it does not meet the PRISMA criteria for a systemic review and there is no statistical meta-analysis. So I still maintain it would be better described a critical review of empirical research. There are a number of systematic reviews that came after Witkowski 2010 as we discussed earlier. And I think there is at least one 2015 meta-analysis, Zaharial, Reiner and Schütz 2015 PMID 26609647 that has not been cited yet. --Notgain (talk) 11:24, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
The meta-analysis of Schütz et al is flawed. I'm reading it and is worrying that the total of studies that were analyzed were just 12.
But there is another issue.
"Overall, we finally included 12 studies with a total number of individuals of 658 (studies that analysed different subgroups from the same population). On average, the numbers of participants in each study was small, ranging between 12 and 115 subjects".
One component of the inclusion-exclusion criteria: "Not the right population: studies conducted on healthy individuals with social/psychological problems (n=19)"
Data analysis: "The inspection of the funnel plot was done visually."
Jeffrey Chan and Amer Harky warn of the inclusion of non-randomized studies without risk of bias assessment (I mention it too because the small commentary also mentions the risks involved in methods that use visual inspection of heterogeneity across studies).
Schwarzer et al. give a more comprehensive picture of the risks sorrounding meta-analysis that use small studies. Like the one you cite. Im well aware that Schütz et al. conducted a publication bias analysis: "Begg and Majumdar's rank correlation nor Egger’s regression test was significant (p=0.73 and p=0.45, respectively), which indicates no publication bias."
But, as Schwarzer et al. Point out other possible causes: "Another possible cause of small-study effects is clinical heterogeneity between patients in large and small studies; e.g., patients in smaller studies may have been selected so that a favourable outcome of the experimental treatment may be expected. In the case of a binary outcome, also a mathematical artefact arises from the fact that for the odds ratio or the risk ratio, the variance of the treatment effect estimate is not independent of the estimate itself Lastly, it can never be ruled out that small-study effects result from mere coincidence . Empirical studies have established evidence for these and other kinds of bias . There is a vast range of tests for small-study effects , most of them based on a funnel plot which will be introduced in Sect. 5.1.1"
My concerns is that the meta-analysis you brought to the table is a false-positive, even the authors write: "there is a major lack of high-quality data from observational, experimental studies or randomized trials on this field, Up until now there is insufficient data to recommend this form of therapy strongly in reducing some psychosocial problems." Making it an inconclusive study. Rodrigo IB (talk) 20:04, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
Let’s not cherry pick. I return to the Statement #1 that currently mentions “numerous literature reviews and meta-analyses”. The limitations of these studies should be mentioned if in line with WP:NORNotgain (talk) 23:57, 12 May 2024 (UTC)
Cherry pick what?
Are you really trying to reach a consensus or not? because i don't see you actually addressing the points that emerge of the sources that you, you as a proponent of them should be considering and analyzing in a careful manner.
You know what's the worst?, that i shouldn't have made that analysis, not only because is your responsability to at least read the sources you want to implement, but because the page talk is not for that. Neither of what is your opinion of what is or what is not a systematic review. As you said, reliable sources refer to Witkowski 2010 as a systematic review. End of the debate.
There is no original research involved, period. Rodrigo IB (talk) 02:34, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

That was an astute observation. The funnel plot inspection in the Schütz et al. study was done visually, which can introduce subjectivity and potential bias. While they noted this limitation and the small number of studies, this impacts the robustness of findings. This is amplified because the authors (e.g. Peter Schütz) appear to be practitioners (not academic researchers) which introduces another source of potential subjectivity bias. If it were to be cited, the limitations would need to be made clear. I maintain that Witkowski 2010 is not a systematic review or meta-analysis - it was a scathing critical review of empirical literature. It does NOT meet the PRISMA criteria for systematic review or meta-analysis as noted earlier. I encourage you to consider these points and reevaluate. If you have evidence to the contrary, I would be interested to hear it. --Notgain (talk) 09:28, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

Why you keep insisting on the PRISMA declaration?.
I don't know if you are aware, but the PRISMA declaration was sort of an "update" to the QUORUM declaration in 2009. Which it's main focus at the beginning was clinical meta-analysis and systematic reviews. It was not as adopted in 2010 like now, even the paper presenting the declaration was published at the beginning of 2010.
Still tho, Witkowski meets the QUORUM declaration. But the declaration is not necessary in order to consider something as a meta-analysis or a systematic review. It just secures that the data analysis is not biased in certain ways. Rodrigo IB (talk) 15:03, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

Morgan 1993

Removed the following from further reading because it is impossible to find and its outdated or near impossible to find: Morgan, Dylan A. (1993). "Scientific Assessment of NLP". Journal of the National Council for Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy Register. Spring. 1993. --Notgain (talk) 09:42, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

This has been discussed in the past in Talk:Neuro-linguistic programming/Archive_4#Morgan and Heap. The consensus was to replace any citations with citations to Heap. But that was already done and Morgan isn't used, so I agree removing it from Further reading is fine. Skyerise (talk) 11:15, 6 May 2024 (UTC)
Looks like it... These were the Heap papers:
--Notgain (talk) 13:16, 6 May 2024 (UTC)

Really bad sentence ?

"NLP posits that consciousness can be divided into conscious and unconscious components". Seriously? MarmotteiNoZ 04:52, 3 December 2024 (UTC)

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