Finding the Wolf within your Flock
Have you ever been a-clue-istic, one without a clue, with regard to reading other people? I have, and as a Behavioural Symptoms Analysis expert here is what I’ve learned.
In April 1994, as a member of the Canadian Forces, I took part in a Prisoner Handling and Tactical Questioning course held at the Defence Intelligence and Security School in Ashford Kent, England. Only a few hours after arrival, I found myself striped naked, placed in a cold cell, and intensely interrogated by a hostile British Warrant Officer.
After the interrogation, they informed me of the information they captured. I was amazed by what they knew since I hadn’t answered any of their questions. At that moment, I experienced first hand the world of Behavioural Symptoms Analysis (BSA). I quickly became a student for life, and I have been studying the field of human behaviour ever since.
I believe that until you personally discover or experience an event (a truthful account) for yourself, it is hard to fully grasp and accept its teaching. In other words, a truth spoken is not a truth discovered. I had to discover and personally experience the interrogation process in order to fully grasp the value of BSA and how I could effectively apply this tool to read people and their behaviours.
Surveys in my workshops reveal that we would like to read other people, even though that we do not want to be read. The real value of understanding BSA is in developing the ability to accurately read the messages sent by other people in order to understand them better. Increasing your awareness of BSA practices can give you a starting point to effectively read the messages sent by others.
BSA is the study of the way people act, speak and behave in various circumstances. From this study, you can learn to understand patterns of behaviour that enable you to make predictions and deductions about a person’s real message. Even when silent, people cannot not communicate!
This study is useful for people who ask questions in their daily activities. The behavioural insights provided by BSA create a framework for better understanding the communication that takes place during a conversation/interaction. As a questioner, it also guides you towards arriving at an informed assessment of an individual. In addition, they yield valuable information that can help you evaluate truth and deception in people. Hence, BSA can help you find the “wolf within your flock.”
Communication research by behavioural scientists and psychologists leads to the theory that communication can be broken down into verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements. In a conversation, the verbal element is primarily used for passing information that the speaker wishes to convey to the listener. The vocal element supports the verbal element and may also support the non-verbal element. The non-verbal element primarily reveals attitudes and feelings.
Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, observed these percentages in his famous communication study: 7 percent of communication comes from the verbal element (words), 38 percent from the vocal element (tone of voice), and 55 percent from the non-verbal element (body language).
Mehrabian’s “7%-38%-55% Rule”, refers to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes (i.e., like-dislike). In more fact based conversations, when a person is not talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable. Many people misapply Mehrabian’s when they attempt to apply them to all communication.
The most important point of this study is to understand the process of communication and to develop your skill in interpreting verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements when interacting with others. People naturally talented in these interpretations are often called intuitive. Those who are not as intuitive can misplace their trust and be easily misled.
When observing and evaluating a person, build a model of the person’s normal pattern of behaviour. You can do this by asking non-pertinent questions and looking carefully at their non-verbal communication (NVC) signs.
For example, if a person breaks eye contact when denying having hit your vehicle, it may or may not mean that the person is lying. If breaking eye contact happens in conjunction with a drop in voice tone, and they start fidgeting with their fingers, coughing and hesitating in their answers, where they had been calm and collected before you asked about the dent in your car; then you might consider the person to be untruthful.
A truthful person tends to talk face to face (frontal alignment) in order to see the other person’s gestures, maintain eye contact and appear concerned. An untruthful person tends to turn their whole body away (lack frontal alignment), in part to increase the distance from you and in part to conceal their face. These actions make it easier to break eye contact with you and appear truthful.
More than any other part of NVC, gestures vary greatly from culture to culture and person to person. They are learned by copying as children and are influenced by society, age, gender, dominant role models and personality style. Understanding the Model of Human Behaviour greatly enhances your ability to evaluate truth and deception in people across cultures.
Individuals who are outgoing and task oriented tend to be more dominant and direct in their NVC. They often use big gestures and lean forward with an advancing posture. Individuals who are outgoing and people oriented tend to be more inspiring and influencing in their NVC. They often use expressive gestures with an amusing, friendly posture.
Individuals who are reserved and people oriented tend to be more supportive and sincere in their NVC. They use gentle gestures with a reassuring, calming posture. Individuals who are also reserved and task oriented tend to be more cautious and credible in their NVC. They often use controlled gestures without emotion.
In today’s challenging time, it is increasingly important to be sensitive and observant when it comes to your own body language as it tends to communicate your real message and intention when you interact with others both at work and at home.
In April 1994, as a member of the Canadian Forces, I took part in a Prisoner Handling and Tactical Questioning course held at the Defence Intelligence and Security School in Ashford Kent, England. Only a few hours after arrival, I found myself striped naked, placed in a cold cell, and intensely interrogated by a hostile British Warrant Officer.
After the interrogation, they informed me of the information they captured. I was amazed by what they knew since I hadn’t answered any of their questions. At that moment, I experienced first hand the world of Behavioural Symptoms Analysis (BSA). I quickly became a student for life, and I have been studying the field of human behaviour ever since.
I believe that until you personally discover or experience an event (a truthful account) for yourself, it is hard to fully grasp and accept its teaching. In other words, a truth spoken is not a truth discovered. I had to discover and personally experience the interrogation process in order to fully grasp the value of BSA and how I could effectively apply this tool to read people and their behaviours.
Surveys in my workshops reveal that we would like to read other people, even though that we do not want to be read. The real value of understanding BSA is in developing the ability to accurately read the messages sent by other people in order to understand them better. Increasing your awareness of BSA practices can give you a starting point to effectively read the messages sent by others.
BSA is the study of the way people act, speak and behave in various circumstances. From this study, you can learn to understand patterns of behaviour that enable you to make predictions and deductions about a person’s real message. Even when silent, people cannot not communicate!
This study is useful for people who ask questions in their daily activities. The behavioural insights provided by BSA create a framework for better understanding the communication that takes place during a conversation/interaction. As a questioner, it also guides you towards arriving at an informed assessment of an individual. In addition, they yield valuable information that can help you evaluate truth and deception in people. Hence, BSA can help you find the “wolf within your flock.”
Communication research by behavioural scientists and psychologists leads to the theory that communication can be broken down into verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements. In a conversation, the verbal element is primarily used for passing information that the speaker wishes to convey to the listener. The vocal element supports the verbal element and may also support the non-verbal element. The non-verbal element primarily reveals attitudes and feelings.
Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, observed these percentages in his famous communication study: 7 percent of communication comes from the verbal element (words), 38 percent from the vocal element (tone of voice), and 55 percent from the non-verbal element (body language).
Mehrabian’s “7%-38%-55% Rule”, refers to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes (i.e., like-dislike). In more fact based conversations, when a person is not talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable. Many people misapply Mehrabian’s when they attempt to apply them to all communication.
The most important point of this study is to understand the process of communication and to develop your skill in interpreting verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements when interacting with others. People naturally talented in these interpretations are often called intuitive. Those who are not as intuitive can misplace their trust and be easily misled.
When observing and evaluating a person, build a model of the person’s normal pattern of behaviour. You can do this by asking non-pertinent questions and looking carefully at their non-verbal communication (NVC) signs.
For example, if a person breaks eye contact when denying having hit your vehicle, it may or may not mean that the person is lying. If breaking eye contact happens in conjunction with a drop in voice tone, and they start fidgeting with their fingers, coughing and hesitating in their answers, where they had been calm and collected before you asked about the dent in your car; then you might consider the person to be untruthful.
A truthful person tends to talk face to face (frontal alignment) in order to see the other person’s gestures, maintain eye contact and appear concerned. An untruthful person tends to turn their whole body away (lack frontal alignment), in part to increase the distance from you and in part to conceal their face. These actions make it easier to break eye contact with you and appear truthful.
More than any other part of NVC, gestures vary greatly from culture to culture and person to person. They are learned by copying as children and are influenced by society, age, gender, dominant role models and personality style. Understanding the Model of Human Behaviour greatly enhances your ability to evaluate truth and deception in people across cultures.
Individuals who are outgoing and task oriented tend to be more dominant and direct in their NVC. They often use big gestures and lean forward with an advancing posture. Individuals who are outgoing and people oriented tend to be more inspiring and influencing in their NVC. They often use expressive gestures with an amusing, friendly posture.
Individuals who are reserved and people oriented tend to be more supportive and sincere in their NVC. They use gentle gestures with a reassuring, calming posture. Individuals who are also reserved and task oriented tend to be more cautious and credible in their NVC. They often use controlled gestures without emotion.
In today’s challenging time, it is increasingly important to be sensitive and observant when it comes to your own body language as it tends to communicate your real message and intention when you interact with others both at work and at home.
Comment
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Comment by Derek Arnold on March 30, 2009 at 1:07pm -
HA HA HA!!!!
JJ, you're a great teacher, but I think I prefer my introduction to human behavior to yours.
I think you're the only person here whose interest in human behavior piqued after being naked, cold, and interrogated.
I think I'll learn from YOUR life lessons, thank you.
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