The Meta Model

/ The Meta Model Distortions

The Meta Model Distortions
The Meta Model
The Meta Model distortions are responsible for some major limitations and poor m
ap creation. Anything we make up, or that we have no sensory evidence for is a d
istortion. Maybe you are thinking, I don t make things up, I am a very down to eart
h person .
Future planning
Consider what happens when you invest in a retirement plan. You are thinking abo
ut a future that does not exist. You literally cannot see yourself retired unles
s you already are. You cannot see a picture of something that hasn t happened yet.
Yet we can imagine future consequences and benefits.
Concepts
A concept or an idea is something humans make up. Have you ever tripped over a r
elationship? A relationship consists of a number of ongoing interactions and sha
red experiences over time (another concept). Can you put a job in a wheelbarrow?
We use labels for categories of concepts, but there is no sensory-based evidence
for them. There are certainly examples of them, but we make up the label for th
e idea. It s like a shorthand marker.
Nominalizations
Recipe for Misunderstanding
Nominalizations are processes (verbs) we turn into nouns. Doing this sends decep
tive messages to our brains. For example, a decision is actually the process of de
ciding; a relationship is the process of relating to someone. By changing the pr
ocess into a fixed static thing, we can feel it is unchanging and limit our choi
ces for action.
Mind reading Jumping to Conclusions
Mind reading is assuming you know what the other person is thinking or feeling w
ithout checking. This pattern causes a great deal of interpersonal difficulties
and is another of the important Meta model problem solving strategies.
Cause effects
How our world works
When a person uses a cause effect statement, they are identifying how they belie
ve something works. That X causes Y, or that doing X makes Y happen.
Lost Performatives Not my Beliefs
Lost performatives are when someone is talking about a personal belief, but pres
ents it as though it was a universal truth. We then accept it as true without qu
estioning it as we would if we heard it as someone s personal opinion.
Linguistic Presuppositions Accepting What I Say
Linguistic presuppositions are the most powerful of the Meta model and Milton mo
del language patterns. As a communicator, wouldn t it be great if people accepted
what you said without question sometimes?