What Is Modeling? Understanding Behavioral Modeling in Psychology and NLP

Modeling is the process of learning behaviors, skills, attitudes, or strategies by observing others. In psychology, Albert Bandura’s social learning theory explains how people learn through observation. In Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), modeling is presented as a more deliberate process of studying how someone achieves a particular result and identifying strategies that others may learn and adapt.

What is Modeling?

All throughout our lives, we have modeled behaviors. We model others on a daily basis, whether it is their style of dressing or their confidence while interacting with others. This process is not unique to humans; primates, including monkeys, can also learn by observing others. Humans, however, frequently adopt behaviors, habits, and preferences from the people around them.

If we like someone else’s hairstyle or a piece of furniture, we may wish to have something similar for ourselves. The modeler, i.e., the person learning or adopting the behavior, may or may not be consciously aware of this process, which takes place more or less constantly.

‘A man is known by the company he keeps’,

is an idea reinforced by the concept of modeling, since we tend to learn or imbibe other people’s attitudes, beliefs, and values. This can happen without conscious awareness.

It can be said that our ‘net worth’, or the value of our lives, is influenced by our ‘network’, i.e., the people we mostly surround ourselves with.

What Is the Role of Modeling in Behavior Change?

Albert Bandura, known for his social learning theory, emphasized observational learning as an important area of psychology and behavioral science. His work helps explain how observing other people can influence the way we learn and behave.

According to Bandura’s account of observational learning, four processes are involved: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. These processes help explain how a person may learn a behavior by observing someone else.

1. Attention: To replicate a behavior, one must first pay attention to the model. For example, to teach a toddler how to hold a crayon, it is necessary for the child to pay attention to the person demonstrating the action.

2. Retention: The learner must retain what they have observed so that they can reproduce it later. The child must remember how the model held the crayon in order to do it independently.

3. Reproduction: The learner must be able to reproduce the behavior. After observing how to hold a crayon, the toddler needs to develop the coordination required to hold it and make marks on paper.

4. Motivation: The learner must have some motivation to perform the behavior. The toddler should have enough interest or encouragement to pick up the crayon and scribble on a piece of paper.

When these processes come together, observational learning is more likely to result in the reproduction of a behavior. However, observing a behavior does not guarantee that it will be performed; ability, opportunity, and motivation also matter.

What is Modeling in NLP?

“NLP Modeling is the process of recreating, replicating excellence.”

In Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), modeling is presented as an intentional and systematic approach to learning new strategies by studying how another person performs a task. Within NLP training, two components are often discussed: implicit and explicit modeling.

Implicit modeling refers to the underlying processes, assumptions, and beliefs that may guide a person’s behavior. Explicit modeling refers to the observable behavior itself.

The movement of a leaf is apparent to the eye, but the wind that causes the movement is not directly visible. In this analogy, the movement represents the explicit behavior, while the wind represents the implicit processes that may contribute to it.

A father once gave ₹10 each to his two sons. One bought a chocolate, divided it into ten pieces, and sold each piece for ₹2. The other purchased a small, expensive chocolate with all his money and ate it immediately. The two sons, raised in the same environment, returned with different results. Their decisions may have reflected different interests, priorities, or ways of thinking about money. The example illustrates why observing someone’s outward behavior alone may not explain the reasoning behind it.

To model a behavior effectively, it is therefore useful to consider both what a person does and the possible processes influencing their actions. These implicit processes are interpretations to investigate, rather than something that can automatically be inferred from the behavior.

Since modeling is something we commonly do, sometimes unconsciously, what makes it important enough to discuss in NLP?

What Are the Advantages of Modeling?

Before understanding the advantages of modeling behavior, we must first recognise how it differs from copying.

How Is Modeling Different From Copying?

Modeling is a more systematic approach that involves understanding another person’s behavior, learning from it, and adapting it by adding our own perspective. Copying, on the other hand, involves duplicating someone else’s work or behavior as it is. This difference matters because what works for another person may not necessarily work for us or suit our circumstances. It is important to understand our own aptitude, interests, and beliefs before adopting someone else’s approach.

A relevant example is Chinese food in India. Indian cuisine has adapted dishes and techniques associated with Chinese cooking, creating versions that reflect local tastes, ingredients, and cultural preferences. The result is not an exact reproduction but an adaptation.

So, how can modeling benefit us?

Firstly, it can help us improve ourselves in an area we would like to develop. If someone has excelled at a task, such as public speaking, we can study their approach to improve our own abilities. This might involve learning from their oratory skills, preparation, and confidence while interacting with an audience. Secondly, if we are stuck in life, whether facing a serious problem at work or struggling with a Sudoku puzzle, it can help to consider another approach. By studying how someone else approaches a similar problem, we may discover a useful strategy and move beyond where we were stuck.

Another benefit is the opportunity to learn something new and challenge ourselves to explore unfamiliar areas. Modeling can offer a practical starting point for problem-solving by helping us identify and adapt strategies that have worked for others. However, a strategy that works for one person may need to be modified or may not work in another situation.

How do we Model?

Our model should be someone who demonstrates a high level of skill in the area we are interested in learning. This brings us to the concept of unconscious competence: the ability to perform a task with little conscious effort, such as driving a familiar route or playing a well-practised piece of music.

A person who performs exceptionally well may not always be able to explain every step of their process. This can make it difficult to teach the skill directly. The role of an NLP modeler, within the NLP framework, is to observe the person carefully and attempt to identify the strategies and patterns that contribute to their performance.

For example, Indian-origin children have achieved notable success in spelling competitions such as the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It can be useful to examine the preparation methods and learning strategies of successful participants, including how they practise, remember spellings, and use word origins or visual associations.

However, such success should not be attributed to a single strategy or to the speed of any language without reliable evidence. Individual preparation, vocabulary, access to resources, and many other factors may contribute to performance. Once a potentially useful strategy has been identified, the modeler can practise it, evaluate its effectiveness, and demonstrate how it might be used by others.

Observing another person’s actions can engage brain systems involved in action perception and imitation. Mirror neurons have been studied in this context, although their role in complex human learning is more nuanced than simply explaining how we acquire behaviors by watching others.

What Is the Framework for Successful Modeling?

Within NLP, John Grinder and Richard Bandler are associated with approaches to modeling human excellence. One framework describes a process of observing a highly skilled person, assimilating their patterns, identifying a possible strategy, and testing whether it can be reproduced.

The following steps summarise the general approach described in the original article:

1. Identify the model: Choose someone who demonstrates a high level of competence in the area you want to learn.

2. Observe and assimilate: Observe the person in the relevant context. Pay attention not only to what they do but also to the sequence and circumstances of their actions.

3. Practise in a parallel context: Try out the observed patterns in a comparable situation. Alternate between observation and practice to refine your understanding.

4. Identify the underlying strategy: Develop a possible explanation of the patterns that may contribute to the person’s performance. Within NLP, this is sometimes described as identifying the ‘code’ behind the skill.

5. Test the model: Apply the proposed strategy and evaluate whether it produces a similar result. If it does not, revisit the observations and revise the strategy.

Two prerequisites should be kept in mind throughout this process. First, the learner should have a genuine interest in acquiring the skill; motivation supports continued practice. Second, an appropriate relationship between the model and modeler can help facilitate observation, feedback, and understanding. Grinder and Bandler studied the work of Milton H. Erickson, an influential American psychiatrist known for his approach to hypnosis and psychotherapy. They also studied the work of Fritz Perls, a founder of Gestalt therapy, and Virginia Satir, a prominent family therapist. Their work contributed to the development of NLP’s modeling approaches.

What Sets NLP Modeling Apart From Analytical Modeling?

NLP modeling places particular emphasis on close observation, experiential learning, and identifying patterns that can be tested and communicated to others. Some approaches encourage the modeler to temporarily suspend their usual assumptions and remain open to the experience before analysing it. The aim is to identify relevant patterns, reduce unnecessary complexity, and develop a description of the strategy that another person can understand and practise.

In an NLP Practitioner course, modeling may be used as an exercise in self-improvement and skill development across different areas of life. It can encourage learners to examine how they approach goal-directed behavior and explore alternative strategies. However, NLP modeling is a practitioner framework, and its specific claims should not automatically be treated as established scientific findings. Its usefulness depends on the quality of the observations, the way a strategy is tested, and whether the results can be reproduced in the intended context.

Ultimately, modeling is not simply about becoming someone else. It is about learning from effective approaches, understanding what may make them work, and adapting them thoughtfully to our own abilities, goals, and circumstances.

References

Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall.

OpenStax. (2020). Observational Learning (Modeling)⁠. Psychology 2e.

Grinder, J., & Bostic St Clair, C. (2001). Whispering in the Wind. J&C Enterprises.

This article on 'Modeling' has been contributed by Rishika Shah, a psychology major at the St.Xavier’s College, Mumbai. She is part of the Global Internship Research Program (GIRP), which is under the leadership and guidance of Anil Thomas. GIRP is an Umang Foundation Trust initiative to encourage young adults across our globe to showcase their research skills in psychology and to present it in creative content expression.

She is the Editor for the Uncommon Sense, an official college magazine.