One of the most unique tools available in neuro linguistic programming is the accessing cues. Accessing cues are simply eye movements that are associated with specific sensory filters.
Each person has a neutral state and state where he is accessing visual constructs/images, sounds, feelings, etc. To understand how this simple yet extremely accurate system works, I’ve prepared a complete list for you.
Eye movement: Top right
Modality: Visual constructed
Meaning: The person is currently processing images that he has not encountered before
Eye movement: Top left
Modality: Visual remembered
Meaning: The person is recalling images that he has encountered before
Eye movement: Blank stare
Modality: Visual
Meaning: The person is recalling both new and old visual constructs in his mind.
Eye movement: Center right
Modality: Auditory constructed
Meaning: The person is hearing sounds that he has not encountered before
Eye movement: Center left
Modality: Auditory remembered
Meaning: The person is hearing sounds that he has encountered in the past.
Eye movement: Bottom left
Modality: Auditory internal dialog
Meaning: The person is just talking to himself in his mind
Eye movement: Bottom right
Modality: Kinesthetic
Meaning: The person is recalling emotions and sensations he has encountered with his sense of touch.
As you can see from the list of modalities, a person can reveal how he is processing a question or new information through the automatic movement of his eyes.
With this specialized information, you would be able to easily tailor your own contributions to an interaction by providing what the other person needs in terms of what kinds of modalities he’s using throughout a conversation.
For example, a person who sues kinesthetic and visual modalities would respond quite easily to a person who uses the appropriate language to express himself. A visual-kinaesthetic person would readily agree to a statement like “I see that you are happy with the result and I truly feel that this project will be beneficial to both of us”.
Notice how a single statement uses two distinct modalities to get a single message across. The necessary modifications have to be done to ensure that the other person is paying attention to what you are saying and he will choose to agree with the end because you are using the same modalities to communicate with him.
