Non-Verbal Thinking

The Non-Verbal Thinking cognitive function is responsible for accurately perceiving and interpreting non-verbal information necessary for effectively navigating social interactions.

Description
Non-Verbal Thinking is Involved in:
- perceiving and accurately interpreting non-verbal information such as facial expression, body language, tone of voice
- actively surveying a situation to obtain a full picture of what is happening before acting
- using non-verbal cues and feedback from others in order to modify one’s behaviour
- empathy and emotional intelligence
- registering, interpreting, and reflecting on one’s own emotions
- planning, strategizing, goal setting and mental initiative in social situations to create a desired outcome
- focused attention in social situations
- developing good negotiating skills
Difficulty
A Difficulty in This Cognitive Function Leads to:
- challenges in social interactions and building positive social relationships
- misapplying the social skill rules they are taught as they can’t discern where or when it is appropriate to apply them
- struggling in the classroom to read their teacher’s reactions or in the workplace to read their employer’s reactions so often don’t know if their actions are meeting with approval or not
- difficulty in modifying one’s behaviour based on the non-verbal signals people are sending them
- acting inappropriately to mask difficulty - they may be shy in social situations hanging back from interacting or they may become the ‘clown’ acting out inappropriately to get attention
- struggling with interpreting and understanding their own emotions and the emotions of others and may over or under react in social situations
- ‘leaping before looking’ as the individuals don’t take in all the relevant information in a situation before acting and run into problems as a result because they are operating on incomplete and/or inaccurate information
- behaving impulsively in social situations
Enhancement
Enhancing This Function Leads to:
- improved planning, thinking and problem solving in social situations
- increased emotional intelligence and empathy
- successfully using non-verbal cues in negotiations
- more accurate reading of social cues and nonverbal feedback resulting in positive outcomes in social interactions
- better and more satisfying social relationships

Non-Verbal Thinking is Involved in:

perceiving and accurately interpreting non-verbal information such as facial expression, body language, tone of voice
actively surveying a situation to obtain a full picture of what is happening before acting
using non-verbal cues and feedback from others in order to modify one’s behaviour
empathy and emotional intelligence
registering, interpreting, and reflecting on one’s own emotions
planning, strategizing, goal setting and mental initiative in social situations to create a desired outcome
focused attention in social situations
developing good negotiating skills

A Difficulty in This Cognitive Function Leads to:

challenges in social interactions and building positive social relationships
misapplying the social skill rules they are taught as they can’t discern where or when it is appropriate to apply them
struggling in the classroom to read their teacher’s reactions or in the workplace to read their employer’s reactions so often don’t know if their actions are meeting with approval or not
difficulty in modifying one’s behaviour based on the non-verbal signals people are sending them
acting inappropriately to mask difficulty - they may be shy in social situations hanging back from interacting or they may become the ‘clown’ acting out inappropriately to get attention
struggling with interpreting and understanding their own emotions and the emotions of others and may over or under react in social situations
‘leaping before looking’ as the individuals don’t take in all the relevant information in a situation before acting and run into problems as a result because they are operating on incomplete and/or inaccurate information
behaving impulsively in social situations

Enhancing This Function Leads to:

improved planning, thinking and problem solving in social situations
increased emotional intelligence and empathy
successfully using non-verbal cues in negotiations
more accurate reading of social cues and nonverbal feedback resulting in positive outcomes in social interactions
better and more satisfying social relationships

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Our Brain’s Forensic Psychologist (Investigator)

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There are cues and clues all around us. Our brain’s investigator solves life’s puzzles through perceiving and interpreting these non-verbal signs. Does that facial expression convey shock, surprise, sorrow, or scorn? What does a shift in that person’s voice – be it tone, inflection, emphasis - reveal? Look at their body; what does it “say” as it moves and gestures?

Our Non-Verbal Thinking is the forensic investigator: collecting evidence and assessing the scene. It uses this data to develop “common sense”, and also to navigate situations, build empathy, and perform under pressure. Our brains are designed to learn the nuances of different people and different situations in order to successfully operate in the world.

Essential in Skills Such As:

Empathy
Collaborative group work
Conflict resolution
Personal management
Self awareness
Networking
Etiquette
People skills

Non-Verbal Thinking

Description