Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic (VAK)

Many of you reading this are probably familiar with what VAK is or maybe even generally how it works. Regardless to whether you do or not, I will teach you what words you should pay attention to as it relates to you building rapport. VAK, also referred to as representational systems are basically our senses that allow us to be engaged while discussing information, dealing with problems, thinking, or getting involved in various activities. To simplify this even more, representational systems determine how one processes information.

Most people are dominate in one particular area of VAK while a select few may be difficult to tell. Before you tell me that you’re one of the difficult ones, I’ll tell you that you’re not! Now read the rest of this post carefully to understand what I’m talking about.

Visual

For the people who are visual learners have the advantage of processing and comprehending information much quicker by literally seeing it in front of them. Obviously if their sight is their advantage, the other 2 areas are they’re disadvantages. For example, in a classroom, a visual learner would much rather prefer learning from charts, graphs, pictures, videos, or even live demonstrations rather than listening to the professor lecture the entire time. Not only would they prefer it, but they will probably retain less information with only the lecture.  So for some of you parents who have kids who aren’t doing so well in school, it maybe because your kid processes information differently than how the teacher teaches it.

Words That Visuals People Use:

1. analyze
2. appear
3. clarity
4. conspicuous
5. dream
6. distinguish
7. envision
8. clarity
9. examine
10. envision
11. focus
12. foresee
13. horizon
14. idea
15. illusion
16. illustrate
17. Imagine
18. inspect
19. look
20. notice
21. observe
22. obvious
23. outlook
24. perception
25. picture
26. pinpoint
27. scene
28. scope
29. scrutinize
30. see
31. show
32. sight
33. sketchy
34. spot
35. survey
36. vague
37. view
38. vision
39. watch
40. witness

Auditory

Auditory learners on the other hand would much rather prefer hearing something. They may or may not care to whether they literally see it, but they will understand the information much better by simply listening to it. An example would be a student who would much rather just listen to the professor lecture throughout the class and take notes based upon what they hear.

Words That Auditory People Use:

1. announce
2. articulate
3. audible
4. boisterous
5. communicate
6. converse
7. discuss
8. dissonant
9. divulge
10. earshot
11. enunciate
12. gossip
13. hear
14. hush
15. listen
16. loud
17. mention
18. noise
19. proclaim
20. pronounce
21. remark
22. report
23. ring
24. roar
25. rumor
26. say
27. screech
28. shrill
29. shout
30. silence
31. sound
32. speak
33. speechless
34. squeal
35. state
36. talk
37. tell
38. tone
39. utter
40. voice

Kinesthetic

The kinesthetic learner finds the hands on experience the most effective and  productive. These people would rather take part in the action and get a feel for what’s going on.

Words That Kinesthetic People Use:

1. active
2. affected
3. bearable
4. callous
5. charge
6. concrete
7. emotional
8. feel
9. firm
10. flow
11. foundation
12. grasp
13. grip
14. hanging
15. hassle
16. heated
17. hold
18. hunch
19. hustle
20. intuition
21. lukewarm
22. motion
23. panicky
24. pressure
25. rush
26. sensitive
27. set
28. shallow
29. shift
30. softly
31. solid
32. sore
33. stir
34. stress
35. support
36. tension
37. tied
38. touch
39. unsettled
40. whipped

What To Do With These 120 Words

Learning this is actually easier than it seems. The words listed above are generally the words that a visual/auditory/kinesthetic person uses. Obviously there are many more words for each category, but at least you get the idea.

Now, when you’re having a conversation with someone and you notice the person using words like “see, imagine, watch, etc.” then it is up to you to speak back to them using other visual words. The same applies if the person uses words from the auditory or kinesthetic category. If the person in front of you feels as if you are just like them, they are much more likely to be in rapport with you.

How can you use this technique today?

A friend of mine, who is an atomic visual, did terrible in a some of his classes because most of his professors used lectures (auditory) as their style of teaching. However the classes he was doing well in were with professors who taught in a visual style.

This obviously worked vice versa for students who more auditory or kinesthetic than visual. This is a clear cut example that teachers and professors should be able to teach their students with more versatility. I don’t disagree that the students should also learn to become versatile, but the bottom line is, we will almost always be more dominate in one area, so it’s becomes imperative for teachers and professors to learn to educate with more versatility.

Have you noticed this in school?

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