Definition
Neuro-linguistic programming, usually abbreviated NLP, is a model of communication and personal change developed in the 1970s by Richard Bandler and John Grinder. It proposes that there are learnable connections between neurological processes, language, and behavioral patterns, and that working with these can change how a person thinks and acts.
NLP draws on the language techniques of Milton Erickson and others. It is widely used in coaching, sales, and persuasion training. However, its core scientific claims have not been supported by controlled research, and the broader psychology community generally classifies NLP as a pseudoscience.
Why it matters
How it works
NLP teaches a catalogue of techniques. Mirroring matches a conversation partner's posture, tone, and pace to build rapport. Pacing and leading establishes agreement on small points before introducing a desired conclusion. Anchoring tries to attach an emotional state to a gesture or word so it can be re-triggered later. Reframing offers an alternative interpretation of a situation.
Several of these — mirroring, reframing, building rapport before persuading — are genuinely useful communication skills with independent support. The contested part is NLP's theoretical scaffolding, such as the idea of fixed representational systems detectable through eye movements, which research has not validated. The practical takeaway is to value the techniques where they work, while remaining skeptical of the surrounding theory and alert to their use in covert influence.