Weird question: I understand the concept of mirroring/ matching as defined in NLP writings (sales, hypnosis, therapy techniques, etc.). What I'd like to know is, why do some people carry this to the extreme of repeating word for word, even to the point of replaying L - O - N - G conversations in their entirety? I've noticed that certain individuals play back not only my verbal 'role' from a previous conversation 'transcript' but their own 'role' as well, all the while passing it off as if it is entirely a new conversation in present moment. What gives? What is the purpose of doing this?
repeating word for word
by J-ex-W 3 Replies latest jw friends
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J-ex-W
Okay, not just a weird question -- it's a SERIOUS question. I need help determining if the people who do this are trustworthy in their intentions toward me...or if manipulating me (for their gain, at my expense) is their main aim. Only in the last three years have I come to recognize that people do this. Sometimes I see it as it happening; sometimes I see it after the fact--but it is unmistakable. I know it might sound crazy to some, but I know others will know what I am talking about. Please fill me in!! My mom is one of the people I've caught doing this, and have called her out on it--twice--only to have her deny it both times...the second time, denying it even while repeating word-for-word the conversation from the first time I called her out it!! Maddening...crazymaking... I don't know what else to call it. Is there an actual term for this practice?
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Hadit
One reason could be OCD. Another reason could be that they need to hear the conversation coming from themselves in order to register it and they don't realize that they are doing it.
It could also be a symptom of stress - they unknowingly repeat things beceause they can't grasp input too well.
I hope that helps somewhat!
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J-ex-W
Hadit -- I know she has an OCD (read, OCPD) -type personality, and is very controlling. I used to think it might be unintentional, and so I said nothing about it for the longest time. Honestly, until she was literally mocking my inability to verbalize/ pinpoint it--on the SECOND time that I called her out on it--by repeating my words from the first time I mentioned it to her...until then I still wasn't sure that it was deliberate on her.
She repeated back to me, my words, "[You'll] just have to catch [me] I'm in the middle of it so you can point it out to [me] as it's happening. In the meantime, [you'll] just have to assume that it's NOT something [I'm] consciously aware of...that it's unintentional...." (I had, weeks before, said the above to her in an attempt to be non-accusatory while broaching the subject with her. I just want to know the reason for it. It never occurred to me that she would flat-out deny, and so flagrantly.
Some people I've noticed doing this have amazing memorization skills and, yes, OCD-type personalities, among other things.