Markova stacks, part 2:
A quick guide to the stacking patterns

by Jan "yon" Saeger and Wilma Keppel

Summary: 6 natural patterns of human intelligence strongly influence how you and your clients process sensory information, think, learn, and communicate. Index to article.

Many of what most people consider "character traits" or "innate talents" seem to result from the 6 patterns of information processing we call Markova stacks. Below we list some general patterns.¹

AVK: great communicator²

Speaks logically; likes to discuss ideas
Connects best by talking
Organizes by talking about what needs to get done
Learns easily via discussion, lecture
May interrupt others, monopolize conversations
Likes to help others understand
Can attend details and "big picture" simultaneously
May have sketchy sense of own body, move awkwardly, find physical activities frustrating
Shy about touch; private about feelings

AKV: natural leader

Speaks with feeling and rhythm; likes to tell others what to do
Connects best by talking
Organizes by talking about what needs to get done
May interrupt others, have difficulty listening
Physically energetic; good coach
Sees the whole of things; may be inventor or systems thinker
May have problems with reading, writing, spelling
"Eye shy"; cannot maintain eye contact
Visionary; wants to inspire others

KAV: competent doer

Acts logically; likes working with hands
Connects best by doing, touching
Organizes in piles
Learns easily by doing or discussion
Can articulate emotions and body sensations
Good at storytelling, teaching movement and activities
Sees the whole of things
May have problems with reading, writing
"Eye shy"; cannot maintain eye contact

KVA: perpetual student

Acts logically; likes to do things
Connects best by doing, touching
Organizes in piles
Learns easily by doing and watching
Many diverse interests (like drawing and scuba diving)
Can attend details and "big picture" simultaneously; sees pictures in 3-D, from many perspectives
Difficulty expressing feelings in words
Speech may have long pauses, go in circles; asks lots of questions; may have difficulty verbalizing abstractions
Rarely speaks in groups
Sensitive to voice tone

VAK: show and tell

Writes logically; shows and illustrates ideas
Connects best by eye contact
Organizes in lists
Learns easily by reading, then discussing or teaching
Loves visual details and possibilities; reads everything
Persuasive speaker; likes to teach, explain, tell stories
Talks out loud to sort ideas and make decisions
May have sketchy sense of own body, move awkwardly, find physical activities frustrating
Shy about touch; private about feelings

VKA: great collaborator

Writes logically; may like to draw and design
Connects best by eye contact
Visually meticulous; organizes in lists
Learns easily by reading or watching, then doing
Learns sports easily; likes competitive sports
May get others' feelings confused with own
Talkative one-on-one; uncomfortable speaking in groups; asks lots of questions
May have trouble listening to prolonged, fast, or abstract speech
Sensitive to voice tone

Patterns of genius

Often people display genius in their unconscious modality. So although people with K unconscious tend to be unathletic, shy about touch, and private about or out of touch with their emotions, top gymnasts are almost all K unconscious (usually VAK).³ And some K unconscious people are very snuggly and sensual, very in touch with their own and others' feelings, or both.

People with a visual unconscious often have good mechanical skills (which require visualization), and may be visionaries. Those with an auditory unconscious can often track very complex multi-threaded patterns (stories, conversations, computer programming, schedules), and are often write well.

The very same processing patters that cause a person difficulties, and that may make communication with them problematic, are often the fountainhead of their genius.

Part 3: Patterns for communication and learning > >

Notes

Adapted from Dawna Markova. (1996) The Open Mind: Exploring the 6 Patterns of Natural Intelligence. Berkeley, California: Conari Press. ISBN: 1-57324-064-8. Out of print; buy used at Amazon or a local bookstore. Jump back

For each pattern, we list the sensory modality used for conscious processing first, then the subconscious modality, and finally the unconscious modality. AVK = auditory conscious, visual subconscious, kinesthetic unconscious. Jump back

Personal communication from Dr. Michael Harris, who coaches gymnasts using NLP and hypnosis. Contact him at DrMichaelHarris.com. Jump back

Jan Saeger and Wilma Keppel are NLP Master Practitioners, NLP Health Practitioners, and NLP developers.

URL: easychangeworks.com/articles-nlp/markova-2-guide.htm

Markova stacks, part 2: A quick guide to the stacking patterns