October 27, 2016

October 27, 2016 

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Engineer

Dear Reader,

This is my second response to “The Power of the Word May Reside in the Power of Affect” (2007) by Jaak Panksepp. I agree with the author that there is a “synergistic but distinct scenario for the emotional basis of language” and I think we should all learn about this.

Whether we pay attention to it or not any kind of communication elicits positive or negative emotions. As long as we have to pretend as if this is not the case we basically disembody our communication. I call this dissociative way of talking Noxious Verbal Behavior (NVB). In NVB the speaker and the listener are always perceived as separate entities.

In Sound Verbal Behavior (SVB), however, the speaker and the listener are experienced as one, as each speaker is his or her own listener and hears him or herself while he or she speaks. During SVB we can have embodied communication as there is no threat to avoid or escape from.

As the speakers and the listeners in SVB are aware that production of sound and reception of sound occur in the here and now, a conscious way of communicating unfolds. In NVB, on the other hand, the speaker and the listener behave in mechanical ways. Hierarchical differences sets them apart while they engage in unconscious communication.

The conscious communication of positive emotions (SVB) is an “underdeveloped arena of thought”, while unconscious expression of negative emotions (NVB) is a big problem. SVB addresses and solves this problem. Mankind hasn’t been able to address this problem which has remained unresolved. Our problem is how we talk with each other.