The Inner Map Theory. A quick overlook!

Your Inner Map of Reality

Why do you think the way you do? Your inner map of reality is based on the filters of your own ethnic, national, social, family, and religious background, and you interpret and experience life from the perspective of that map.

It makes your world more predictable and easier to find your way around. You observe, and conclude patterns of cause and effect, based on your inner map of reality, and your behavior is shaped by those conclusions.

It can grow, change, and adapt in response to new information and this in turn will?be heavily influenced by your attitudes and beliefs.

Your inner map of reality will reflect your experience and therefore influence your expectations and behavior.

It represents the truth as you understand it.

The extent to which one person can understand another's inner map of reality is a measure of that person's empathy.

Modalities: Are the internal representations we make based on our senses

These internal representations are made using one of several thinking modalities, which mirror our external senses. An internal representation can therefore be a: Picture, Sound, Smell, Taste, Feeling, Touch, and Thought.

Sub-Modalities: Can be constructed with several variables

These internal representations can be constructed with several variables, which are called sub-modalities which are like a filing system - the mental equivalent of putting some documents in a folder of a certain color and other things in a folder of another color, to help you tell them apart and keep track of them.

There are three categories of visual sub-modalities: Size, Colour, and Distance.

It is through sub-modalities that you make the millions of distinctions you make every second. It is through sub-modalities that you can:

• Recognize faces and voices
• Keep track of beliefs and values
• See close to you or far away
• Have likes and dislikes
• Make millions of distinctions you make in every moment

Strategies: Are internal representations sequenced in a certain order

These are a series of internal representations sequenced in a certain order. Everything you do and everything you feel is the result of a strategy, a series of internal representations in a certain order.

Strategies are very important in determining how you experience life, for example:

• If you procrastinate, it’s the result of a strategy.
• If you’re motivated, it’s the result of a strategy.
• So if you’re happy, sad, anxious, depressed, or experiencing any other internal state, it’s the end point of a strategy.

By changing a strategy, you can change the result.

Cybernetic loops: A combination of strategies, states of mind, and behaviors

These are the combination of strategies, states of mind, and behaviors that create your experience of life, internally and externally.

The combination of any or all of the following three items are what scientists call a cybernetic loop:

• Internal representations, whether singly or in sequences called strategies
• Internal states
• External behaviors

Whenever you change one of them, the other two change.

So if you change your internal representations , you change your behaviour and your state.

If you change your state , it changes your behaviour and your internal representations.

If you change your behavior , it changes your state and your internal representations.

Furthermore, the Inner Map Theory, which explains how our internal representations of reality shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, can be used to improve decision-making and problem-solving skills by recognizing and adapting our internal filters and biases. This involves becoming aware of how our beliefs, values, memories, decisions, language, associations, and strategies for sorting and retrieving information influence our perception of reality.

To apply the Inner Map Theory in decision-making and problem-solving, individuals can:

1. Recognize and challenge biases: Acknowledge the filters that shape our perception and challenge them to ensure that our decisions are based on objective analysis rather than personal biases.
2. Consider diverse perspectives: Seek out diverse viewpoints and experiences to broaden our understanding and avoid the limitations of our inner map.
3. Practice active listening: Engage in listening to ensure that we fully understand the perspectives and concerns of others, which can help us make more informed decisions.
4. Reflect on our thought processes: Regularly reflect on our thought processes and the filters that influence them to identify areas for improvement and develop more effective decision-making strategies.
5. Seek feedback and learning opportunities: Encourage feedback and seek out learning opportunities to continually refine our inner map and improve our decision-making and problem-solving skills.

By recognizing and adapting our internal filters and biases, we can make more informed, objective decisions and develop more effective problem-solving strategies.

Finally, we can conclude that the Inner Map Theory provides a unique perspective on decision-making and problem-solving compared to other theories:

1. Focus on internal representations: The Inner Map Theory emphasizes how our internal representations of reality, shaped by filters like beliefs, values, and memories, influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Other theories like rational decision-making focus more on external factors like information and preferences.
2. Subjectivity vs. objectivity: The Inner Map Theory acknowledges the subjective nature of decision-making, as each person's inner map is unique based on their background and experiences. Rational decision-making assumes more objective, self-interested decision-making.
3. Bounded rationality: The Inner Map Theory aligns with the concept of bounded rationality, which states that individuals make decisions based on limited information and cognitive resources. This contrasts with the assumption of perfect information in rational decision-making models.
4. Organizational context: While the Inner Map Theory focuses on individual decision-making, other theories like satisficing and appropriate decision-making emphasize the role of organizational context in shaping decisions. The inner map theory does not directly address this aspect.
5. Practical applications: The Inner Map Theory provides practical applications for improving communication, empathy, and personal growth by recognizing how our inner maps shape our perceptions. Analytical tools like decision trees and optimization are more commonly used in rational decision-making.

In summary, the Inner Map Theory offers a unique perspective by highlighting the subjective, cognitively bounded nature of individual decision-making and problem-solving, while other theories focus more on objective, organizational, and analytical aspects. The theories are not mutually exclusive and can provide complementary insights when applied together.

Sam Larios | Author