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1. Techniques for Controlling the Information Space
2. The Cognitive-Scientific Meaning of “Relaxation”
3. R-fluctuation
4. Change the Modal Channel
5. Techniques to Influence or Control Someone’s Way of Thinking
6. Sub-Paradigm
7. Control the Combination of Frames
8. The “Catalepsy” Technique
9. Timing for Delivering the Message
10. Reconstruct Sub-Paradigms
11. Summary

Techniques for Controlling the Information Space

As I mentioned in Part 2 of the book summary, in the information space, people tend to align themselves with those who possess a “larger presence.”

Because of this, the person who controls the information space can influence others as they wish.

Therefore, the first step is to take control of the information space and transform the value standards you want to convey into something familiar and comfortable for the other person.

The Cognitive-Scientific Meaning of “Relaxation”

So what should you do?
First, relax.

A physically familiar space is one in which a person feels a strong sense of presence.

To help someone feel that same sense of presence in the world you create, they must be relaxed—so you must relax first. Through homeostatic synchronization, the other person will naturally relax as well.

Conversely, when someone is tense, they feel a stronger presence in the physical world, so helping them relax allows them to experience presence in the virtual space you present.

A highly effective way to relax is through reverse abdominal breathing.

This is a breathing technique where you expand your abdomen as you exhale, loosening your body.

Normally, humans loosen their body when inhaling and tense it when exhaling.

So you do the opposite.

It doesn’t matter whether you strictly follow standard or reverse abdominal breathing; the important thing is to thoroughly relax your body while exhaling.

Relax until your body is completely loose, then look into the other person’s eyes.

Focusing on the point between their eyes helps steady your gaze.

While looking at the point between their eyes, relax your body even further—one level deeper.

This will cause the other person to relax even more as well.

In the same way, gradually slow down your speaking pace and lower your pitch.

This deepens the relaxation even further.

R-fluctuation

The next technique you should use after relaxing is called “R-fluctuation.”

In the information space, the person who can make “R” fluctuate holds the advantage.

“R” stands for Reality—the world in which someone currently feels a sense of presence.

“R-fluctuation” means shifting or shaking that sense of reality.

The basic method is to verbalize or gesture things that the other person is likely seeing or feeling in that moment.

For example, you might say, “It’s hot today,” or “This sofa is really comfortable,”

Or you might mirror their actions—if they cross their legs, you cross yours; if they take a sip of coffee, you take one too.

By “shaking” their reality, you create a new internal representation of the world—one that includes your influence.

As a result, that newly formed internal world becomes connected to you.

Change the Modal Channel

A modal channel is an entry point through which a person perceives information, typically consisting of six channels: the five senses plus language.

For example, when someone feels the texture of a sofa with their buttocks, they are perceiving it through the nerves in that area.

By putting that sensation into words—describing the feeling of the buttocks or the comfort of the sofa—you allow the person to consciously recognize what they had been experiencing unconsciously through their nerves.

This is what is meant by “changing the modal channel.”

By changing the modal channel in this way, the technique of R-fluctuation becomes particularly effective.

By shifting their experience from the world perceived through the senses to the world you articulate with words, you move their sense of presence into the information space.

This makes it possible to rewrite the other person’s internal representation.

Techniques to Influence or Control Someone’s Way of Thinking

To influence someone as you intend, you need to control the information space, rewrite their internal representations, and gradually shift their value system.

As a technique for rewriting internal representations, I will introduce the “Catalepsy” technique.
But before that, let’s look at how humans build their own value systems.

Sub-Paradigm

Humans build their overall value system by constructing multiple small value standards, or sub-paradigms.

It is difficult to completely overturn all of someone’s value standards at once.
So, the first step is to identify and grasp each small value standard, then recombine them to gradually reconstruct the person’s overall value system.

Control the Combination of Frames

First, identify the sub-paradigm the other person is committed to.

A sub-paradigm is also called a frame.

For example, in a fast-food restaurant, there is a typical sequence: order, pay, eat.

This kind of sequential flow is what we call a frame.

When a person chooses a frame, their behavior is guided by that frame until it is completed.

This means that by skillfully combining and controlling frames, you can influence and change the other person’s value system.

The “Catalepsy” Technique

One technique for rearranging frames involves having the person choose a frame and commit to it.

By “commit,” understand it as increasing the sense of presence in the events of that frame.

Once someone commits to a frame, they are compelled to maintain it, making their behavior predictable.

Another technique is to deliberately interrupt the frame midway.

By doing this, you temporarily separate their internal representation, creating a moment where you cannot control their sense of presence, and then you take control.

This is the “Catalepsy” technique from the Ericksonian school.

For example, during a business card exchange, you might slightly pull back your hand just as the other person reaches to take your card.

If you simply pull back, the other person may be confused.
A more natural approach is to pretend you briefly noticed an error, such as a mistake in the phone number on your card, and pull back for a moment.

This interrupts the frame of exchanging business cards.

This is what is meant by separating the internal representation.

Timing for Delivering the Message

Then, deliver your message at the exact moment the frame is interrupted.

This greatly increases the likelihood of rewriting the other person’s internal representation.

For example, saying, “Please don’t be nervous and just relax,” helps the person relax, making you the controller of the sense-of-presence space.

As an even more direct suggestion, saying, “Today, I have brought an excellent product,” writes into their internal representation that the product is indeed excellent.

Reconstruct Sub-Paradigms

In this way, you continuously interrupt frames, breaking and reconnecting the other person’s frames.

By doing so, their sense-of-presence space gradually shifts toward your reality.

Since a business card exchange can only be used once, prepare multiple opportunities to interrupt frames—such as making tea, fetching something, or starting to light a cigarette and then stopping.

By reconstructing multiple sub-paradigms in this manner, you can ultimately change the other person’s overall value system.

Summary

This time, we covered Part 4 of the book summary of How to Use the Remaining 97% of Your Brain by Hideto Tomabechi!!

It’s eye-opening to see that there are such concrete techniques for influencing others as you wish!!

Everyone—remember, do not misuse these techniques!!

This was very educational as a form of self-defense to avoid being manipulated!!

How to Use the Remaining 97% of Your Brain by Hideto Tomabechi is a fascinating book, so be sure to check it out!

Next time, we’ll cover Part 5 of the book summary, introducing goal-achievement methods you should know to live life the way you want!!