Reader the Iceberg Model

THE ICEBERG MODEL According to the iceberg model of the American psychologist David McClelland (1917-1998), visible behaviour, knowledge and skills are above the water line, at the top of the mountain. Underwater are the invisible beliefs, norms and values, self-image and the motives of people. The components underwater have a direct influence on visible behaviour, knowledge and skills.

Do Behaviour Skills, Knowledge

visible

Beliefs norms, values self-esteem

invisible

Motives Characteristics, personality

Think

Want

ABOVE THE WATER LINE: SURFACE, VISIBLE AND CONSCIOUS Above the waterline is the area of visible behaviour, knowledge and skills. Behaviour is what you show, what you do, the way you express yourself, your attitude and the way you communicate. Your capacities indicate what you are able to do, what your talents and skills are. This level of knowledge and behaviour is a responsive world, it is measurable, visible and testable. Responses from the environment to what you do, know and can do are very important. Without an environment, without people, without feedback, you are actually meaningless. The value of your identity is derived from how you experience yourself in relation to the environment and others.

There is no good or bad behaviour, there is effective or ineffective behaviour. Ineffective behaviour is characterized by (among other things): passivity, resignation, cynicism, conflicts, depression, complaining, confusion and defensive behaviour. Effective behaviour among people is characterized by (among other things): the ability to solve problems, achieve objectives and the willingness to learn. Problem thinking is a characteristic of ineffective behaviour, while thinking into possibilities fits

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with effective behaviour. To realize a change in your behaviour you have to pay attention to the underwater elements.

Questions that can be asked about behaviour, knowledge and skills           

how I am perceived, how do people respond to me? do I know enough, do I have enough information? what is possible for me? do I have the skill? do I have relevant knowledge and experience? what resources do I have? what am I doing, what will I do? what will I achieve? how to behave? am I effective? what skills and qualities do I have?

UNDER THE WATER LINE: INVISIBLE AND UNCONSCIOUS Below the water line are the opinions, self-perception, norms and values, personal qualities, beliefs and motives. This is the area of the invisible and unconscious components.

What do I believe, what kind of person am I, what values do I use, what do I want to achieve, what is important for me, how do I justify for myself, how do I want to be remembered, what is my human mission. These are just a few examples of personal life questions that may come your way and that requires an answer.

For the realization of personal growth and behavioural change, changes below the waterline are important. Changes in the area of beliefs, self-perception, norms and values, identity and motives.

BELIEFS Beliefs are opinions that you have about situations, others and about yourself. Many of these deep-rooted beliefs are obstructive and they block developments. Examples of stubborn beliefs: I never succeed, I am too stupid for that, I am uncertain and I am not of value.

Beliefs are formed during our lives. It starts in childhood through upbringing. If parents tell the child again and again that he or she should not be so selfish and have to think about other children, then the child can interpret this as, others are more important than me. A conclusion that can lead to the conviction: I am not important.

Beliefs give meaning to events throughout the day. This gives us a certain feeling, an emotion that directly influences our behaviour. Since our brain sees beliefs as "the truth," it drives our behaviour.

But it also influences how we think about others and how we treat others.

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Are beliefs only negative? No, they can also have a positive effect. Stimulating beliefs give us strength, freedom and possibilities. Examples of this are: "you can achieve everything you want, you are worth as much as every other person and you can do better than you assume.

Questions that can be asked about the beliefs • • • • • • • •

what do you think about that? why is that bad? why is that good / bad / terrible? what makes you unable to loose this belief? what could happen?

What is the need of continuing to hold this belief? how does this serve you? what do you think how this belief originated?

SELF PERCEPTION Self-image is how someone thinks about themselves and how they see themselves. The self-image is nourished by the environment and directly influences behaviour. The self-image has a major effect on self-confidence and the extent to which someone considers themselves of worth. People with a negative self-perception have little self-confidence and this is often accompanied by performance anxiety.

Causes of a negative self- perception can be fear of disapproval and lack of appreciation. Negative self- perception is expressed in negative feelings with regard to the performance of yourself and that of others. Your feeling is that you cannot do anything and constantly you condemn yourself. It seems for you an endless negative spiral. A negative self- perception is crippling, avoiding and inhibiting growth. Ultimately, these negative thoughts can lead to physical and psychological complaints.

NORMS AND VALUES Norms and values are about how we think what is right and wrong. Norms and values are jammed in our system. Norms are our guidelines for daily action. Whether or not described in the law, they are actually views on how to behave. Norms are rules of conduct on which you can reckon off yourself or someone else. Don’t forget that every country, every culture, every population has own norms.

Values are meaningful ideals. They are ideas that make life more beautiful and should be pursued.

Values are views on everything that is desirable, such as: love, security, respect, privacy, selfassurance, peace, gentleness, honesty, freedom, equality, solidarity, structure, tolerance and justice.

Norms derive from values. An example: you do not ask someone else for help, this norm derives from value, independence. Or, in a row you neatly wait until your turn, you can link this norm to the values, patience and respect.

There are hundreds of values and perhaps thousands of social rules that influence our thinking and direct our behaviour on a daily basis.

Questions you can ask about norms and values • • •

what is important for you? how do you want to be treated yourself? what stops you?

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• • • • •

do you think this is possible? do you think this is how it should be?

From what will you get angry? does this role suit you? what makes you disappointed?

PERSONAL PROPERTIES, THE IDENTITY These are the personal characteristics of the individual, which makes people unique. Here is the sense of my-self. It is all about the essential values that you as a person promote in your social life, work and society. Here the identity of the individual is central. Your identity forms the basis for your "to be", you have developed it yourself.

Your identity is a collection of psychological properties and mechanisms in humans that have a continuous unconscious interaction with the social and physical environment. Characteristic of the personal characteristics, identity are: • • • •

personal characteristics are fairly stable and change is slow you always carry personal characteristics with you identity influences your thinking, emotions and behaviour identity is your survival mechanism and helps you with the challenges that life poses to you

MOTIVES AND INCENTIVES The motifs and incentive lies deepest below the waterline. This is the area of your life's purpose, spirituality, meaning and your mission as a person. From which strong inner source do you handle?

Terms as emotion, motivation, motive, incentive, set us in motion. Incentives ensure that we take action and do things.

Questions about motives and motives • • • • • • • •

what do you really want? what motivates you? what is important in your life? how do you see yourself in the next ten years? what experiences made you wiser? what is life about? what would you like to leave behind? what makes sense of your life?

APPLICABILITY OF THIS THEORY Through our upbringing, school, events, experiences and role models, we attach great importance to our values. These values are anchored in our "to be" and determines our thoughts, which lead to emotions. The emotions ensure that we do or do not do things. The values, emotions and opinions determine the behaviour.

By working on the components underwater, you can realize personal changes and solve problems earlier. It exposes patterns and is limiting beliefs and makes people aware of their own pitfalls and needs. By learning to reflect and thoroughly examining the underwater elements, you create depth and get to the core.

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Changes that take place below the water line give a new movement that works upwards. Up to the behaviour, at the top of the iceberg. Most behaviour is learned and can therefore be changed.

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