Deescalation/Avoidance

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Take into consideration the sub-principle of mind-body, i.e., the mind leads the body and the body effects the mind. A duality that works as a single symbiotic unit yet also has distinct individualized ways and processes. In both deescalation and avoidance it is often thought of as words, the words, phrases and sentences that result in a deescalation of conflict until violence is off the table and peace is achieved between people. 

Words, etc., matter and how along with what words can either exude danger, anger and aggression or they can promote peace, contentment and a non-aggression but such words don’t get the job done. In truth, the true beast of burden to avoid and/or deescalate is our bodies, body language. 

Body language is a most difficult study but one fact of research I can tell you about is that our body posture, etc., does feed positivity or negativity to our minds. It is also a fact of research that our minds using appropriate thoughts, feelings and words also feed our bodies as to how the body sets itself and is perceived in the minds of those we wish to influence. 

This thought and theory although factual and critical parts of deescalation and avoidance is one seldom taught directly and on a conscious level to individuals trying to learn self-defense. 

Now, to achieve such successes in deescalation and/or avoidance a practitioner must be able to perceive an unbiased view of the recipient so they can detect and determine what it is that will influence them in a positive beneficial way then apply such verbiage and body language that will successfully manipulate them willingly toward that more advantageous ending to conflict and possible violence. 

This is one of those traits and abilities that must exist as a part of the personality and character of a teacher, a sensei or mentor or instructor, etc., in order to properly, efficiently and effectively teach self-defense. 

More on Words:

• Prior exposure to the violence-linked words, in studies, led to a 48% jump in selected shock intensity. Nonviolent language, replaced violence-linked words, of such words with menacing associations (target, beat) with comparable words that did not (goal, outdistance) diminishes such shock intensity and resulting violence prone responses. 
• Violence laden language could lead to elevated, escalated, harm, achievement laden language could lead to elevated performance, etc. Subtly exposing humans to words that connote achievement (win, attain, succeed, master) increases their performance on an assigned task and more than doubles their willingness to keep working on it. 
• Initial incidental exposure either to simple words or simple images can have a pre-suasive impact on later actions that are merely associated with the words or images. 

“Humans all have different primary life goals that include learning, developing, and striving for achievement. Accomplishing those objectives requires a special openness to discomforting elements: demanding tasks, contrary points of view, unfamiliar people and owning mistakes and failures. “ - Cialdini, Robert B. PhD. “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.” Harper. New York. 2006.

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