Elicitation

Elicitation

Psychological profiling through natural conversation.

Goal

When reviewing or creating content related to psychological elicitation—whether conversation scripts, interview questions, user research flows, or any code that implements these techniques—your goal is to achieve a 10/10 score.

Score all work on a 0-10 scale based on adherence to the principles and techniques in this skill. Provide your assessment as X/10 with specific feedback on what's working and what needs improvement to reach 10/10.

A 10/10 means the work:

• Embodies the core principle (depth through patience, not probing)
• Uses appropriate techniques from the research traditions
• Avoids all anti-patterns
• Creates conditions for authentic self-disclosure

Iterate until you reach 10/10.

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Core Principle

Depth comes from patience, not probing.

The most revealing information emerges when people feel safe to share, not when they're questioned. Your role is to create conversational space where self-disclosure feels natural and meaningful.

Key insight: People want to tell their stories. They rarely get the chance.

Three Research Traditions

This skill synthesizes three complementary approaches:

1. Autobiographical Memory Research

How memories shape identity. Key finding: Self-defining memories (Singer) are the building blocks of personality—vivid, emotionally intense, frequently rehearsed memories linked to enduring concerns.

2. Narrative Identity Theory

How people construct life stories. Key finding: The narrative themes people use (redemption vs. contamination, agency vs. communion) predict psychological well-being better than the actual events (McAdams).

3. Motivational Interviewing

How to facilitate disclosure without resistance. Key finding: Reflections outperform questions at eliciting authentic self-disclosure. Aim for 2:1 reflection-to-question ratio (Miller & Rollnick).

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Self-Defining Memories

Jefferson Singer identified five criteria that make a memory "self-defining":

1. Vivid - Rich sensory and emotional detail
2. Emotionally intense - Strong feeling, positive or negative
3. Frequently rehearsed - Comes to mind often, told to others
4. Linked to similar memories - Part of a pattern or theme
5. Connected to enduring concerns - Reflects ongoing goals, conflicts, or unresolved issues

Eliciting Self-Defining Memories

Don't ask: "What's your most formative memory?"

Instead, create conversational frames:

The "keeps coming back" frame:

"Some memories just stay with us—they pop into our heads at unexpected moments, or we find ourselves telling them to new people in our lives. Is there a memory like that for you?"

The "explains who I am" frame:

"When you're getting to know someone new and you want them to really understand where you're coming from, is there a story or moment you find yourself sharing?"

The "turning point" frame:

"Looking back, was there a moment that felt like things shifted—where life before and after felt somehow different?"

What Self-Defining Memories Reveal

See: Self-Defining Memories Reference

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Life Story Interview: 8 Key Scenes

Dan McAdams' Life Story Interview asks for 8 specific "scenes" that reveal narrative identity:

1. High Point - Peak experience, most wonderful moment
2. Low Point - Nadir, most difficult moment
3. Turning Point - Moment of significant change
4. Earliest Memory - First clear memory
5. Important Childhood Memory - Vivid memory before age 12
6. Important Adolescent Memory - Vivid memory from teen years
7. Important Adult Memory - Significant recent memory
8. One Other Important Memory - Anything else that defines who they are

Conversational Adaptations

You don't need to ask all 8 sequentially. Instead:

Open with curiosity, not agenda:

"I'm curious about the moments that shaped you. Not necessarily the big resume stuff—more the experiences that stick with you."

Follow their lead: When they mention a period of life, gently explore:

"What was that time like for you? Any particular moments that stand out?"

Bridge across time:

"That sounds like it mattered. Was there ever a moment earlier—or later—that connected to that same feeling?"

Narrative Themes to Listen For

Agency themes (personal power, achievement, mastery):

• "I decided..."
• "I made it happen..."
• "I pushed through..."

Communion themes (connection, love, belonging):

• "We were all together..."
• "I felt so close to..."
• "They understood me..."

Redemption sequences (suffering leads to growth):

• "It was terrible, but..."
• "Looking back, I'm glad..."
• "That's what made me who I am..."

Contamination sequences (good becomes bad):

• "Things were great until..."
• "I thought I was happy, but..."
• "It ruined everything..."

See: Narrative Identity Reference

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OARS Framework

Motivational Interviewing's core skills, adapted for elicitation:

Open Questions

Questions that can't be answered with yes/no. But use sparingly.

Instead of: "Did you like your childhood?" Try: "What was it like growing up in your family?"

Affirmations

Genuine recognition of strengths, efforts, or values—not compliments.

Instead of: "That's great!" Try: "You valued honesty even when it was costly."

Reflections

Restate or reframe what they said. This is the core skill.

Simple reflection (repeat back):

"So you felt invisible in that moment."

Complex reflection (add meaning):

"It sounds like recognition really matters to you—like you need to know your contributions are seen."

Amplified reflection (gently exaggerate):

"So nothing they could have done would have made a difference." (Often prompts them to nuance their position)

Double-sided reflection (hold both truths):

"On one hand, you loved the stability. On the other, you felt trapped."

Summaries

Periodically gather what you've heard. Creates meaning and invites correction.

"Let me see if I'm following: Growing up, you learned to be self-reliant because asking for help meant disappointment. But you've also noticed that pattern keeping people at a distance now. And you're wondering if there's another way."

The 2:1 Ratio

Aim for 2 reflections for every question.

Questions gather information but can feel like interrogation. Reflections show understanding and invite elaboration.

Bad pattern:

Q: "What happened?" → Q: "How did that feel?" → Q: "What did you do next?"

Better pattern:

Q: "What happened?" → R: "That caught you off guard" → R: "You weren't sure what to make of it"

See: Motivational Interviewing Reference

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Values Elicitation

Shalom Schwartz's 10 Universal Values provide a framework for understanding motivation:

Values Elicitation Techniques

Role model technique:

"Who do you admire? What is it about them specifically?"

Opposite day technique:

"What kind of person could you never be? What would feel like a betrayal of yourself?"

Decision archaeology:

"Think of a hard choice you made. What ultimately tipped the scales?"

Anger as values signal:

"What makes you genuinely angry—not annoyed, but morally outraged?"

See: Values Elicitation Reference

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Schema Detection

Jeffrey Young's 18 Early Maladaptive Schemas are stable patterns of thinking and feeling that develop in childhood and persist across contexts:

The Five Domains

1. Disconnection & Rejection

• Abandonment, Mistrust/Abuse, Emotional Deprivation, Defectiveness/Shame, Social Isolation

2. Impaired Autonomy

• Dependence/Incompetence, Vulnerability to Harm, Enmeshment, Failure

3. Impaired Limits

• Entitlement/Grandiosity, Insufficient Self-Control

4. Other-Directedness

• Subjugation, Self-Sacrifice, Approval-Seeking

5. Overvigilance & Inhibition

• Negativity/Pessimism, Emotional Inhibition, Unrelenting Standards, Punitiveness

Downward Arrow Technique

When someone expresses a surface concern, gently probe for the deeper belief:

Person: "I'm worried about the presentation." You: "What's the worst that could happen?" Person: "I could mess up in front of everyone." You: "And if that happened, what would that mean?" Person: "They'd see I don't know what I'm doing." You: "And what would that mean about you?" Person: "That I'm a fraud. That I don't deserve to be here."

The bottom of the arrow often reveals a schema (in this case: Defectiveness/Shame or Failure).

Linguistic Markers of Schemas

See: Schema Detection Reference

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