VITAE

VITAE stands for Values, Intentions & Thoughts, Actions and Effects and is a tool for exploring assumptions you may be making about people based on their behaviour. It is a specialised form of cause-and-effect mapping with added counterfactual thinking. It has some similarities to the ladder of inference. 

Because we can't actually read other people's minds, we use behavioural meaning schemas to predict what is driving their behaviours. Many of these predictions happen at a non-conscious level. VITAE is a way of consciously exploring these behavioural meaning schemas to find alternative interpretations.

Inward process (understanding)

Recognise the Effects

What were the outcomes of the behaviour in question? What impacts did they have on the situation and on the people involved? What emotions did they produce in you and in others?

It is understandable to assume that these effects were intended by the individual or at least could have been predicted by the individual when they chose to act in a particular way, but that is not always the case. They may have had other intentions in mind but failed to predict alternative outcomes of their actions in this particular context.

If the other person's behaviour has affected you personally it might be worth examining your own emotional responses to those behaviours before attempting to undertake VITAE analysis. You may also want to try self-distancing to reduce the emotional content of your reflections. Part of this is recognising the fact that your emotional responses are a result of discrepancies between their behaviour and your expectations of their behaviour.

Instead of "What he did upset me", "I was upset because what he did was not what I wanted him to do."

Describe the Actions

Use neutral language to itemise and describe the observable behaviours of the person. 

What exactly did they do? What exactly did they say? What was their posture? What facial expressions did you observe?

Avoid any attempt at interpreting the meaning of the actions and avoid value-laden adjectives.

Instead of "he stared at me accusingly" (interpretation), "he looked at me for several seconds" (description).

Catalogue possible Intentions & Thoughts

For each action, record your assumption about what they were trying to achieve and what thoughts or causal belief(s) connected those intentions to the actions performed. 

What assumptions were they making about the situation? What were they trying to achieve in that context? How did they think their actions would lead to that outcome in those circumstances? 

Now,  imagine that your interpretation of the action is revealed to be wrong. Try to think of other possible intentions and beliefs that could have led to the same action.

First assumption: 'he believed that I had done it and he wanted to accuse me'. Alternative assumptions: 'he believed that I knew who had done it and wanted me to say' or 'he believed that I thought he had done it and was trying to work out whether I was about to accuse him', etc.

See theory of planned behaviour.

Catalogue the possible Values

For each intention and thought process, record your initial assumptions about the person's values/priorities/needs that would lead to that intention in that setting. What is important to them? What do they care about?

Now, imagine that your interpretation of their underlying values is revealed to be wrong. Try to think of other possible values (both positive and negative) that might have led to the same intention.

For the intention 'he believed that I knew who had done it and wanted me to say', you might assume a negative underlying value, such as 'avoiding responsibility', but it could also be 'valuing honesty' or 'valuing the autonomy of others'.

Having applied this process to other people in a situation, you could apply it to yourself using perspective shifting and self-distancing. Look at your own actions as if from the perspective of someone who had no access to your thoughts and feelings. What variety of intentions and beliefs might lead to those actions? What positive and negative underlying values might you infer from those actions? This can give you insights into how you might be perceived by others and, maybe, insights into your own unconscious motivations. This is particularly useful in situations where your actions have produced unexpected responses from people.

Outwards process (anticipating)

This takes the process in the opposite direction. Its primary use is as a form of scenario planning, in which you explore the different ways in which you could behave in a forthcoming situation and is most easily applied to yourself.  It can form part of expectation chronicling. 

• Identify a core value or values that you wish to be the basis of your approach to a situation

• Based on that value, think about the various different things you might want to achieve in that situation (intentions) 

• Articulate your relevant thoughts and beliefs about the situation and the people involved in it (you might use context analysis).

• Identify a range of possible actions you might take within the situation that might help you achieve your intentions in a way that is consistent with your values.

• Predict the various possible effects (intended and unintended) that could result from those actions within that particular context.

You can also apply this to other people by thinking about particular values they may espouse and anticipating how they might express those values in a particular situation.

The importance of context

Throughout VITAE analysis, context plays a vital role. Our behaviours are always influenced by the context in which they happen.

Values to Intentions — influenced by contextual opportunities and affordances

Intentions to thoughts — influenced by contextual cues and familiarity

Thoughts to actions — influenced by contextual constraints