Attention, Vibes, and Meaning
Can vibes help us understand what is meaningful to others?
The headline from my recent research on attention is this: meaning matters.
When we’re absorbed in a book, a problem, or a movie, the world fades away. Yet, a sudden noise, a loved one’s voice, or a buzzing phone can still break through.
Some signals grab attention. What holds it is meaning: anything tied to our goals, identity, or immediate concerns. A job offer or a diagnosis carries a different kind of meaning than a definition in a dictionary.
A Prediction Problem
For explainers, this creates a challenge. Attention is fragile. Your audience is distracted, tired, and overwhelmed. The only way to hold their attention is to connect your message to what matters to them.
But meaning varies. Each person’s background, goals, and biases shape what they notice. The same message can resonate with one person and miss another entirely.
This turns explanation into a prediction problem: what will matter to this audience?
We can’t know for sure; we can only make informed guesses. When we’re right, the message connects. When we’re not, it falls flat. One way to improve those guesses is to look for patterns in how people tend to think and what they value.
The Vibes Connection
In the first year of this newsletter, I was fascinated with a big question: Why are we the way we are? At the time, the newsletter was called The Vibes Project.
Most people intuitively recognize that humans are different in common and recognizable ways. In a single group, you might find people who are outgoing, shy, self-conscious, sensitive, awkward, or composed.
We see and feel these differences and similarities, but have no vocabulary for them. I set out to research the dominant ones and look for ways to describe them as opportunities for more meaningful connections.
Over time, I proposed that there are four “vibes” that represent different social orientations. They are:
The Natural Vibe – effortlessly cool and composed, can be aloof
The Analyst Vibe – curious and rational, can be awkward
The Feeler Vibe – sensitive and empathetic, can be overwhelmed
The Performer Vibe – trendy and dramatic, can be intense
While I believe these archetypes are helpful, they are not yet a scientific taxonomy. I see them as a useful model for thinking about how to connect with others.
I’m excited to bring Vibes back into the fold because they work best with a practical focus, like better explanations.
Attention + Vibes
Vibes offer a practical way to make educated guesses about what will capture and hold someone’s attention. With a little planning, we can look for patterns that provide clues about what matters to them.
It’s important to keep in mind that Vibes are normal parts of being human. There is no hierarchy or spectrum, just ways that people are.
Kerry from Work
There is some chance that you read the list of Vibes above and thought of someone specific. Let’s suppose that you did, and Kerry from work came to mind as a Performer. She’s a friend who loves attention and putting on a show. She’s outgoing, in tune with mainstream culture, and comfortable being in the spotlight.
Now, let’s suppose Kerry is starting a new position and learning a lot of new processes. Your job is to explain those processes and ensure that she remembers them. You have a choice:
Explain them as you would to anyone
Explain them to Kerry, a likely Performer
By considering her Vibe, you can look for ways to connect your message to what may be meaningful to her. The question becomes: What’s meaningful to a Performer?
The answer depends on the individual, but Performers are often sensitive to visibility, feedback, and social response. As such, your explanation could reflect how the processes are viewed by others.
Along with the facts: “Here is how to complete the process successfully.”
You include a bit of color: “This process is especially important because leadership reviews it every week.”
The key is thinking about your audience before you start to explain. Take a beat and think about what they are likely to find meaningful. With or without the Vibes I’ve proposed, this exercise will help you consider what’s likely to earn and hold their attention.
The Conference Speaker
Vibes can also apply to groups in some situations. Imagine being a speaker who performs at a variety of conferences. How can you earn and hold attention?
Conferences are often attended by people with something in common. They use a specific product, have similar interests, education, etc. Again, explanation is a prediction problem. What will work for this audience?
Conference 1 is a conference of engineers who are likely to have traits of the Analyst vibe. As such, they are likely to respond to accuracy, logic, and rigor. By starting your presentation from this perspective, you have a better chance of engagement.
Conference 2 is a meeting of therapists whose work involves empathy and interpersonal communication. They may respond from the Feeler perspective and be attracted to human stories, vulnerability, and emotion. Your first few slides show that you understand their interests and what meaning to them.
In these examples, you can see that planning is key. Every audience is different, and Vibes offers a simple model for thinking about what will earn and hold their attention.
The Bottom Line
If attention is the gate, meaning is the key. Your job is to figure out which keys will get a response from your audience and help your message get through the gauntlet.
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