“WH” Question Words

Most of our language is directional. Meaning, that when we communicate, we direct someone’s attention. When a question is asked, our brains tend to go on a search to find an answer. If it is a general, non-exact, or non-literal question, then our brain does a “transderivational search”. This is when someone’s mind is looking through their memories and mental representations to find a possible meaning, answer, or match. There are patterns to certain questions we ask, such as the “WH” question words, aka interrogatives. Each “WH” question operates as a directional cue. So, be aware of what you are asking and why. What’s your outcome?

• “What” questions elicit the representation, structure, definition, or identification of something; it’s about content and specifics. It encourages someone to provide details or to clarify the situation.
  • What kind of x do you want? What do they need? What would happen if x?
    • You are asking to identify, define, or gain clarity on something.
• “How” questions elicit a process, method, steps, means, or the epistemology (knowledge) of something. It encourages exploration to identify descriptions of the way something occurs, is achieved, or is known.
  • How do you know?
    • This is called “the reality question”. It elicits the evidence of what someone says, believes, or thinks they know to be true, i.e. the epistemology of experience.
  • How can you make this situation better?
    • You are identifying a strategy.
  • How do you feel (about the situation)?
    • This calls for self-awareness and self-reflection on what someone is experiencing – what is happening – a process.
• “Why” questions elicit the justification, reason, motivation, cause, or meaning of something. Use it to search for a reason, but use caution when asking “why” to someone angry or depressed because they will give you all the reasons to justify why they are feeling that way, which will in turn prolong that emotional state. Asking someone why keeps them in the state that they are in. “Why” questions can sometimes lead to defensiveness, as they often invite a justification or rationalization for someone’s behavior.
  • Why did you do x?
    • It asks for the justification for doing x.
• “Who” questions focus on identity or relationships; they identify a specific person or group.
• “When” and “Where” questions elicit temporal and spatial coordinates of something, respectively.