Listening

Chapter 7

LISTENING Is an active process Creates meaning from

information gathered Deals with spoken

messages Interpretations may differ

STUDENTS—take Listening Skills Survey on WordPress

Importance of Effective Listening College students spend about 50% of

their time listening 20% speaking 13% reading 12% writing

Vital for personal and professional relationships

Impacts our physical health We speak 120-150 wpm, but our

brain can process 500-600 wmp

Misconceptions of Listening Assumptions that lead people to

overestimate their listening skills:

Hearing is the same as listening Hearing is physically receiving the message Listening is a conscious process, assigning meaning,

and responding

Listening is natural and effortless Some people are better listeners You can develop your listening skills

All listeners hear the same thing Like connotative meaning, we assign meaning

based on our experiences

Stages of Listening (HURIER) Hearing

Physical reception

Understanding Comprehend meaning

Remembering Store and retrieve

Interpreting Assign meaning based on verbal & nonverbal cues Signal your interpretation of message to speaker

Evaluating Judging statements Separate fact from opinion

Stages of Listening (HURIER) Responding

Stonewalling—silence & no facial expression

Backchanneling—nodding, “uh huh,” “I understand”

Paraphrasing—repeat in your words what speaker said

Empathizing—you understand and share feelings of speaker

Stages of Listening (HURIER) Responding

Supporting—express agreement

Analyzing—provide your perspective to person

Advising—provide advice to person

Types of Listening Appreciative

Listen for enjoyment

Informational Listen to learn

Critical Listen to evaluate or analyze

Empathic Listen to identify with speaker

Inspirational Listen to be inspired

Barriers to Effective Listening Noise

Pseudolistening and Selective Attention

Information Overload

Glazing Over (daydreaming/zoning out)

Rebuttal Tendency (argue w/other in mind)

Closed-mindedness

Competitive Interruption (way to dominate

o Highly individualized process of obtaining sensory enjoyment through the work of others.

Seek out opportunities to listen appreciativelyConcertTheatrical productionWalk in the park

Decide:Enjoy the creative product without analysis; orResearch the opportunity before the experience

Becoming a Better Appreciative ListenerBecoming a Better Appreciative Listener

o Goal is to understand and learn

o Focus on the substance of what you are hearing:

Separate what is and isn’t said

Avoid confirmation biasTendency to pay attention to information that supports

YOUR values and beliefs while ignoring information that doesn’t

Listen for substance more than styleVividness effect—dramatic, shocking events may distort

our perception of realityDon’t pay attention only to delivery

Becoming a Better Informational ListenerBecoming a Better Informational Listener

o Many interpersonal situations require assessing the credibility of what you are hearing:

Be a skepticEvaluate evidence of a claim

Evaluate a speaker’s credibilityIs speaker reliable and trustworthy?

Understand probabilityIs the speaker’s claim true?

Becoming a Better Critical ListenerBecoming a Better Critical Listener

o Within our relationships, a common goal for listening is to provide empathy and support:

Listen non-judgmentallyEven if what you hear is shockingDon’t let your surprised feelings show on your face or with

your words

Acknowledge feelingsContinuer statements—phrases that identify person’s

emotions and allow them to continueTerminator statements—phrases that fail to identify to

acknowledge person’s emotions and the person shuts down

Communicate support nonverballyEye contact is critical if you’re face-to-face, touch, facial

expression, warm vocalics

Becoming a Better Empathic ListenerBecoming a Better Empathic Listener