1) LISTENING

The different types of listening will provide you with some insights on
how you usually function as a receiver or as a listener in the
communication process. Even though the subject deals mainly with you
as the sender of the message, it is considered important that you also
learn about being a good receiver of the message.
Types of Listening
discriminative - most basic form of listening
- does not involve the understanding of the
meaning of words and phrases, but merely
recognizing the different sounds produced
comprehension - already involves understanding of the message
that is being communicated
Take note that the first two types of listening, discriminative and
comprehension, are considered fundamental and prerequisite for the
other types of listening.
critical - you listen in order to evaluate and judge the
message, forming an opinion about what is being
said
- being able to identify truths from fallacies is a
manifestation of this type of listening
evaluative - the receiver chooses a stand after undergoing
critical listening and makes judgments about
what the other person is saying
informative - you listen with the goal of learning,
understanding, and grasping information
- you undergo this type of listening mostly in
school
- other examples include listening to the news to
be updated or watching Youtube videos to learn
about a new recipe
biased - also known as selective listening
- occurs when a person hears only what he wants
and chooses to hear, typically misinterpreting
what the other person says based on his own
stereotypes and other biases
appreciative - your goal is to listen for enjoyment or
entertainment
 - the listener takes in anything that appeals to his
or her sense of beauty
- an example of this is listening to your favorite
music
sympathetic - knowing what the speaker feels, focusing only on
identifying his situation or feelings
empathic - the goal of the listener is to understand what the
speaker feels which involves the establishment of
a deeper connection
- you go beyond sympathetic listening by trying to
understand the situation from the speaker’s
perspective
therapeutic - the listener does something about the speaker’s
feelings
- the goal is not only to empathize with the
speaker, but to help him or her change and
develop in some way
dialogic - the goal of the listener is to learn more about the
speaker through conversations
relationship - the goal of the receiver for listening is to get the
trust of the other person or the speaker
Keys for Effective Listening
1) Stop talking.
2) Control your surroundings.
3) Keep an open mind.
4) Listen for main points.
5) Provide feedback.
6) Capitalize on lag time.
7) Listen between the lines.
8) Judge ideas and not appearances.
9) Hold your fire.
10) Take selective notes.
Irritating Listeners
1) Interrupting the speaker.
2) Not looking at the speaker.
3) Rushing the speaker.
4) Showing interest in something other than the conversation.
5) Finishing the speaker’s thoughts.
6) Not responding to the speaker’s requests.
7) Saying “Yes, but…”
8) Topping the speaker’s story.
9) Forgetting what was talked about previously.
10) Asking too many questions about details.
The Listening Process
receiving - the first stage of the listening process
- the message, specifically the sound waves, are
received by the listener’s auditory and visual
channels
- in simpler terms, this stage only involves hearing
and attending to the message that was sent
perceiving - the second stage of the listening process
- the listener filters and screens the messages or
sounds received using his frame of reference or
perceptual filter
- the more relevant the stimuli or the message and
sound, the more likely it will be perceived by the
listener
- scientifically speaking, perception involves the
process of selecting and organizing stimuli
interpreting - the third stage of the listening process
- the listener makes meaning out of the verbal and
nonverbal messages received using his or her own
schemata
responding - the fourth and last stage of the listening process
- the listener gives a feedback or response to the
speaker’s message
- the listener’s feedback may be verbal, nonverbal,
or both, though neither purposefully or
involuntarily
- the listener’s feedback may be used as basis to
indicate his active listening skills or lack thereof
Benefits of Listening
1) You are better able to help others.
2) You are able to understand things on a deeper level.
3) You are able to understand more about different cultures.
4) You have more resources to make more informed and rational
decisions.
5) You have the tools to avoid conflicts and reduce problems.
6) You are able to participate in life more because you know more.
7) You can become a more effective leader.