Chapter 8: Listening: Receiving and Responding

What are the reasons why advice might not be helpful?

- It may not offer the best suggestion about how to act. - being in the position of "advice recipient" is a potentially unwelcome identity. - it allows other to avoid responsibility for their decisions. - people often don't want advice or aren't ready to accept it.

types of supporting responses

- agreement - offers to help - praise - reassurance - diversion

Types of listening responses:

- ask and answer questions - provide reflective and relevant feedback - offer their own perspective - respond in a number of nonverbal

type of paraphrasing statements:

- changing the speaker's wording - offer an example of what you think the speaker is talking about - reflect the underlying theme of the speaker's remarks

listeners are probably not empathizing when they

- deny others the right to their feelings - minimizing the significance of the situation - focus on themselves - raining on the speaker's parade

directive feedback

- evaluate the speaker's messages. - primary goals are to judge the speaker's message and provide guidance.

Common barriers to listening:

- information overload - personal concerns - rapid thought - noise

reflective feedback

- invites the speaker to talk without concern of evaluation - primary goals are to understand, confirm, and mirror what the speaker said.

What are some considerations when offering helpful advice?

- is advice needed? - is advice wanted? - is advice given in the right sequence? - is advice coming from an expert? - Is the advisor a close and trusted person? - is the advice offered in a sensitive, face-saving manner?

What are the reasons why paraphrasing assist listening?

- it allows you to find out if the message received is the message the sender intended. - draws out further information from the speaker, much like questioning. - takes the heat out of intense discussions

When are supporting responses beneficial:

- make sure your expression of support is sincere. - be sure the other person can accept your support - focus on "here and now" rather than "then and there"

How do you determine which response type to use?

- match your response to the nature of the problem - think about the other person when deciding which approach to use. - think about the yourself when deciding how to respond

What are the guidelines to offering helpful analysis?

- offer your interpretation tentatively - Your analysis ought to have a reasonable chance of being correct - make sure the other person is being receptive to your analysis - be sure that your motive for offering an analysis is truly to help.

Types of counterfeit questions:

- questions that trap the speaker - questions that make statements - questions that carry hidden agendas - questions that seek a positive judgement - questions based on unchecked assumptions

List the listening styles:

- task oriented listening - relational listening - analytical listening - critical listening

What are the reasons to ask sincere, nondirective questions:

- to clarify meaning - to learn about others' thoughts, feelings, and wants - to encourage elaboration - to encourage discovery - to gather more facts and details

What are the two ways analyzing creates more problem than it solves?

- your interpretation may not be correct - even if your correct, sharing it with the problem holder may not be useful and there's a chance it may arouse defensiveness.

Although we're capable of understanding speech at rates up to _______words per minute, the average person speaks much more slowly. a) 400 b) 500 c) 600 d) 700

600

analyzing

A listening response in which the listener offers an interpretation of a speaker's message.

advising

A listening response in which the receiver offers suggestions about how the speaker should deal with a problem.

supporting responses

A listening response in which the receiver reveals her or his solidarity with the speaker's situation.

Questioning

A listening response in which the receiver seeks additional information from the sender.

evaluating

A listening response that appraises a sender's thoughts or behaviors and implies that the person evaluating is qualified to pass judgment on the other.

empathizing

A listening response that conveys identification with a speaker's perceptions and emotions; involves

critical listening

A listening style that involves evaluation the content of a message.

task-oriented listening

A listening style that is primarily concerned with efficiency.

Relational listening

A listening style that is primarily concerned with emotionally connecting with others.

Remembering

A phase of the listening process in which a message is recalled.

Responding

A phase of the listening process in which feedback occurs, offering evidence that the message has been received.

Attending

A phase of the listening process in which the communicator focuses on a message, excluding other messages.

understanding

A stage in the listening process in which the receiver attaches meaning to a message.

analytical listening

A style of listening that emphasizes hearing all details of a message and then assessing it from a variety of perspectives.

You only discuss your flaws with a few people you know you can really trust for fear that others might have which style of particularly harmful listening? a) Insulated listening b) Ambushing c) Filling in gaps d) Pseudolistening

Ambushing

mindful listening

Careful and thoughtful attention and responses to others' messages

"You finished that report in record time!" you say to a coworker, who takes your praise as criticism. People who perceive innocent comments as personal attacks are engaged in what kind of listening? a) Insulated listening b) Defensive listening c) Selective listening d) Pseudolistening

Defensive listening

Which of the following is a closed question? a) why do you want to see that movie? b) what do you think of the casting in this movie? c) how does the movie compare to others you've seen this year? d) did you like the movie?

Did you like the movie

Harvard professor _______ __________ uses the terms mindless and mindful to describe these different ways of attending to stimuli.

Ellen Langer

True or False: A task orientation listening style is effective because it focuses on the other person's feelings.

False

True or False: Listening is an automatic and involuntary process?

False

True or False: Mindless listening is a negative activity that should be avoided?

False

The stage of responding to the listening process involves________________. a) remembering b) understanding c) attending d) feedback

Feedback

Listeners who present a distorted or incomplete version of what they heard are engaged in what kind of poor listening habit? a) insulated listening b) ambushing c) filling in gaps d) pseudolistening

Filling in gaps

Which statement is TRUE about hearing versus listening? a) Hearing is not automatic b) Hearing occurs when the brain reconstructs electrochemical impulses into a representation of the original sound and then gives them meaning c) Hearing and listening are identical d) Hearing is the process in which sound waves strike the eardrum and cause vibrations that are transmitted to the brain.

Hearing is the process of which sound waves strike the eardrum and cause vibrations that are transmitted to the brain.

Why is "close your mouths and open your ears" an insufficient guideline for listening? a) it's overly simplistic b) It promotes silence c) It emphasizes biological responses. d) It suggests that ears can be opened.

It's overly simplistic

The degree of congruence between what a listener understands and what the message sender was attempting to communicate is known as ________. a) empathy b) attending c) listening fidelity d) reflective feedback

Listening fidelity

To engage in this kind of listening when a message is important to you or to someone you care about.

Mindful listening

To engage in this kind of listening you react or respond without much mental investment.

Mindless listening

Listening to your anthropology professor's lecture is difficult because you are thinking about why a friend didn't respond to your text. Which barrier to listening are you experiencing? a) Information overload b) Personal concerns c) Rapid thought d) Noise

Personal concerns

Pretending to listen while thinking about something else characterizes which type of listening? a) Pseudolistening b) Defensive listening c) Ambushing d) Selective listening

Pseudolistening

While your friend complains about her boss, you maintain eye contact and nod with concern. However, your stomach is growling, and you're really thinking about what you want for lunch. You are engaged in what type of listening? a) Insulated listening b) Filling in gaps c) Selective listening d) Pseudolistening

Pseudolistening

open questions

Questions that allow for a variety of extended responses

counterfeit questions

Questions that are disguised attempts to send a message rather than elicit information.

closed questions

Questions that limit the range of possible responses, such as questions that seek a yes-or-no answer

mindless listening

Reacting to others' messages automatically and routinely, without much mental investment.

paraphrasing

Restating a speaker's thoughts and feelings in the listener's own words.

When your friend describes her recent family vacation, you remark only on the part that involves her attractive brother. What kind of listening are you using? a) Insulated listening b) Filing in gaps c) Selective listening d) Pseduolistening

Selective listening

silent listening

Staying attentive and nonverbally responsive without offering verbal feedback

Which feature should you look for in a company if you want to experience less stress and higher satisfaction not only in your job, but also your home life? a) Supervisors who are analytical, task-oriented listeners b) Coworkers who are analytical, task-oriented listeners c) Supervisors who are active, empathic listeners d) Coworkers who are active, empathic listeners.

Supervisors who are active, empathic listeners.

Listening fidelity

The degree of congruence between what a listener understands and what the message-sender was attempting to communicate.

hearing

The first stage in the listening process in which sound waves are received by a communicator.

How does listening occurs with the brain?

When the brain reconstructs these electrochemical impulses into a representation of the original sound and then gives them meaning.

remembering

a phase of the listening process in which a message is recalled

Which type of listening response allows others to avoid responsibility for their decisions? a) evaluating b) silent listening c) advising d) analyzing

advising

You tend to withhold judgment until you hear everything a person has said, and you consider all sides of an issue before responding. You are what kind of listener? a) analytical b) relational c) task-oriented d) critical

analytical

This kind of listening involves attending to a full message before coming to a judgement. People who default to this style want to hear details and analyze an issue from a variety of perspectives.

analytical listening

"I think what's really bothering you is your fear of rejection" is an example of which type of listening response? a) evaluating b) analyzing c) supporting d) empathizing

analyzing

In initial interactions, people generally appreciate listeners who respond by...

asking questions or paraphrasing

The deluge of communication that characterizes the digital age has made which stage of listening tougher than at any time in human history? a) selection b) responding c) attending d) remembering

attending

Whereas hearing is a physiological process, __________ is a psychological one that is part of the selection stage of perception. a) responding b) remembering c) attending d) understanding

attending

What do researchers call temporary hearing loss caused by continuous exposure to the same tone or loudness? a) mindless listening b) auditory fatigue c) listening fidelity d) de-escalatory spiral

auditory fatigue

Which adjectives describes mindful listening? a) automatic b) careful c) routine d) distracted

careful

When your sister, a morning person, laughs at your funny story over breakfast but yawns at your amusing anecdote over dinner, which element of listening helps you understand these different responses? a) context b) semantics c) proxemics d) haptics

context

"Don't you think you should pay your rent before you take a vacation?" This is an example of a(n) ____________ question that ____________. a) sincere; makes a statement b) counterfeit; traps the speaker c) open; carries a hidden agenda d) divergent; seeks a positive judgement

counterfeit; traps the speaker

Which style involves listening for inaccuracies and inconsistencies? a) analytical b) relational c) task-oriented d) critical

critical

This kind of listening involves having a strong desire to evaluate message. They are concerned not just with understanding messages but with assessing their quality, focusing on accuracy and consistency.

critical listening

nonverbal learning disorder

due to a processing deficit in the right hemisphere of the brain, people with this disorder have trouble making sense of nonverbal cues.

When instructors grade papers, they are typically providing which kind of response? a) evaluating b) silent listening c) supporting d) empathizing

evaluating

According to research on call center managers, for a customer to feel the most satisfied, what kind of needs must be met? a) social and practical b) social and functional c) emotional and social d) functional and emotional

functional and emotional

sincere questions

genuine attempts to elicit information from others

Early research on listening indicated that people remember how much of what they hear immediately after hearing it, even when they listen mindfully? a) a quarter b) a third c) half d) two-thirds

half

What is the physiological component of listening? a) hearing b) attending c) understanding d) remembering

hearing

Mindful listening consists of five separate elements:

hearing, attending, understanding, remembering, and responding.

After a long day on campus where you listened attentively to four long lectures on different subjects, you lose focus as your friend describes his plans for the weekend. This is due to which barrier to listening? a) information overload b) personal concerns c) rapid thought d) noise

information overload

Spending several hours a day online consuming news and social media can impair listening through ________________. a) personal concerns b) noise c) information overload d) rapid thought

information overload

While selective listening focuses only on topics of interest, __________ tunes out unpleasant topics. a) pseudolistening b) defensive listening c) ambushing d) insulated listening

insulated listening

constructive criticism

intended to help the problem holder improve in the future

With the exception of responding, all of the steps in the listening process are __________. a) internal b) external c) psychological d) physiological

interal

With the exception of responding, all of the step in the listening process are int____________________. a) internal b) external c) psychological d) physiological

internal

Insulated listening

is almost the opposite of selective listening. Instead of focusing only on topics of interest, these listeners tune out any topics they'd rather not deal with.

Stage hogging

is expressing your own ideas without inviting others to share theirs; these people allow others to speak from time to time, but only so they can catch their breath; they do not seem to care what others may contribute to the conversation.

Ambushng

is listening carefully only to collect information for use in attacking the speaker.

Filling in gaps

is manufacturing information that wasn't part of an original story or message.

Pseudolistening

is pretending to pay attention; these type of people look others in the eye, and they may even nod and smile, but their minds are in another world.

Selective listening

is responding to the parts of a speakers' remarks that interest you, ignoring or rejecting everything else.

Defensive listening

is taking innocent comments as personal attacks; these listeners project their own insecurities onto others.

When working adults were asked to name the most common communication behavior they observed in their place of business, what topped the list? a) speaking b) listening c) collaborating d) creating

listening

After getting a promotion at work, you say that you'd like to eat out somewhere nice for a change. You feel like celebrating, but your partner thinks you are implying he is cheap. This scenario illustrates a low degree of __________. a) empathy b) reflective feedback c) attending d) listening fidelity

listening fidelity

Which terms does Ellen Langer use to describe the ways we listen? a) mindful; mindless b) attentive; inattentive c) pragmatic; cognitive d) convergent; divergent

mindful; mindless

Studies show that media _________ has a negative effect on learning and remembering. a) provisionalism b) circumscribing c) intersetionality d) multitasking

multitasking

A headache is an example of which barrier to listening? a) Information overload b) personal concerns c) rapid thought d) noise

noise

Which response style restates in your own words the message you thought the speaker sent? a) evaluating b) paraphrasing c) advising d) empathizing

paraphrasing

Paraphrasing __________ information is more difficult than paraphrasing __________ information. a) behavioral; cognitive b) cognitive; behavioral c) personal; factual d) factual; personal

personal; factual

You are pitching a new sales campaign at work. What should you do to help your coworkers remember your presentation? a) Tell everyone there will be a quiz on your presentation b) Provide handouts with bullet points and graphics of your presentation c) allow questions during the presentation d) make your presentation as comprehensive as possible

provide handouts with bullet points and graphics of your presentation.

People have a lot of mental "spare time" while someone is talking due to which barrier to listening? a) Information overload b) Personal concerns c) Rapid thought d) Noise

rapid thought

People have a lot of mental "spare time" while someone is talking due to which barrier to listening? a) information overload b) personal concerns c) rapid thought d) noise

rapid thoughts

When your friend discusses a problem she is having at work, your response confirms what she said. You are understanding and supportive without judging her behavior or the situation. What type of feedback are you providing? a) reflective b) evaluative c) analytical d) advising

reflective

Which type of listener is more likely to draw out responses from the message-sender? a) task-oriented b) relational c) critical d) analytical

relational

To engage in this kind of listening involves being concerned with building emotional closeness with others. People who primarily use this style are typically extroverted, attentive, and friendly.

relational listening

paraphrasing personal information

remaining sensitive to thoughts, feelings and wants- which in turn address cognitive (rational), affective (emotional), behavioral (desired action).

Effective paraphrasing involves __________ the speaker's words. a) repeating b) rephrasing c) evaluating d) questioning

rephrasing

Interpersonal listening is defined as the process of receiving and __________ others' messages. a) understanding b) evaluating c) paraphrasing d) responding to

responding to

Interpersonal listening is defined as the process of receiving and ____________ others' messages. a) understanding b) evaluating c) paraphrasing d) responding to

responding to

What does the darkest side of multitasking involve? a) information overload b) safety c) inattentive listening d) ineffective learning

safety

You remain attentive, smiling and nodding occasionally as your roommate describes her day. What kind of listening are you engaged in? a) evaluating b) analyzing c) silent listening d) advising

silent listening

which listening response should you typically employ first? a) evaluating b) silent listening c) advising d) analyzing

silent listening

In a meeting, a coworker typically interrupts colleagues to interject her thoughts, not acknowledging or seeming to care about the contributions of others. Your coworker exhibits which poor listening habit? a) Insulated listening b) defensive listening c) stage hogging d) pseudolistening

stage hogging

paraphrasing factual information

summarizing facts, data, and detail during personal or professional conversations

Praise and offers to help are which type of listening response? a) evaluating b) analyzing c) supporting d) empathizing

supporting

When coworkers digress, you remind them to get to the point and concisely explain how a problem will affect a project deadline. You are what kind of listener? a) analytical b) relational c) task-oriented d) critical

task-oriented

To engage in this kind of listening requires accomplishing the job at hand; primary focus is taking care of business; such listeners encourage others to be organized and concise.

task-oriented listening

listening

the process of receiving and responding to others' messages

Syntactic rules, jargon, and message source are all factors significantly featured in which stage of listening? a) Hearing b) attending c) understanding d) remembering

understanding