Note 5

5. SPEAKING
§ The Importance of Listening l Poor listening is the most common cause of message distortion. When communication is serial, or composed of a chain of transactions between people, the cumulative message distortion can be severe. Listening vs. Hearing § 1. Listening Is Intermittent l not a continuous activity; occurs only from time to time when we choose to focus and respond to stimuli around us. l Hearing is a continuous function for those with normal hearing ability.
2. Listening is a Learned Skill § Listening must be taught and learned. § Hearing is a natural capacity for which you need no training. We hear sounds before we are born; fetuses grow accustomed to certain voices, noises and music. Throughout our lives, we hear sounds even as we sleep. 3. Listening is Active § Hearing means simply receiving an aural stimulus; passive act that requires no work. Anytime the tiny bones of the inner ear are set in vibration, we are hearing something. Hearing can be limited by trying to reduce or eliminate the sources of sound in the environment, or by covering our ears. § Listening is active - requires concentration, interpretation & response for you to be involved. 4. Listening Implies Using the Message Received § Audiences assemble for various reasons. We choose to listen to gain new information; to learn new uses for existing information, etc. § We listen to some ideas/information because we may have some future use for the data. Sometimes we choose not to listen. § Listening implies a choice; you must choose to participate in the process of listening.
The Process of Listening § Any time 2 people communicate, 2 messages are involved: one that the sender intends & the one that the listener actually receives. Why? People operate from different frame of reference & with different perceptions. § 6 steps in the listening process: l receive-->select-->interpret-->understand-->evaluate-->resolve l Step 1 - Receive o receiving sounds - the auditory stimuli o hearing is the first step in effective listening. o some people, especially those with hearing loss, unintentionally filter part of the stimulus. Thus, part of the messages available to us will be lost. Step 2 - Select o Selective perception - when individuals select different stimuli from those competing for their attention. o Our view of the world is truly shaped by what we decide to heed. l *Step 3 - Interpret o ...we also interpret those stimuli differently. o Listener pays careful attention to verbal & non-verbal symbols & their meanings. o For communication to be clear & effective, speaker's frame of reference must be similar to the listener's.
Obstacles/Distractions to Effective Listening § 1. Physical § 2. Physiological § 3. Psychological § 4. Factual § 5. Semantic Promoting Better Listening § 1. Desire to listen § 2. Focus on the message § 3. Listen for main ideas § 4. Understand speaker's viewpoint § 5. Withhold judgement § 6. Reinforce message § 7. Provide feedback § 8. Listen with the body § 9. Listen critically