Understanding Human Communication

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Understanding Human Communication

• Listening

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The Ship That Couldn't Be Sunk One of the
greatest tragedies in the history of sea travel
occurred on the night of April 14, 1912, when the
crew of the Titanic refused to listen to repeated
warnings of icebergs. The crew had been led to
believe that this brand-new passenger liner was
"unsinkable." Even after the ship struck an
iceberg and was slowly sinking, some of the
passengers ignored the captain's orders to get
into the lifeboats. When the ship finally began
tilting dangerously, it was too late. There
weren't enough lifeboats for all the passengers
and worse still, the Californian, the only other
ship in the area (about 10 miles away) made no
attempt to reach the wreck. Her radio operator
had gone off duty. He, too, wasn't listening. As
a result, more than a thousand people needlessly
lost their lives.
Wait a minute! Say that again, Doris! . . . you
know the part about, 'If only we had some means
of climbing down.'
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Listening facts

• Employees of major North American corporations
  spend 60 of time listening
• In committed relationships, listening in everyday
  conversations is ingredient of satisfaction
• The ideal manager has ability to listen
  effectively, according to 1000 human resource
  executives

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Misconceptions about Listening

• Listening and Hearing are NOT the same thing
• Listening is active and mental
• Hearing is passive and physical
• Listening Process
• 1. Attending paying attention to a signal
• 2. Understanding making sense of a message
• 3. Responding giving observable feedback
• 4. Remembering Unfortunately, research
  suggests people only remember 50 immediately
  after hearing it, only 35 within eight hours and
  within 2 months only remember 25 of the original
  message.

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Misconceptions about Listening cont.

• Listening is not a natural process
• Listening requires effort
• All listeners do not receive the same message

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Challenges of Effective Listening

• Unfortunately, people seem to get worse at the
  skill of listening as they get older
• Teachers at various grade levels were asked to
  stop their lectures periodically and ask students
  to repeat what the teacher had been saying
• 90 of first graders could repeat
• 80 of second graders could repeat
• 44 of junior high students could repeat
• 28 of senior high students could repeat

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Faulty Listening Behaviors

• Pseudolistening
• Selective Listening
• Defensive Listening
• Ambushing
• Insulated Listening
• Insensitive Listening
• Stage Hogging
• Passive or active stage hogging

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Reasons for Poor Listening

• Effort heart rate quickens, respiration
  increases, body temperature rises
• Rapid thought we are capable of understanding
  speech at rates up to 300 wpm, the average person
  only speaks between 100-140 wpm.
• Message overload

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Reasons for Poor Listening cont.

• Psychological noise
• Physical noise
• Hearing problems
• Faulty assumptions heard it all before,
  information is too simple or complex, information
  is unimportant

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Reasons for Poor Listening cont.

• Talking has more apparent advantages talking
  allows us to gain more (admiration, respect,
  liking). One study revealed that men interrupt
  more than women. Men interrupt to dominate or
  control conversation. Women interrupt to agree,
  elaborate on speakers idea, or participate in
  topic.
• Media Influences programming consists of short
  segments

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Informational Listening

• Dont argue or judge prematurely
• Separate the message from the speaker
• Be opportunistic
• Look for key ideas
• Ask questions
• Paraphrase
• Take notes

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Critical Listening (evaluative listening)

• Listen for information before evaluating
• Evaluate the speakers credibility Competent?
  Impartial?
• Examine the speakers evidence
• Examine emotional appeals Recent? Quantity?
  Reliable ? Interpretations?
• Examine the speakers reasoning

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Empathic Listening - styles

• Advising
• Be confident that advice is correct
• Ask yourself whether they are willing to accept
  it
• Be certain that they wont blame you if advice
  doesnt work

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Empathic Listening - styles

• Judging evaluates the senders thoughts or
  behaviors
• The person with the problem should have requested
  an evaluation
• Your judgment is genuinely constructive and not
  designed as a put-down

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Empathic Listening - styles

• Analyzing offers an interpretation to a
  speakers message
• Offer your interpretation in a tentative way
• Should have a reasonable chance of being right
• The other person should be receptive to your
  analysis
• Motive is truly to help the other

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Empathic Listening- styles

• Questioning
• Dont ask question to satisfy your curiosity
• Be sure questions wont confuse or distract
• Dont use questions to disguise your suggestions
  or criticism
• Supporting - reassuring or encouragement
• Make sure your expression is sincere
• Be sure the other will accept your support

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Empathic Listening - styles

• Prompting using silences and brief statements
  of encouragement to draw others out so they can
  solve their own problems
• Paraphrasing

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