COMM 100 Listening

Agenda Administrative—6:30-6:35 Exam 1 Review—6:35-6:45 Attendance Questions Exam 1 Review—6:35-6:45 Lecture—6:45-7:40 Listening Active Listening Break—7:40-7:55 Activity—7:55-8:55 Journal #4 Listening quiz Back-to-back picture drawing

Listening What does it mean to listen? What does it mean to hear? Some facts: The average person spends 45% to 53% of waking time listening to others (Buckley, 1992). We spend more time listening than in any other communication activity (Nichols, 1996). Listening is consistently rated as the top skill for managers in the workplace (Windsor, Curtis, & Stephen 1997)

Listening More facts: Listening is the most important skill in conflict resolution (Van Styke, 1997). Students who are effective listeners perform better than their peers who aren’t effective at listening. Listening is one of the most important skills in developing empathy and emotional intelligence (Reeves, 2005). Listening is directly related to relationship satisfaction (Barnes et al, 2007).

Listening Listening is not synonymous with hearing. Hearing is a physiological, auditory process. Listening is the complex process that consists of being mindful, hearing, selecting, and organizing information, interpreting communication, responding, and remembering.

Selecting and Organizing Being Mindful Receiving Remembering Selecting and Organizing Interpreting Responding Listening From Wood, J.T. (2008). Communication mosaics. 5th Ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson

Mindfulness Mindfulness Developing mindfulness Focus on what is happening Being fully present in the moment Developing mindfulness Empty your mind Concentrate on the person Allow distracting thoughts to float by Evaluate how well you practiced mindfulness

Mindfulness Listening is dialogic, where dialogue is Characterized by turn-taking Conversation in which there is deep concern for the other person and the relationship between the two. Committed to openness, honesty, and mutual commitment Martin Buber, I and Thou We address existence in one of two ways: I and It I and Thou The Eternal Thou Foss, Foss, and Griffin: dialogue is an intersubjective encounter characterized by freedom, openness, safety, and immanent value.

Receiving Listening involves physically receiving communication through hearing sounds interpreting nonverbal behavior reading lips ASL Gender differences in listening Speaking rates

Selecting and Organizing Remember the perception process Selection Factors in selection: psychological influences, expectations, cognitive schemata, social roles, cultural and social affinity. We attend to things that are loud, intense or unusual (and ignore those that are not). We use cognitive schemata to organize our perceptions Listeners actively define the listening situation and construct its meaning. We construct others and their communication.

Interpreting communication Interpretation—the putting together of what we have selected and organized in a way that “makes sense” of the communication. Effective interpretation recognizes others viewpoints. Demonstrates a willingness to open ourselves to the other. There is an ethical responsibility in listening. Good listeners “stay out of the others way” so that they can learn how the speaker views the situation (Bolton, 1986; p. 167).

Responding Responding includes expressing interest, asking questions, voicing our own ideas on a topic, and otherwise communicating attentiveness. We simultaneously send and receive messages. Skillful listeners give signs that they are involved in interaction Nonverbal cues Paralingustic cues

Remembering Remembering—the process of committing information to the mind for later recall. After 8 seconds, we recall about 35% of a message. Improving recall Repeat key information to yourself three times. Review your notes after finishing a class or conversation. Invent mnemonics to remember basic information. Group complex information into categories.

Obstacles to Effective Listening Situational obstacles Message overload Message complexity Environmental distractions Internal obstacles Preoccupation Prejudgments Lack of effort Diverse listening styles

Forms of Ineffective Listening Psuedolistening Monopolizing Selective listening Defensive listening Ambushing (strategic listening) Literal listening

Effective Listening Guidelines for effective listening Be mindful Control obstacles Ask questions Use aids to recall Organize information

Effective listening Relationship listening Active listening Be mindful Suspend judgment Strive to understand the other’s perspective Minimal encouragers Paraphrasing Express support Active listening Listen Affirm Satisfy Thank

*BREAK*

Journal #4 CHOOSE ONE: Give an example of a time when you were an ineffective listener with a partner, friend, or family member. What did you do/not do? What was the effect on your Partner at the moment? Were there any long-term impacts? Do the same for an example of a time you were an effective listener with your partner. What might you do differently in the future? What daily challenges do you encounter in your listening to your partner, friend, or roommate? What strategies do you use to overcome these listening barriers? Are there additional strategies you can employ?

Activity 1: Listening to Stories Listen to the stories and answer the questions

Activity 2: Listing to Technical Communication Instructions: Find a partner Sit back-to-back with your partner Partner A (“the instructor) will face the front of the room. Partner B (“the listener) will face the back of the room. I will show an image Partner A will use verbal communication and instruct Partner B in drawing the image. NO CHEATING!!! If Partner B looks at the screen, that ruins the fun of the activity.