1. Human Communication: The Basic Course Twelfth Edition
PowerPoint™ Presentations prepared by:
Naomi Young
University of California, San Diego
Joseph A. DeVito
Hunter College of the City University of New York

2. Chapter Four: Listening In Human Communication
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3. Chapter Goals Learn About: Avoid the barriers to effective listening
Adjust your listening so that it’s most effective for the specific situation
Listen with sensitivity to cultural and gender variations
Learn To:
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4. Task and Relationship Benefits of Effective Listening
Learning
Relating
Influencing
Playing
Helping
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5. Communication can go wrong at any of the five stages
The Listening Process
Understanding
Remembering
Evaluating
Responding
Communication can go wrong at any of the five stages
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6. The Listening Process
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7. If you have unimpaired hearing:
Set up a comfortable context
Speak at an adequate volume
Phrase ideas in different ways
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8. Prepare yourself to listen Avoid distractions
Pay attention to introductions
Take notes in outline form
Assume relevance
Listen for understanding
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9. Cues to Lying Verbal and Nonverbal behaviors Liars hold back
Liars make less sense
Liars give a more negative impression
Liars are tense
(DePaulo et al., 2003; Knapp, 2008)
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10. Listening Barriers Distractions: Physical and Mental
Biases and Prejudices
Lack of Appropriate Focus
Premature Judgment
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11. Styles of Effective Listening
Empathic and objective listening
Nonjudgmental and critical listening
Surface and depth listening
Polite and impolite listening
Active and inactive listening
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12. Empathic and Objective Listening
Punctuate from the speaker’s point of view
Seek to understand both thoughts and feelings
Avoid “offensive listening”
Strive especially to be objective in listening to friends and foes alike
Avoid trying to solve the problem
Encourage the speaker to explore his or her feelings further
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13. Nonjudgmental and Critical Listening
Keep an open mind
Avoid filtering/ oversimplifying difficult messages
Recognize own biases
Avoid uncritical listening
Recognize fallacies
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14. Listening Fallacies Weasel words Euphemisms Jargon Gobbledygook
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15. Surface and Depth Listening
Focus on verbal and nonverbal messages
Listen for content and relational messages
Make note of speaker’s self-references
Don’t disregard the literal meaning
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16. Polite and Impolite Listening
Politeness often thought of as exclusive function of the speaker
May be signaled through listening
Polite listening:
Avoid interrupting
Use supportive listening cues
Show empathy
Maintain eye contact
Give positive feedback
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17. Polite and Impolite Listening
‘Forced Listening’ (Cell Phone Usage)
Avoid using cell phones where inappropriate Ex. restaurants, hospitals, theatres, museums, etc.
Put phone on vibrate or voic when in the classroom
When call cannot be avoided, speak quietly and briefly
Do not take pictures of people who aren’t posing; erase picture if requested
Avoid extended talking when reception is weak ask if this is a good time to call—a strategy that helps maintain autonomy
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18. Active and Inactive Listening
Reflecting back perceived meaning
to the speaker
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19. Techniques of Active Listening
Paraphrase the speaker’s meaning
Express understanding of speaker’s feelings
Ask questions—ensure understanding
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20. Listening and Culture Language and Speech Nonverbal Behaviors Feedback
Credibility
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21. Listening and Gender Women Men Build more rapport Interrupt more
More listening cues
More eye contact
Often play down expertise
Goal: To be liked
Men
Interrupt more
Change topics/subjects more
Like to show their expertise more
Goal: Accord respect
Generalizations about gender: Starting point for investigation, not airtight conclusions
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22. Four Listening Influences
Language and speech
Nonverbal behaviors
Feedback
Credibility
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23. Listening Power Powerful or powerless through listening behaviors
Responding
Adaptors
Posture
Note Taking
Eye Focus
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24. Listening in Human Communication
Knowledge to Action:
Alternate and take two minutes to tell your neighbor about your weekend or the last movie you saw. While listening, practice active listening. How does it feel to do this?
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