Ch 7: Listening - Receiving and Responding

Question 1

The Importance of Listening (210-211)

Answer 1

“John Gentile (2004) argues that listening to one another’s personal narratives (see Chapter 4) is fundamental to our humanity and sense of well-being” (211).

Question 2

listening (211)

Answer 2

the process of receiving and responding to others’ messages

Question 3

hearing (212)

Answer 3

1st stage in listening process, in which sound waves are received by a communicator

Question 4

mindless listening (212)

-a term from Ellen Langer (1990)

Answer 4

reacting to others’ messages automatically and routinely, without much mental involvement

“While the term mindless may sound negative, this sort of low-level informatoin processing is a potentially valuable type of communication, since it frees us to focus our minds on messages that require our careful attention (Burgoon et al., 2000)” (213).

Question 5

mindful listening (213)

-a term from Ellen Langer (1990)

Answer 5

careful and thoughtful attention and responses to others’ messages

Question 6

Reasons for Listening (214-216)

Answer 6

• to understand and retain information
• to evaluate the quality of messages (aka critical listening)
• to build and maintain relationships
• to help others

Question 7

listening fidelity (215)

Answer 7

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

Question 8

invitational attitude (215)

Answer 8

“…what communication theorists Sonja Foss and Cindy Griffin (Foss & Foss, 2003; Lozano-Reich & Cloud, 2009) call to learn more about perspectives other than their own” (215).

Question 9

The Challenges of Listening (216-219)

Answer 9

• it’s not easy (info overload, personal concerns, rapid thought, noise)
• all listeners do not receive the same message
• poor listening habits

Question 10

pseudolistening (218)

Answer 10

an imitation of true listening in which the receiver’s mind is elsewhere

Question 11

stage hogging (218)

Answer 11

a listening style in which the receiver is more concerned with making his or her own point than in understanding the speaker

Question 12

selective listening (218)

Answer 12

a listening style in which the receiver responds only to messages that interest her or him

Question 13

filling in gaps (219)

Answer 13

a listening habit that involves adding details never mentioned by a speaker to complete a message

Question 14

insulated listening (219)

Answer 14

a style in which the receiver ignores undesirable information

Question 15

defensive listening (219)

Answer 15

a response style in which the receiver perceives a speaker’s comments as an attack

Question 16

ambushing (219)

Answer 16

a style in which the receiver listens carefully in order to gather information to use in an attack on the speaker

Question 17

Components of Listening (219-222)

Answer 17

• Hearing (219-220)
• Attending (220-221)
• Understanding (221)
• Remembering (221-222)
• Responding (222)

Question 18

attending (220)

Answer 18

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

-we attend more when theres a payoff

Question 19

nonverbal learning disorder (Palombo, 2006) (220)

Answer 19

“due to a processing deficit in the right hemisphere of the brain, people w/this disorder have trouble making sense of many nonverbal cues”

Question 20

understanding (221)

Answer 20

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

Question 21

remembering (221)

Answer 21

the ability to recall information once we’ve understood it

Question 22

responding (222)

Answer 22

giving observable feedback to the speaker (Bostrom, 1996)

-one study “showed that a major diff. b/w effective & ineffective listening was the kind of feedback offered (Lewis & Reinsch, 1988)”.

Question 23

Types of Listening Responses (222-240)

Answer 23

(More reflective / less directive)
-Silent Listening (223)
-Questioning (224-226)
-Paraphrasing (227-229)
-Empathizing (229-231)
-Supporting (231-234)
-Analyzing (235)
-Evaluating (235-236)
-Advising (236-237)
(Less reflective / more directive)

Question 24

Silent Listening (223)

Answer 24

staying attentive and non-verbally responsive without offering any verbal feedback

Question 25

“hearing into being” (223)

Answer 25

• Sonia Johnson (1987)
• during brainstorming sessions, each participant has totally uninterrupted floor time
• “When we are free to talk w/o the threat of interruption, evaluation, and the pressure of time, we move quickly past known territory out into the frontiers of thought”.

-pros: developing your ideas w/o interruption or judgment

Question 26

questioning (224)

Answer 26

a listening response in which the receiver seeks additional information from the sender

-regarded as “the most popular piece of language” (Goodman & Esterly, 1990)

Question 27

reasons to ask sincere, nondirective questions (224-225)

Answer 27

1. to clarify meanings
2. to learn about others’ thoughts, feelings, & wants
3. to encourage elaboration

• “we can encourage elaboration simply by acknowledging that we are listening”
  4. to encourage discovery
• “most importantly, encouraging discover rather than dispensing advice indicates you have faith in others’ ability to think for themselves” (225)
  5. to gather more facts and details

Question 28

open vs. closed questions (224)

Answer 28

“When inquiring about personal info, it is usually best to ask open questions that allow a variety of extended responses rather than closed questions that only allow a limited range of answers” (224).

Question 29

sincere vs. counterfeit questions (225)

Answer 29

“Whereas sincere questions are aimed at understanding others, counterfeit questions are really disguised attempted to send a message, not receive one” (225).

Question 30

varietites of counterfeit questions (225-226)

Answer 30

1. questions that trap the speaker
   ie. “Did you?” or “Isn’t that right?” / leading questions
2. questions that make statements
   ie. “Are you finally off the phone?”
3. questions that carry hidden agendas
   ie. “Are you busy Friday night?”
4. questions that seek “correct” answers
5. questions based on unchecked assumptions
   ie. “What’s the matter?”

Question 31

paraphrasing (227)

Answer 31

feedback that restates, in your own words, the message you thought the speaker sent

-it’s important that you paraphrase, not “parrot-phrase” (227)

Question 32

types of paraphrasing statements (227-228)

Answer 32

1. change the speaker’s wording
2. offer an example of what you think the speaker is talking about
3. reflect the underlying theme of the speaker’s remarks

Question 33

2 levels of paraphrasing

Answer 33

1. factual info - simply summarizing facts

2. personal info - listening for the feeling, thought (cognitive), and desire or want

Question 34

empathizing (229)

Answer 34

a response style listeners use when they want to show that they identify with a speaker

Question 35

“cold comfort” (230)

Answer 35

(Burleson, 2003; Hample, 2006)

when listeners believe they are empathizing when, in fact, they are offering responses that are evaluative and directive

Question 36

examples of “cold comfort” (230-231)

Answer 36

• Denying others the right to their feelings (“It’s nothing to get upset about”)
• minimizing the significance of the situation (“Hey, it’s only _______”)
• Focus on yourself (“I know exactly how you feel. Let me tell you about…”)
• Raining on the speaker’s parade (“Big deal. I did that too…”)

Question 37

supporting (231)

Answer 37

reveal the listener’s solidarity with the speaker’s situation

Burleson (2003) describes supporting as “expressions of care, concern, affection and interest, especially during times of stress or upset”

Question 38

types of supportive responses (232)

Answer 38

1. Agreement
2. Offers to help
3. Praise
4. Reassurance
5. Diversion

-support helps buffer the effects of aging (Fitzpatrick et al., 2005), anxiety and depression (Hatchett & park, 2004), and even financial strain (Ramirez-Ponce, 2005)