4.2 Listening vs. Hearing

Hearing is an accidental and automatic brain response to sound that requires no effort. We are surrounded by sounds most of the time. For example, we are accustomed to the sounds of airplanes, lawn mowers, furnace blowers, the rattling of pots and pans, and so on. We hear those incidental sounds, and unless we have a reason to do otherwise, we train ourselves to ignore them. We learn to filter out sounds that mean little to us, just as we choose to hear our ringing cell phones and other sounds that are more important to us. Hearing is also an innate ability that people have unless they are hard of hearing (e.g., deaf).

Figure 4.1 Hearing vs. Listening

Listening, on the other hand, is purposeful and focused rather than accidental. As a result, it requires motivation and effort. Listening, at its best, is active, focused, concentrated attention for the purpose of understanding the meanings expressed by a speaker. We do not always listen at our best, not everyone has an ability to listen, and individuals vary in their listening skills. Listening is a communication skill that is acquired through accumulated experiences. Later in this chapter, we will examine some of the reasons why and some strategies for becoming more active critical listeners.

Benefits of Listening

Listening should not be taken for granted. Before the invention of writing, people conveyed virtually all knowledge through some combination of showing and telling. Elders recited tribal histories to attentive audiences. Listeners received religious teachings enthusiastically. Myths, legends, folktales, and stories for entertainment survived only because audiences were eager to listen. Nowadays, however, you can gain information and entertainment through reading and electronic recordings rather than through real-time listening. If you become distracted and let your attention wander, you can go back and replay a recording. Despite that fact, you can still gain at least four compelling benefits by becoming more active and competent at real-time listening.

You Become a Better Student

Think about your college classes. You spend the majority of the class time listening to your instructors’ lectures and your classmates’ discussions. When you focus on the material presented in a classroom, you will be able to identify not only the words used in a lecture but also their emphasis and their more complex meanings. You will take better notes, and you will more accurately remember the instructor’s claims, information, and conclusions. Many times, instructors give verbal cues about what information is important, specific expectations about assignments, and even what material is likely to be on an exam, so careful listening can be beneficial. Research shows that students who develop better listening skills are more likely to feel confident, comfortable, and prepared to succeed in school. (Waterford, 2020)

You Can Build Strong Personal Relationships

Listening is important in initiating, developing, maintaining, and strengthening relationships. When you give your best attention to people expressing thoughts and experiences that are important to them, those individuals are likely to see you as someone who cares about their well-being. This fact is especially true when you give your attention only and refrain from interjecting opinions, judgments, and advice. Research shows that when a speaker perceives you as a good listener, they feel more supported (Trees, 2000) and satisfied about the relationship (Bodie & Fitch-Hauser, 2010), and listening helps form positive impressions (Bodie et al., 2010). When you listen well to others, you reveal yourself as being curious and interested in people and events. In addition, your ability to understand the meanings of what you hear will make you a more knowledgeable and thoughtful person.

You Can Build a Successful Career

There are countless professional benefits that a good listening skill can bring. Effective listening enables gathering important information for decision-making and work productivity. Further listening is integral to building trust with customers, reducing misunderstandings and preventing conflicts with your supervisors, and developing positive relationships with your coworkers. No matter what occupation or position at work you have, listening is one of the most important communication skills that individuals need to have to successfully execute their work and develop a career.

You Can Become a Better Public Speaker

When you listen well to others, you start to pick up more on the stylistic components related to how people form arguments and present information. As a result, you have the ability to analyze what you think works and doesn’t work in others’ speeches, which can help you transform your speeches in the process. For example, really paying attention to how others cite sources orally during their speeches may give you ideas about how to more effectively cite sources in your presentation.