Chapter 6 - Connecting listening and thinking in the communication process PDF

Preview

Summary

Connecting listening and thinking in the communication process ...

Description

Chapter 6: Connecting Listening and Thinking in the Communication Process Listening – a cognitive activity that is defined as the active process of receiving, constructing meaning from, and responding to the spoken or nonverbal messages Hearing – passive physiological process in which sound is received by ear Most misunderstandings in our lives occur because of poor listening habits Effective Listening 







Sensing o Accurate reception of sound requires the listener to focus attention on the speaker, discriminate among sounds, and concentrate o When you put on music when studying – do you just hear it or do too really listen to it Information processing – assigning meaning to the stimuli that have been selected and attended to o Evaluation – when we access the meaning of information o Interpret – explaining the meaning of information o Paralanguage – the sound of words including silence Remembering – recalling something from stored memory; thinking of something again o Working memory and long term memory are essential process and different aspects are required for different situations Thinking o Many scholars view listening as a cognitive construct o Dwight Harfeild – Harfeild Cognitive Listening Model  5 aspects of information processing  Sensing (5 senses)  Understanding  Interpretation  Evaluation  Responding  3 cognitive process of thinking  Preferences  Focus  Attention o Hermann  Specific thinking skills of the 4 quadrants of the brain  Rational self  Experimental self  Safekeeping self  Feeling self  Left hemisphere = verbal  Speaking, reading, writing, numbers









 Analytical and sequential info processing  Fact based, analytical, step by step, logical sequences  Right hemisphere = visuospatial and emotional  Simultaneous processing, pattern recognition, creative and holistic thinking, special perception  Mental mapping, rotating shapes  Insight, images, concepts, patterns, sounds, movement o Focus and attention  Our culture works against our ability to develop the skills to focus and pay attention because of media, information everywhere, constant distraction Interpreting – understanding the meaning of the message from the speakers point of view and letting the speaker know that you understand o 2 parts  Take into account total communication context to better understand the meaning  Let the speaker know you understand the message Evaluating – listener analyzes evidence, sorts fact from opinion, determines the intent of the speaker, judges the accuracy of the speakers statements and conclusions and judges the accuracy of his or her own decisions Responding and sending feedback o Responding – overt verbal and nonverbal behavior by the listener, indicating to the speaker what has and has not been received o Feedback is an important part of being an effective listener; indicates to the sender that you are actively listening and committed to receiving the intended message Strategies to keep info in your working memory o Association o Categorization o Mediation o Imagery o Mnemonics

Functions of Listening   



Listening to obtain information – to gain comprehension Listening to evaluate – to judge or analyze info Listening with empathy o Empathy – intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another o Empathic listening – listening to understand what another person is thinking and feeling o Perception checking – asking questions in order to see if your interpretation is correct Listening for enjoyment – for pleasure, personal satisfaction, appreciation

Barriers to Effective Listening   

The quality of our listening caries from time to time and according to the situation We can learn to overcome obstacles interfering with our listening effectiveness Barriers: o Consider the topic or speaker uninteresting o Criticize the speaker instead of the message o Concentrate on details and not the main ideas o Avoiding difficult listening situations o Tolerate or fail to adjust to distractions o Fake attention o Bias and prejudice o Preferred thinking

Critical listening and thinking: Analyzing and evaluating messages    

Critical listening – listening that judges the accuracy of the information presented, determines the reasonableness of its conclusions and evaluates the presenter Critical thinking – ability to analyze and assess information Assess the speakers motivation Judge the accuracy of the speakers conclusions

Improve listening competence 

Competent listeners demonstrate: o Knowledge and understanding of the listening process o Ability to use appropriate and effective listening skills for a given communication situation and setting o Ability to identify and manage barriers to listening

Listening and Technology    

Use technology to take better notes and organize your work Avoid overdependence on media o Be independent, don’t let screen images take priority but make individual choices Digital literacy – set of attitudes, understanding, and skills needed to handle and communicate information and knowledge effectively, in a variety of media and formats Technology can both enhance and detract from effective listening; it sometimes creates sensory overload and multiple distractions. We need to focus on the ways technology can help us be effective listeners

Intercultural listening – the best advice is: 1) respectfully ask questions 2) be aware of cultural differences...