Chapter Three
Listeners and
Speakers
Chapter Three
Table of Contents
Listening: A Complex Human Behavior
Active Listening: Overcoming Obstacles
Active Listening and Critical Thinking
Evaluating Speeches*
Listening: a Complex Behavior
Listeners and
Speakers: a Dynamic
Relationship
Listening is Selective*
Listening: a Complex Behavior
Hearing is a physiological process.
Listening is the process of recognizing,
understanding, and accurately interpreting
communicated messages.
comprehensive
critical
empathic
appreciative*
Listening: a Complex Human Behavior:
Listeners and Speakers
listeners and speakers are interdependent
circular response is constant feedback that exists
between listeners and speakers.*
Listening: a Complex Human Behavior:
Listening is Selective
Selective Perception is the process by
which people pay attention to certain
messages and ignore others.
people pay attention to information they hold
to be important and that touches their
experiences and background.
people sort and filter new information on the
basis of what they already know.*
Listening: a Complex Human Behavior:
Listening is Selective
Message Perception Gap is the
misunderstandings that arise between speaker
and listener.*
Active Listening: Overcoming
Obstacles
Barriers to Active
Listening
Becoming an Active
Listener*
Active Listening: Overcoming
Obstacles
Active listening is
focused, purposeful
listening.*
Active Listening: Overcoming Obstacles:
Barriers to Active Listening
Inattentiveness
and distractions
external
distractions
(environment)
internal
distractions
(thoughts/feelings)
Script writing and
defensive listening
defensive listening
occurs when we
sense that our
attitudes or
opinions are being
challenged.*
Active Listening: Overcoming Obstacles:
Barriers to Active Listening
Laziness and
Overconfidence
expect too little
from speakers
ignore important
information
display an
arrogant attitude
Cultural Barriers
differences in
dialects or accents,
nonverbal cues,
word choice, and
physical
appearance*
Active Listening: Overcoming Obstacles:
Becoming an Active Listener
set listening goals
focus efforts
listen for main ideas
watch for nonverbal
cues
evaluate the
speaker’s audience*
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Critical Listening: The Thought/Speech
Differential*
Active Listening:
Critical Thinking
The ability to
evaluate claims on
the basis of well
supported reasons:
evaluate the
evidence
analyze
assumptions and
biases
resist false dilemmas,
overgeneralizations
and either/or thinking
identify
contradictions
consider multiple
perspectives
summarize and
judge*
Active Listening:
Critical Listening: The
Thought/Speech Differential
we listen at a
faster rate than we
speak:
we speak at a rate of
100 to 180 words per
minute
we listen at a rate of
500 to 600 words per
minute*
Evaluating Speeches
Adjusting to the Speaker’s Style
Being Honest and Fair in Evaluating
Being Compassionate in Criticizing*
Evaluating Speeches:
Adjusting to the Speaker’s Style
not judging the
content of the
message based on
the speaker’s
communication style.*
Evaluating Speeches:
Being Honest and Fair in Evaluating
it is important to
remain open to ideas
and beliefs that differ
from your own.*
Evaluating Speeches:
Being Compassionate in Criticizing
evaluation
approach:
start by saying
something positive
focus on the
speech, not the
speaker
target your
criticism*