Listening to Comprehend

Think for a minute about your interpersonal communication class—the course for which this text was assigned. When you’re attending class, why do you listen to your professor? The answer is so obvious it’s silly: you listen so that you can comprehend the information he or she is presenting to you. When you listen for this purpose, you work to accurately interpret and store the information you receive, so you can correctly recall it later. Additional examples of this type of listening include listening to a coworker explain how to use a software application and listening to a prospective landlord explain your contractual obligations if you sign a lease on an apartment.