On the hit NBC show The Voice, the judges (including Shakira, Usher, Pharrell Williams, and Gwen Stefani) spend much of each season listening. But they do so in different ways, depending on situational needs. When new contestants audition at the start of the season, the judges listen with their chairs turned away from the singers so that they can carefully scrutinize the quality of the contestants’ voices (without being distracted by appearance) in order to determine whom to retain for the competition. Once contestants have been selected, the judges become coaches, and the demands on their listening broaden. They must carefully listen to comprehend what contestants tell them about themselves and their life stories to determine the best way to motivate improvement. When contestants argue against their advice, the judges must listen analytically, looking for ways to attack their reasoning and move them in different directions. When contestants give stunning performances, the judges can listen appreciatively, basking in the vocal talent displayed in that moment. And when contestants break down emotionally, the judges must shift gears yet again, listening supportively and offering encouragement.

The different reasons for listening displayed by the judges on The Voice mirror the five common listening functions, or purposes for listening, we experience daily: to comprehend, to discern, to analyze, to appreciate, and to support.

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 at work and listening to a prospective landlord explain your contractual obligations if you sign a lease on an apartment.

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LISTENING TO DISCERN

When you listen to discern, you focus on distinguishing one sound from another. The most common form is to listen carefully to someone’s vocal tone to assess mood and stress level. For example, if you’re concerned that your romantic partner is angry with you, you might listen carefully to the sound of his or her voice, rather than the actual words, to gauge how upset he or she is.

LISTENING TO ANALYZE

When you listen to analyze, you carefully evaluate the message you’re receiving, and you judge it. For instance, you might analyze your father’s neutral comments about his recent medical checkup, listening for signs of worry so you can determine whether he’s hiding serious health problems.

LISTENING TO APPRECIATE

When you listen to appreciate, your goal is simply to enjoy the sounds and sights you’re experiencing and then to respond by expressing your appreciation. Common examples include listening to your child excitedly share her story of the soccer goal she scored or listening while a close friend tells a funny story.

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LISTENING TO SUPPORT

You’re making lunch in your apartment one afternoon when your best friend calls you. You answer only to hear him sobbing uncontrollably. He tells you that he and his girlfriend just broke up because she cheated on him. He says he needs someone to talk to.

Providing comfort to a conversational partner is another common purpose for listening. To provide support through listening, you must suspend judgment—taking in what someone else says without evaluating it, and openly expressing empathy. Examples include comforting a relative after the death of a spouse or responding with a kind e-mail to a coworker who sends you a message complaining that her boss just criticized her at a team meeting.

ADAPTING YOUR LISTENING PURPOSE

The five functions that listening commonly serves are not mutually exclusive. We change between them frequently and fluidly. You might change your purpose for listening even within the same encounter. For example, you’re listening with appreciation at a concert when suddenly you realize one of the musicians is out of tune. You might shift to discerning listening (trying to isolate that particular instrument from the others) and ultimately to listening to analyze (trying to assess whether you are in fact correct about its being out of tune). If the musician happens to be a friend of yours, you might even switch to supportive listening following the event, as she openly laments her disastrous performance!

An essential part of active listening is skillfully and flexibly adapting your listening purposes to the changing demands of interpersonal encounters (Bunkers, 2010). To strengthen your ability to adapt your listening purpose, heighten your awareness of the various possible listening functions during your interpersonal encounters. Routinely ask yourself, “What is my primary purpose for listening at this moment, in this situation? Do I want to comprehend, discern, analyze, appreciate, or support?” Then adjust your listening accordingly. As you do this, keep in mind that for some situations, certain approaches to listening may be unethical or simply inappropriate, like listening to analyze when a relational partner is seeking emotional support.