Motives for Listening
As noted in our chapter opener, active listening can mean the difference between life and death for soldiers serving in combat. The reasons for actively listening in such settings are obvious: soldiers must accurately understand each other so that everyone comes out of the engagement safely. But listening to comprehend is not the only motive for listening within military settings. Military mechanics often listen carefully to the sound of machinery to ensure that it’s operating smoothly. Soldiers often listen to relaxing music between missions to help them unwind. And when managing the grief associated with the loss of fallen friends, the most important reason for listening is to support.
In a similar fashion, we all listen for a variety of reasons when communicating with others. These different purposes are known as listening functions, and they powerfully shape how you choose to listen in specific situations. There are five common listening functions:
When you listen to comprehend, you focus on accurately interpreting and storing the information you receive, so that you can correctly recall it later.
When you listen to provide support, you take in what someone else says without evaluating it, and openly express empathy in response.
When you listen to analyze, you carefully evaluate and critique the messages you’re receiving.
When you listen to appreciate, you concentrate on enjoying the sights and sounds you’re experiencing.
When you listen to discern, you focus your attention on distinguishing specific sounds—
for instance, trying to figure out whose phone is ringing at a large and noisy party.
These five functions are not mutually exclusive: you might use two or more within the same encounter, or shift suddenly from one to another as circumstances change. In fact, you should demonstrate such flexibility. A key step in becoming an active listener is learning how to adapt your listening to the situation in which you find yourself (Teo, 2005). For example, while at a concert you may listen to appreciate until your campus newspaper editor texts you a reminder that your review of the show is due the next morning—
| LISTENING SITUATION | APPROPRIATE LISTENING FUNCTION | |
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A friend texts you to cancel your dinner plans because he has the flu. |
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Your manager gives you a presentation detailing an upcoming project and how to best approach the client. |
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A classmate challenges your position on a controversial topic during a group discussion. |
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Your romantic partner, who is very insecure about his or her singing ability, sings your favorite song for you at your birthday party. |
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A classmate with whom you're delivering a class presentation inquires as to whether her voice “still sounds funny” after she received Novocain during a dental checkup. |
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To strengthen your ability to adapt your listening function, practice noticing the listening demands that different situations call for. Routinely ask yourself, What is my purpose for listening? Keep in mind that for some situations, certain types may be inappropriate or even unethical—
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