2nd Edition
Listening Processes, Functions, and Competency
Listening: Processes, Functions, and Competency, Second Edition explores the role of listening as an essential element in human communication. The book addresses listening as a cognitive process, as a social function, and as a critical professional competency. Blending theory with practical application, Listening builds knowledge, insight, and skill to help the reader achieve the desired outcome of effective listening. This second edition introduces listening as a goal-directed activity and has been expanded to include a new chapter addressing listening in mediated contexts. Theory and research throughout the text have been updated, and the final chapter covers new research methodologies and contexts, including fMRI, aural architecture, and music.
Acknowledgements
Preface
PART I. LISTENING AS A COGNITIVE PROCESS
Chapter 1: Introduction & Overview
Case Study 1.1: Getting to Know Our Students
Introduction
Listening Is Fundamental
The Importance of Listening Competency
Listening Takes Time (Literally)
Defining Listening
Models of Listening
Speech Communication Models
Cognitive Models
Speech Science Models
Current Listening Models
The Listening MATERRS Model
Worthington Fitch-Hauser Model of Listening: Listening MATERRS
Mental Stimulus
Awareness
Translation
Evaluation
Recall
Responding
Staying Connected (and Motivated)
Overview of the Text
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 2: Listening: Types and Competencies
Case Study 2.1: Listening Is Hard to Do
Listening as a Critical Communication Competency
Listening Competency
Types of Listening
Discriminative Listening
Comprehensive Listening
Critical Listening
Case Study 2.2: Distinguishing Facts from Opinion
Appreciative Listening
Therapeutic Listening
Empathtic Listening
Case Study 2.3: A Feeling Touch
Levels of Listening
Case Study 2.4: Nolvia’s Frustration
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Chapter 3: Listening & Information Processing
Case Study 3.1: Carter’s Dilemma
Receiving and Processing Information
Schemas and Information Processing
Schemas and Attending
Schemas and Perceiving
Schemas and Memory
Schema and Listening
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 4: Individual Differences in Learning Processes
Case Study 4.1: Troubles
Why Study Individual Differences?
Exploring Personality Traits
Personality States versus Traits
Personality Type
Extraversion or Introversion
Sensing or Intuiting
Thinking or Feeling
Judgment or Perception
Listening Styles as Habitual Listening
Listening Styles Profile Revised (LSP-R)32
Listening Styles as a Situational Demand
Empathy
Active-empathetic Listening
Sociability
Conversational Sensitivity
Emotional Intelligence
Communication Apprehension
Cognitive Complexity
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 5: Listening in a Mediated World
Case Study 5.1: What do you mean I’m not listening to you?
Noise Sensitivity
Mediated Social Interactions
Mobile Devices
Case Study 5.2: How to succeed in business?
Media Supported Multitasking
The Multitasking Brain
The Downsides to Switch-tasking
Why do we switch-task?
The Exceptions
Strategies to Reduce Switch-tasking
Computers, Television & Music
Computer Mediated Communication
Case Study 5.3: The Interview
Television
Music
Listening, Learning, and Technology
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
PART II. LISTENING AS A SOCIAL FUNCTION
Chapter 6: Listening in the Conversational Context
Case Study 6.1: Stressed Out
Conversations and Interaction
Grice’s Maxims
Defining Conversation
Conversation as Cocreations
Case Study 6.2: Cocreating Conversation
Conversational Variables
Individual Differences
Accommodation
Conversational Context
Self-verification
Storytelling and Identity
Social Support
Directive and Nondirective Social Support
Case Study 6.3: Listening for Tone
Additional Attributes of Social Support
Case Study 6.4: A Long Day
Identifying Negative Social Support
Problem and Emotion-focused Support
Meeting Social Support Needs
Conflict
Handling Angry People
Conflict and Culture
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 7: Listening and Relationship Building: The Family Context
Case Study 7.1: All in the Family
Listening in Relationships
Why Study Listening in Families?
Family Communication Features
Family Orientation Schemas
Family Talks
Confirmation
Self-disclosure
The Role of Family Stories
Establishing Family Schemas and Scripts
Parents as Communication Teachers
Learning Conversational Rules
Learning Social Support
Learning Problem Solving
Learning to Manage Emotions
Molding Children’s Listening Behaviors
Why Parents "Don’t Listen"
Parent-Child Conflict
Sibling Relationships
Communicating with Older Adults
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 8: Listening and Relationship Building: Friends and Romance
Case Study 8.1: What Makes a Relationship?
Making and Becoming Friends
Early Friendships—Early and Middle Childhood
Case Study 8.2: Ben’s Story
Adolescent Friendships
Adult Friendships
Friendships and Mediated Communication
Building Friendships
Listening in Intimate Relationships
Dating/Initiating Romantic Relationships
Developing and Maintaining Romantic Relationships
Committed Couples
Marital Satisfaction
Couples in Conflict
Listening Responses to Conflict
Communication Patterns
Culture and Commitment
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
PART III. LISTENING AS A CRITICAL PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY
Chapter 9: Listening in Context: Education
Case Study 9.1: Classroom Listening
Introduction
Academic Listening
Individual Differences in the Learning Experience
Relevancy
Learning Style
Emotional Intelligence
Communication and Individual Receiver Apprehension
Teaching Goals and Methods
Listening and the Educational "Audience"
Communicating Interpersonally: Teachers and Students
Communicating in the Classroom
Listening and Taking Notes
Culture and Diversity
Gender
Socioeconomic Differences
Culture and Ethnicity
Special Challenges for Nonnative Speakers
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 10: Listening in Context: Organizations
Case Study 10.1: Cultural Differences and Organizational Listening
Understanding Organizations
Purpose and Mission
Organizational Culture
Organizational Climate
Organizational Social Support
Leadership
The Listening Organization
The Learning (Listening) Organization
Organization Structure and Change
Listening and Organizational Conflict
Case Study 10.2: When Corporate Cultures Collide
Employee Relations
Customer Satisfaction
Failure to Listen
Becoming a Listening Organization
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 11: Listening and Health: Psychological and Physical Realities
Case Study 11.1: The Physician’s Office
The Importance of Health Communication
Listening and Psychological Well-being
Elements of Reflective Listening
Listening and Physical Well-being
Factors Affecting Patient-Provider Interactions
Nature of the Visit
Patient Sex
Case Study 11.2: Deena’s Story
Impact of Culture
Age
Case Study 11.3: Helping Nana
What You Can Do as a Patient
Enhancing Communication
Provider Communication and Listening
Case Study 11.4: NaMii’s Story
Factors Influencing Providers
Patient Outcomes: Satisfaction and Compliance
Tips for Health Workers & Volunteers
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Chapter 12: Listening in Legal Contexts
Case Study 12.1: Shooting at Merc’s Department Store
Case Study 12.2: To Catch a Vandal
Public Safety Officials
Law Enforcement Officers
Case Study 12.3: Office Invasion
Crisis Negotiation
Attorney-Client Communication
Advice for Attorneys
Advice for Clients
Listening Challenges of the Jury
The Jury as Audience
Listening and Voir Dire
Courtroom Context
Opening Statements
Testimony
Case Study 12.4: Silicon Breast Implant
Closing Arguments
Jury Deliberations
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Types of Disputes
Listening and ADR
Mediation
Case Study 12.5: Kathryn & Indigo’s Problem
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
PART IV. LISTENING: NEW FRONTIERS
Chapter 13: Transforming Listening: Future Directions
Case Study 13.1: Looking Back. Looking Forward.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
The Musical Brain
Effects of Listening to Music
Aural Architecture (and more)
Listening and Technology
Exploring Listening and Conversations
Exploring Listening and Education
Concluding Thoughts
Is it Listening?
Summary
Key Concepts
Discussion Questions
Listening Activities
Additional Readings
Biography
Debra L. Worthington, Professor of Communication at Auburn University, is a past president of the International Listening Association. Reflecting her interest in listening research, she is the co-editor of The Sourcebook of Listening Research: Methodology &Measures (2017). Other research has examined factors affecting listening processes, including listening style and mobile technology.
Margaret Fitch-Hauser, Associate Professor Emeritus of Communication at Auburn University, is a past editor of the International Journal of Listening (Taylor & Francis). Her research has explored listening fidelity, information distortion, and the effect of schemata on the listening process. She has authored a textbook on business writing, multiple book chapters, cases studies and numerous scholastic papers.
Listening: Processes, Functions and Competency, is an impressive text that provides students of listening communication with up-to-date, research-based insights into this highly complex process. As leading listening researchers, Worthington and Fitch-Hauser offer a solid conceptual grounding for understanding the process of listening and how to function more effectively as a listener.
-Andrew Wolvin, University of Maryland, USA
The book presents comprehensive and cutting edge research on listening. The way in which the text relates theory and research findings to real life scenarios is intriguing and makes it definitely relevant both for academic learning and for building strong listening skills.
-Margarete Imhof, Mainz University, Germany
Hands down the best listening text on the market today. It includes the most recent research in an easy-to-read fashion. The research comes alive and is made practical with the case study vignettes integrated throughout each chapter. There is an excellent addition of the chapter focusing on Listening in a Mediated World. Truly an extraordinary text.
-Laura Janusik, Ph.D., Rockhurst University, USA
I strongly recommend Listening because it takes seriously the role of research in building a knowledge base about listening. It also provides sufficient resources for the creative instructor to encourage students to think critically about listening and to apply what they have learned in order to become more proficient.
-Graham Bodie, University of Mississippi, USA
