Active Listening Comparative Effectiveness and Interactions

            Introduction

Active listening can be termed as a significant skill in communication because it facilitates a better understanding, sympathy as well as understanding during interactions (Weger, Bell, Minei & Robinson, 2014). It is well established through different studies that good listeners are able to process the provided information in an active form, develop responses that are pertinent and ask queries that are accurate and relevant to a conversation. Active listeners are therefore  engaged  in authoritative listening and talks which help in developing relationships that  are able to develop relationships, improve cooperation, provide  solutions for given issues as well as shaping intimacy (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, 2015). During social conversation individuals makes talks, listen, and develops discussions and opinions.  In this conversation, active communication is a necessity as it helps in determining the general outcome. Active listening provides individuals with a wider opportunity of understanding.  Active listening helps in developing solutions to different issues as the participant’s responses are based on their understanding of the other individual’s views.

Literature Review

According to Vickery, Keaton, & Bodie, (2015), listening is the most significant aspect of communication.  The significant of listening exceeds the importance of speaking in any communication. Effective communication requires an adequate understanding of the given information which requires active listening to analyses and develops a good response (Vickery, Keaton, & Bodie, 2015).  Active listening gives individuals the chance of understanding the message of the speaker which helps in better responses and opinions formation in regard to the information that is being passed. In the context of effective communication hearing and listening differs in a great way. Active listening involves the procedure by which an individual pays attention to the speech of the speaker with the objective of gaining an understanding. On the other hand, hearing is mainly grounded on responses without an understanding which may result in misinterpretation or conflict (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, 2015).  Active listening involves four skills subsets which are silence value, speech listening, body expression that is accurate and reframing the delivered information. In the context of silence value silence illustrates that the listener is highly interested in gaining an understanding thus the particular speaker to talk. The process of reframing the particular message that is being conveyed is the general of processing the things that are being said and generating distinct opinions, concerns as well as questions in regard to the conversation. The utility of affirmative body language by an active listener can assist the speaker in recognizing the attitude and the attention that the listeners are paying to his speech. Active listening can be referred as an active strategy that necessitates good attention period as it is associated with numerous benefits (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, (2015).

According to Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, (2015), notably the significance and the benefits of active listening are the aspects that make active listening are an important section of the effective mode of communication. Active listening helps in developing knowledge adequately as it helps in digesting individuals ideas. However, active listening is challenged by different barriers in the context of communication.  In the present living active listening is a rare scenario as it is opposed to different things.  Active listening barriers include prejudgment, lack of adequate knowledge, distractions and the inability of persons in mastering active listening arts.  The lack of knowledge on the particular topic that is being discussed results in prejudgments which may not be based on evidence (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, 2015).  This, therefore, results into the listeners rejecting the thoughts raised by the speaker by contradicting the thoughts with their baseless thoughts. In conversation, the listeners hold more capability of generating thoughts as compared to the speaker which results to contradictory thoughts. Most people are not able to avoid the occurrence of distractions such as the use of mobile phones as well as passive listening.

Based on Weger, Bell, Minei & Robinson, (2014), active listening is all about gaining evidence and justification of the conveyed message. Active communication helps in developing interactions between individuals as it helps in developing a higher personality.  In the context of families and friends active listening helps in developing better relationships.  In another field such as medicine and business active listening helps in developing better responses through effective understanding (Weger, Bell, Minei & Robinson, 2014).

Active listening helps provides the speakers with a better ground of justifying their thoughts as it shows that the message being conveyed is treated as important. This helps in the articulation of feelings for the speaker and the listeners (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, 2015).  An active listener pursues to understand that is being conveyed, evaluate the information thus developing a suitable interpretation. An active listener communicates with a reflection of the speaker's thoughts.  Active listening helps in developing a better communicating culture between individuals.  Interactions are built by effective communication which is only achieved by good listening in order to respond appropriately (Weger, Bell, Minei & Robinson, 2014). Interactions are built by gaining full knowledge of the speaker’s thoughts thus assisting in developing a better understanding of selves. Based on the particular study it was revealed that the participants who received active listening felt more satisfied as compared to those that received a passive acknowledgment (Vickery, Keaton, & Bodie, 2015).

Methodology

The research utilized a qualitative research methodology which involved the evaluation of information by three different peer-reviewed articles on active listening. This was an attempt at explaining human behavior in the context of communication. The research design of the research was seeking to establish the effectiveness of active listening in developing relationships. This kind of methodology was chosen because it is associated with accuracy and high reliability as it generates information quickly and in details.

Results

The research established from the review of literature that active listening plays part in communication satisfaction.  Active listening was established to be an influence of interactions development as it helps in generation of understanding between individuals.  Through active listening, better responses that are justified adequately are delivered. Learning was determined to be an essential part of communication as individuals are fully able to justify their ideas on the provided ground without prejudgment. It is thus clear that individual’s behavior and attitudes contribute greatly to active listening and communication effectiveness. Better relations can only be developed through active listening as this helps in developing communication solutions and well-developed responses.

Discussion

In an effective communication, the perception of the listener plays a significant role in determining the outcome of a conversation.  Active listening can be termed as a learned cognitive procedure that incorporates sensation and attention. Active listening helps in attaining accurate information thus gaining basis for argument.  Despite the fact that active listening is given less priority in communication it plays a significant role. Since communication involves the conveying of intangible information active listening is highly necessary. Listening is an individual responsibility and should, therefore, be developed on this ground. Active communication cannot be achieved without the incorporation of better knowledge of the subject as well as the groups of developing the thoughts (Bodie, Vickery, Cannava, & Jones, (2015).  Effective communication is essential in developing better communication.

Appendix A: Active Listening Barrier

            References

Andrea J. Vickery, Shaughan A. Keaton, & Graham D. Bodie. (2015). Intrapersonal Communication And Listening Goals: An Examination Of Attributes And Functions Of Imagined Interactions And Active Empathic Listening Behaviors. Routledge,  pp. 20–38.

Graham D. Bodie, Andrea J. Vickery, Kaitlin Cannava, & Susanne M. Jones. (2015). The Role of ‘‘Active Listening’’ in Informal Helping Conversations: Impact on Perceptions of Listener Helpfulness, Sensitivity, and Supportiveness and Discloser Emotional Improvement. Routledge pp. 151- 173

Harry Weger, Jr. Gina C. Bell, Elizabeth M. Minei & Melissa C. Robinson. (2014). The Relative Effectiveness Of Active Listening In Initial Interactions. Routledge, pp.  13- 31