What is the main difference between informational listening and critical listening?

Types of Listening Skills

Critical listening is more passive than informational listening. The evaluation stage of listening involves making a value judgment about the merits of what someone else has said. … Hearing is a passive process; listening is an active process.

General Listening Types:

The two main types of listening - the foundations of all listening sub-types are:

• Discriminative Listening
• Comprehensive Listening

Discriminative Listening

Discriminative listening is first developed at a very early age – perhaps even before birth, in the womb. This is the most basic form of listening and does not involve the understanding of the meaning of words or phrases but merely the different sounds that are produced. In early childhood, for example, a distinction is made between the sounds of the voices of the parents – the voice of the father sounds different to that of the mother.

Discriminative listening develops through childhood and into adulthood. As we grow older and develop and gain more life experience, our ability to distinguish between different sounds is improved. Not only can we recognise different voices, but we also develop the ability to recognise subtle differences in the way that sounds are made – this is fundamental to ultimately understanding what these sounds mean. Differences include many subtleties, recognising foreign languages, distinguishing between regional accents and clues to the emotions and feelings of the speaker.

Being able to distinguish the subtleties of sound made by somebody who is happy or sad, angry or stressed, for example, ultimately adds value to what is actually being said and, of course, does aid comprehension. When discriminative listening skills are combined with visual stimuli, the resulting ability to ‘listen’ to body-language enables us to begin to understand the speaker more fully – for example recognising somebody is sad despite what they are saying or how they are saying it.

Example

Imagine yourself surrounded by people who are speaking a language that you cannot understand. Perhaps passing through an airport in another country. You can probably distinguish between different voices, male and female, young and old and also gain some understanding about what is going on around you based on the tone of voice, mannerisms and body language of the other people. You are not understanding what is being said but using discriminative listening to gain some level of comprehension of your surroundings.

Comprehensive Listening

Comprehensive listening involves understanding the message or messages that are being communicated. Like discriminative listening, comprehensive listening is fundamental to all listening sub-types.

In order to be able use comprehensive listening and therefore gain understanding the listener first needs appropriate vocabulary and language skills. Using overly complicated language or technical jargon, therefore, can be a barrier to comprehensive listening. Comprehensive listening is further complicated by the fact that two different people listening to the same thing may understand the message in two different ways. This problem can be multiplied in a group setting, like a classroom or business meeting where numerous different meanings can be derived from what has been said.

Comprehensive listening is complimented by sub-messages from non-verbal communication, such as the tone of voice, gestures and other body language. These non-verbal signals can greatly aid communication and comprehension but can also confuse and potentially lead to misunderstanding. In many listening situations it is vital to seek clarification and use skills such as reflection aid comprehension.

What are the stages of listening?

Author Joseph DeVito has divided the listening process into five stages: receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding (DeVito, 2000).

What are the 3 A’s of active listening?

Three Components to Active Listening Comprehend. The listener pays attention to the speaker’s verbal and non-verbal language to fully understand what they’re trying to communicate. Retain. The listener tries to remember key points of the speaker’s message using their memory or via note-taking. Respond. Dec 6, 2018

Is passive listening good?

Passive listening will most likely benefit you in the long run, without putting much effort into it. The passive material goes somewhere in the back of your brain, in your unconscious mind. … When you are having a conversation, the information could be easier to access if you have done a lot of passive listening. Feb 16, 2017

Is passive listening bad?

When you need to be fully present and pay attention, this is when you should be actively listening. On the other hand, passive listening is perfectly fine when it’s not important to ensure that you are getting every detail or to show the person speaking that you are absorbing the information. Jul 30, 2020

How can we avoid passive listening?

How can we avoid passive listening? Focus. Turn off your electronics (yes, even your phone!) and try to concentrate on the speaker. Position. Face the speaker and sit in a position that tells her you’re ready to listen. Silence. Enhanced Focus. Lean In. Apr 10, 2020

Which is an example of passive listening?

Passive listening is one where the receiver doesn’t provide feedback or asks questions and may or may not understand what is being communicated. … Examples of passive listening include listening to a speaker during a presentation or meeting, listening to radio, podcasts, television shows etc.

What is the difference between listening and hearing?

Merriam-Webster defines hearing as the “process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” Listening, on the other hand, means “to pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration.”

What is the difference between active listening and reflective listening?

Reflective listening allows the person who is being asked a question the opportunity to extract their thoughts to say what they really mean. Active listening requires you to not only listen but respond effectively to what they are saying. Apr 17, 2016

What are the four main causes of poor listening?

What are the four main causes of poor listening. The four main causes of poor listening is not concentrating “spare brain time”, listening too hard and missing the main details and points, jumping to conclusions, and focusing on delivery and personal appearance.

What is the difference between critical listening and critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the process by which people qualitatively and quantitatively assess the information they accumulate. … Effective listening lets people collect information in a way that promotes critical thinking and successful communication.

What is empathic listening with example?

For example, if one of your colleagues is having a conflict with another person in the department, you can acknowledge one person’s stress while also considering that the other party has their own challenges and is likely not trying to be offensive. Feb 8, 2021

How can I improve listening skills?

Five ways to improve your listening skills Face the speaker and give them your attention. It is difficult to talk to someone who is constantly looking around. … Keep an open mind. Do not judge or mentally criticize what the speaker is telling you. … Active listening. … Just listen!

What is the main difference between informal listening and critical listening?

What is the main difference between informational listening and critical listening quizlet?

What is the difference between critical listening and critical thinking?

What is informational listening in communication?