by Isabella Valentine and M. Williams

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Now you hear it, now you don't. Or do you? Are words just flowing in and out, or have you captured something there. Ah yes, there it is. You have it. Or do you? 

 

Deciphering spoken language while our brains are fed new information can be quite a ride! In Communication studies, students are taught various ways to develop their active and/or passive listening skills. 
 

We've created definitions for listening methods used in social discussions, private digital conversations, public speaking, internal dialogue, and of course, erotic hypnosis. It is possible to flow through several modes of comprehension within the same conversation. 
 

Here's an example of how listening methods layer each other. John and Janet Doe are having a discussion. Janet is talking because she has a lot to say, and John feels like listening. John starts out by pseudo listening, or fading in and out of thought or just "pretending" or faking the listening process. When Janet briefly mentions a taboo topic, John bursts to attention. Aha! An interesting topic! Suddenly the pseudo listening is no longer as attractive to him as say, selective listening. For a while, John listens to Janet but only retains what he wants to hear. The conversation begins to shift towards the relaying of an emotional, personal story and John begins to empathically resonate with Janet. How many styles of listening skills do we use every day? What types of listening do you enjoy the most? Do some make you more or less comfortable? 
 

When a person is very seldom distracted, mentally or physically while engaged in conversation, that is a Communication textbook sign of having exceptional listening skills.
 

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Listening with the purpose to instantly offer a rebuttal despite what is said.

 

Amnesiac Listening: 

Listening with the purpose to forget.

 

Listening to understand the over and underlying message being relayed by the speaker.
 

Listening to evaluate and/or decide to accept or reject the message.
 

Listening with the intent of following through an assignment, given by the speaker, within a specific timeframe.

 

Listening with the intent to NOT listen.

 

Listening with the purpose of abandoning thought while the speaker is talking.

 

Listening to apply emotional support to self, for the speaker, or for others who may also be listening.

 

Listening as though you are the only recipient of the message.

 

Listening for pleasure, entertainment, enjoyment, or general appreciation.

 

Listening with the purpose of leisurely relaxing.

 

Listening with the purpose of turning the subject into the object of the next subject.

 

Listening with the purpose to recall or remember the information, given by the speaker, so that one may be able to recite it later.

 

Listening from multiple perspectives as you imagine others may or may not perceive it.

 

Listening to internalize the experience.

 

Listening with the imagination to visually follow along where the speaker goes.

 

Listening passively; scattered thoughts; fading in and out.

 

Listening while responding with biophysical feedback such as speaking, nodding, gesturing, or other body signals.

 

Listening for the topics that interest you.

 

Listening as though you are one of many recipients being given the message.

 

Listening to explore; to be awed by new territory as presented by the speaker.