Active Listening Can Make Other People Better Communicators Too

Abstract

The University of Massachusetts conducted an experiment in which they trained six students in “attending skills” — such as an interested posture and eye contact. Then they recorded a lecture the students attended with a visiting professor. The students were told to adopt typical non-attending student behaviors at the beginning of the lecture. The professor lectured from his notes, spoke in a monotone and paid little attention to the students. According to Ivey and Hinkle, “At a prearranged signal, however, the students began deliberately to physically attend. Within half a minute, the lecturer gestured for the first time, his verbal rate increased, and a lively classroom session was born. Simple attending had changed the whole picture. At another signal, the students stopped attending, and the speaker, after awkwardly seeking continued response, resumed the un-engaging lecture with which he began the class.”¹

Listening is sometimes called “the neglected communication skill” — perhaps because it looks easy, passive, and instinctive. Experience tells us, however, that it’s anything but. It takes effort, energy, and skill to be a good listener. But the rewards are well worth the effort. And not only because it makes us better communicators — effective listening can help other people communicate better too.