Active Listening - Empathic Listening Papers
Harry Weger Jr. ,
Gina R. Castle &
Melissa C. Emmett
06 Jan 2010
Abstract
Perhaps no communication skill is identified as regularly as active listening in training programs across a variety of disciplines and activities. Yet little empirical research has examined specific elements of active listening responses in terms of their effectiveness in achieving desired interpersonal outcomes.
This study reports an experiment designed to test the influence of a specific element of active listening responses, namely, the message paraphrase. One hundred and eighty undergraduate students participated in peer interviews in which they received either a paraphrased reflection or a simple acknowledgement in response to their expressed opinions regarding comprehensive examinations.
The results of data analysis indicated that message paraphrases were associated with the social attractiveness of the listener but were not associated with participants' conversational satisfaction or perceptions of feeling understood by the listener.
research suggests active listening appears to benefit the person who engages in active listening
beginning counseling students receiving specific micro-skill training in active listening consider themselves more effective as counselors and receive higher ratings from their supervisors in a variety of counseling skills (Levitt, 2001).
Education students training for positions as teachers also perceived themselves to be better listeners after active listening training (McNaughton et al., 2008)
In addition, parents trained in active listening skills felt less anxious and more confident about their ability to handle problems with their adolescent children (e.g., Graybill, 1986).
Davidson and Versluys (1999) found that brief training in active listening, among a number of other skills, increased use of active listening during conflict interactions and use of active listening during the conflicts increased likelihood of agreement between the parties.
"Active Listening": Formulations and the Elicitation of Feelings-Talk in Child Counselling
14 Jun 2010
Dana Heller Levitt
ABSTRACT.
By emphasizing active listening over the other microskills, it is hypothesized that beginning counselors will feel more efficacious and better able to hear clients, thus performing better in skill areas. In this pilot study with five Master’s-level counselor trainees in their first counseling practicum, an emphasis on active listening in instruction and individual supervision resulted in increases in active listening and self-efficacy ratings, as well as performance in three skill areas (reflection of feelings, challenging, and immediacy). These results suggest the importance of attending to counselors’ strengths and reducing anxiety in the first counseling experience. [