Which listening style did you find yourself using? How would your initial expectations influence your listening?

Homework #2: Reducing Barriers to Listening

Visualize yourself ready to talk with the following people on the topics noted. What barriers to

listening (from any stage: selecting, attending, understanding, remembering, responding)

might arise in each encounter? What would you do to prevent these barriers from interfering

with effective listening?

Topic one:

1)     A friend tells you he’s HIV+.

·        How would you assess the person’s credibility (even before you begin to talk)? How will this influence your listening?

·        Will you begin listening with a positive, a negative, or a neutral attitude? How might these attitudes influence your listening?

·        What barriers to effective listening may arise and in what listening stage?

·        Which listening style did you find yourself using? How would your initial expectations influence your listening?

2)    A Catholic priest argues that people need to remain virgins until marriage.

·        How would you assess the person’s credibility (even before you begin to talk)? How will this influence your listening?

·        Will you begin listening with a positive, a negative, or a neutral attitude? How might these attitudes influence your listening?

·        What barriers to effective listening may arise and in what listening stage?

·        Which listening style did you find yourself using? How would your initial expectations influence your listening?