The four types of listening
Ready to become a better listener? Here’s how. There are four different types of listening:
Empathic listening, which is when you listen to understand. Think of listening when someone shares a personal story. In this type of listening, you’re focused on the other person, instead of yourself.
Appreciative listening, which is when you listen to enjoy yourself. Think of listening to music, a motivational speaker, or attending a religious ceremony.
Comprehensive listening, which is when you listen to learn something new. This type of listening happens when you listen to a podcast, the news, or an educational lecture, like a class.
Critical listening, which is when you listen to form an opinion of what someone else said. This type of listening happens when you’re debating with someone or when you’re listening to a sales person.
Active listening—or listening to understand—falls under the category of empathic listening. This type of listening helps you build strong relationships, gain a deeper understanding of your friends and colleagues, and even deepens your own sense of empathy.
What is active listening?
Active listening is the practice of listening to understand what someone is saying. When you practice active listening, you’re exclusively focused on what the other person is saying instead of planning what to say in response as you would during a debate or conversation. To confirm you understand, you then paraphrase what you heard back to the other person. Depending on the conversation, you can also ask a specific, open-ended question to dig deeper into the topic.
Active listening helps you have more meaningful and engaged conversations. When you’re paying full attention to what the other person is saying—without planning what you want to say or interrupting their conversation—you develop more effective communication skills.
Active listeners:
- Ask open-ended questions to learn more.
- Paraphrase and summarize what the other person is saying to make sure you fully understand.
- Practice non-judgmental listening by setting aside their own biases or points of view.
- Demonstrate patience by focusing on the other person, instead of your own thoughts.
- Exhibit positive, nonverbal communication like eye contact and leaning in.
- Avoid distractions and multitasking.
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