Types of Listening and Conflict Resolution

Aug 14, 2025

Overview

This lecture covers analytical (critical) listening, how it differs from other types of listening, its importance in problem-solving, and practical steps for resolving conflicts using analytical listening skills.

The Listening Process

  • Listening is actively receiving and responding to spoken and sometimes unspoken messages.
  • Effective listening includes five stages: receiving, understanding, evaluating, remembering, and responding.
  • Listening involves making sense of and assessing the meaning of messages.

Types of Listening

  • Appreciative listening is for pleasure, such as enjoying music or entertainment.
  • Emphatic listening provides emotional support and seeks to understand a speaker’s feelings or motives.
  • Comprehensive (active) listening aims for accurate understanding, interpreting both words and nonverbal cues.

Analytical (Critical) Listening

  • Analytical listening evaluates a message to accept or reject it based on logic and reasoning.
  • It involves making judgments about the logic, accuracy, and meaningfulness of the speaker's message.
  • Analytical listening uses critical thinking skills to analyze arguments and assess soundness.
  • Critical thinking includes collecting information, asking questions, and analyzing solutions.

Conflict Resolution Steps from Video

  • Stop before reacting and recognize your emotions.
  • Watch your words; speak kindly and avoid blame.
  • Listen up by understanding the other person's perspective and not interrupting.
  • Work together to find a solution, compromise when needed, and focus on resolving the issue.

Practice and Reflection Questions

  • Identify who we typically disagree with and why conflicts arise.
  • Describe feelings during disagreements and recall the four conflict resolution steps.
  • Reflect on the speaker’s delivery, credibility, and message relevance for youth.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Analytical Listening — evaluating a speaker’s message to decide whether to accept or reject it using critical thinking.
  • Appreciative Listening — listening for enjoyment or pleasure.
  • Emphatic Listening — listening to understand someone’s emotions or motives.
  • Comprehensive Listening — listening to accurately understand a message, including nonverbal cues.
  • Critical Thinking — analyzing facts and arguments to understand a problem or topic deeply.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Listen to the provided audio/video clip twice.
  • Answer the reflection and comprehension questions based on the clip.
  • Practice applying analytical listening and the four steps in real-life conflicts.