Functions of Listening

Being familiar with the four functions of listening is vital to listening correctly.The four functions of listening are understanding, remembering, interpreting and evaluating. Understanding is assigning meaning to the stimuli that have been selected and attended to in the message. For example, taking a Physics course when you have not taken Calculus will limit your understanding of the material and as a student you will not be able to assign the correct meaning to the material presented in class.

Remembering is recalling something stored from memory. Remembering the course material from the Physics class is vital when you are expected to acquire and apply the knowledge taught in class to your lab experiments and homework assignments.

Interpreting is the process of understanding the meaning of the message from the speaker’s point of view and letting the speaker know that you understand. By maintaining eye contact with the professor and nodding your head you can ensure that your professor knows you understand the material being taught. Conversely, by remaining silent when asked questions or displaying a confused facial expression the professor will know that you have not understood the meaning of the message presented.

Evaluating is when the listener analyzes evidence, sorts fact from opinion, determines the intent of the speaker, judges the accuracy of the speaker’s statements and conclusions and judges the accuracy of her own decisions. After the class the critical listener may begin to consider where the course material fits into the earlier material taught and which information is important in the course as a whole.