1.

Active Listening
Active listening involves the listener observing the speaker's behavior and body language.
Having the ability to interpret a person's body language lets the listener develop a more accurate
understanding of the speaker's message. It involves listening with all the senses and with
concentration/attention.
2. Content/Comprehensive Listening
Comprehensive/Content listening involves understanding of the message and assigning a
meaning to the messages that are being communicated by the speaker.
3. Critical /Evaluative/Judgmental Listening

Critical listening means engaging in what you are listening to by asking yourself questions such
as, ‘what is the speaker trying to say?’ or ‘what is the main argument being presented?’, ‘how
does what I’m hearing differ from my beliefs, knowledge or opinion?’. The goal of critical
listening is to evaluate or scrutinize what is being said. It is important to have an open-mind and
not be biased by stereotypes or preconceived ideas when listening critically. People who are
judgmental listeners constantly assess or evaluate while they listen. They determine if what is
being said is right or wrong, fair or unfair.

4. Empathic/Empathetic/Therapeutic Listening

Empathic/Empathetic listening involves attempting to understand the feelings and emotions of

the speaker – to put one’s own self into the speaker’s shoes and share their thoughts. Counselors,
therapists and some other professionals use therapeutic or empathic listening to understand and
ultimately help their clients. This type of listening does not involve making judgments or
offering advice but gently encouraging the speaker to explain and elaborate on their feelings and
emotions.

5. Appreciative Listening

Appreciative listening is listening for enjoyment. A good example is listening to music,

especially as a way to relax.

6. Selective Listening

Selective listening is the phenomenon that occurs when we only hear what we want to hear.

7. Pseudo-Listening

Pseudo-listening is appearing attentive in conversations while actually ignoring or only

partially listening to the other speaker. The intent of pseudo-listening is not to listen, but to cater
to some other personal need of the listener.