Public Speaking Handbook

overcoming Barriers to effective Listening 5.2 69

Overcoming Barriers to Effective

Listening

5.2 List and describe five barriers to effective listening.

Listening barriers are created when we fail to select, attend to, or understand a

message or remember what was said.

Information Overload

We spend a large part of each day listening. That’s good news and bad news.

The good news is that because we listen a lot, we have the potential to become

very effective listeners. The bad news is that instead of getting better at it, we

often tune out because we hear so much information that we get tired of listen-

ing. Researchers in listening have developed what they call the working mem-

ory theory of listening, which explains why we sometimes just don’t listen

well. The theory suggests that when a listener’s capacity is reached (when the

working memory is full), then it’s harder to concentrate and remember what

we hear.^5

Although this theory might make it appear that there’s nothing you can do

as either a speaker or a listener to manage this problem, the strategies described

in the How To box can both help to ensure that those who listen to you continue

to attend to your message and help you improve your own listening skills.

Personal Concerns

You are sitting in your history class on a Friday afternoon. It’s a beautiful day

outside, and as you are listening, you begin to mentally plan your weekend.

Suddenly you hear your professor say, “For Monday’s test, you will be expected

to know the principles I’ve just reviewed.” What principles? What test? You

5.2

Quick check

Effective Listening

to listen effectively, you need to:

• select a message


• Attend to it


• Understand the message


• Remember it


• Respond appropriately to it

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