Explain and give an example of each of the three self barriers to listening.

What will be an ideal response?


First, people can become self-focused by paying more attention to their own internal thoughts than the message of the speaker. An example of this would be thinking about your own problems rather than focusing on the message your friend is trying to send to you. Second, emotional noise occurs when a word, a concept or idea, or the emotional state of the speaker causes emotional arousal that can be a distraction for the listener. The listener may be tempted to focus more on his or her emotions or the emotions of the speaker rather than the message at hand. For example, Maria is strongly against drinking alcohol; therefore, when she heard that Pat was giving a speech on the benefits of alcohol she immediately focused on her own emotions and tuned out what Pat had to say. Third, criticism deals with making hasty judgments about the speaker and/or his or her message. For example, Bob noticed that his professor was wearing socks that did not match. He became so focused on the mismatched socks that he couldn't remember a word his professor said.

Communication & Mass Media

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Communication & Mass Media

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Communication & Mass Media