Critical Listening Essay Example

of credibility. A person may even be highly competent and an expert in one area and simply not be informed in another. Effective critical listening requires careful judgment about the expertness and trustworthiness of the speaker. In fact, ethos or speaker credibility may be the most important single factor in critical listening and thinking. However, ethos without logos is not enough.

Even speakers with high ethos often make errors in logic, not by intention, but by accident, carelessness, inattention to detail, or lack of analysis. Critical listeners have a right to expect well supported arguments from speakers, arguments that contain both true propositions and valid inferences or conclusions.

hen evaluating arguments, listeners should ask several questions about the proposition or statements made: a. Are the statements true? b. Are the data the best that can be obtained? c. Are the sources of the data known to the listeners?In other words do listeners know where the information came from? d. Is the data accurately portrayed? The above questions may all be answered to your satisfaction, yet the logic may be faulty. For perhaps the data do not lead to or justify the inferences or conclusions drawn.

Listeners should ask themselves the following questions:

1.  Is the conclusion a certainty or are exceptions possible?
2. Were all cause-effect relationships established beyond doubt?
3. Does the data justify the inference drawn or the conclusion given?

Pathos. The psychological or emotional element of communication is often misunderstood and misused.

Simply said, speakers often use psychological appeals to gain an emotional response from listeners. Effective critical listeners carefully determine the focus of the speaker’s message. Speakers may appeal to any one or several needs, desires, or values that

are important to us including: adventure, thrift, curiosity, fear, creativity, companionship, guilt, independence, loyalty, power, pride, sympathy, altruism.There are many others, of course; the list is a long one.

There are several questions critical listeners should ask themselves when assessing the pathos element:

1. Is the speaker attempting to manipulate rather than persuade me?
2. What is the speaker’s intent?

The distinction between listening for information and critical listening is that the listener evaluates and challenges what they have heard. These challenges might take place in the listener’s mind or be expressed directly to the speaker.

While listening critically it is important to listen for the speaker’s motive and mentally challenge the information they are giving. In sporting context much critical listening goes on when a coach delivers his or her rationale for a particular tactical approach in advance of competition. Listening to such persuasive messages challenges the listener to distinguish between information presented as facts and that presented as opinion.