Individual differences in listening styles: Do you hear what I hear?

Exploring the Relationship Between Listening Style and Need for Cognition

“…Similarly, Weaver and Kirtley (1995) found this listening orientation positively associated with expressions of sympathy and empathy, and Chesebro (1999) found it related to conversational sensitivity. Previous studies suggest that women preference People listening (Johnston et al, 2000;Watson et al, 1995;Weaver et al, 1996).…”

“…Myers-Briggs types, and neuroticism (Bodie & Villaume, 2003;Johnston, Weaver, Watson, & Barker, 2000;Sargent, Fitch-Hauser, & Weaver, 1997;Weaver, 1998;Weaver, Watson, & Barker, 1996;Worthington, 2003). One robust personality trait that has been previously identified with how individuals process information is need for cognition (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982;Tidwell, Sadowski, & Pate, 2000).…”

Do the Big-Five Personality Traits Predict Empathic Listening and Assertive Communication?

“…High neuroticism is associated with avoiding or minimising time spent listening to others (Weaver et al, 1996) and Villaume and Bodie (2007) found that this communication style reflected a desire to control the situation by avoiding anticipated negative reactions from others. Using an EPI measure, whilst one piece of research showed neuroticism to be positively related to empathic responsiveness (Richendoller & Weaver, 1994), Pence and Vickery (2012) found no unique relationship between neuroticism and AEL.…”

“…Whilst a body of research using the three factor EPI measure has shown extraversion to be associated with a people-oriented or relational-oriented listening style (McCroskey et al, 2001;Villaume & Bodie, 2007), a style that involves finding common ground with other communicators in a non-judgmental fashion (Weaver, Watson, & Barker 1996), other research indicates that, when not combined with other traits, extraversion on its own is not associated with AEL competence (Pence & Vickery, 2012). Also, in research using the Big-Five, Ames, Maissen and Brockner (2012) found extraversion to be the only trait for which being influential on others at work could not be accounted for by BIG-5 TRAITS, ASSERTIVENESS AND LISTENING 13 good listening.…”

The Origins and Consequences of Consensus Decision Making: A Test of the Social Consensus Model

“…For example, researchers have discovered a positive relationship between participants' scores on the extraversion personality factor and their use of the following supportive communicative behaviors: empathy (Richendoller & Weaver, 1994), people-oriented listening (Weaver, Watson, & Barker, 1996), and interest in other group members (Sorensen & McCroskey, 1977). Based on these findings, we advance the following hypothesis: H 1 a: There is significant positive correlation between a group's average score on the extraversion scale and the rate at which the group generates supportive communication.…”