Listening Self-Concept Assessment

Listening Self-Concept Assessment

Figure 8-1

Your Listening Self-Concept

This exercise is designed to help you assess your listening self-concept. In answering the questions, remember to trust your initial reactions because only by doing so can you evaluate yourself accurately.

For each statement, determine whether you strongly agree (SA), agree (A), don’t know or have no opinion (?), disagree (D), or strongly disagree (SD), and check the appropriate box.

Questions / SA / A / ? / D / SD / Score
1.  I interrupt others too frequently.
2.  I am not able to respond effectively to others’ messages.
3.  I am effective at showing others that I understand what they are saying.
4.  I get apathetic when boring people talk to me.
5.  Sometimes I expect too much of myself when listening to others.
6.  My mind wanders when people talk to me.
7.  I am easily distracted by extraneous sounds when I listen to others.
8.  I am effective at asking questions when I don’t understand someone.
9.  I maintain good eye contact when I listen to others.
10.  Sometimes I have to have information repeated to me.
11.  I have been told that I am a good listener.
12.  I am comfortable listening to other people’s problems.
13.  I can immediately grasp the main point or idea that a speaker is trying to make.
14.  I have good hearing.
15.  It is sometimes difficult for me to understand someone when other people are talking at the same time
16.  I am often overconfident of my listening abilities.
17.  I have a good memory for what people have said.
18.  I consider myself to be an effective listener.
19.  I can tell when people are listening carefully to what I am saying.
20.  I am a much better listener in some situations than others.
Total Score

Scoring

Place the score for each item in the right-hand box labeled Score.

For items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 15, and 16, use the following scale:

·  SA 1

·  A 2

·  ? 3

·  D 4

·  SD 5.

For items 3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, and 20, use the following scale:

·  SA 5

·  A 4

·  ? 3

·  D 2

·  SD 1

Add up all of the scores and write the total score in the box provided. The higher your score, the higher your listening self-concept. If you scored between 50 and 70, you have an average listening self-concept. If you scored above this (70 to 100), you have a favorable listening self-concept. If you scored below this (20-50), you have an unfavorable listening self-concept. You can improve a low listening self-concept through work and practice that focus on developing your potential as a listener. The material in chapter 8 can help you achieve this.

Published with permission from O’Hair, D., Friedrich, G., Wiemann, J., & Wiemann, M. (1997). Competent Communication. (2nd Edition). New York: St. Martin’s press. (pp. 168-169).