Listening is an emotional and intellectual act of "hearing" another person and responding to his or her verbal and nonverbal messages in a deep, caring way.

People commonly use four types of listening. The first two are very unproductive; whereas, the last two result in efficient communication:

1. Inactive listening. This type of listening is known as "in one ear and out the other." The listener hears only words. The speaker's message and intention do not get through to the listener.

2. Selective Listening. This common type of listening filters the message. The listener will block much of the message, only "hearing" what he or she wants to hear. For example, the listener might prejudge the speaker or trigger emotional filters upon hearing particular words or content associated with the past.

3. Active Listening. An active listener makes an effort to listen completely