Listen up! You're tuning out! emotional triggers that serve as listening barriers in senior populations

Listening;Older people -- Communication;Emotions

Froemming, Kristin J.Penington, Barbara ;

University of Wisconsin

关键词: Listening;    Older people -- Communication;    Emotions;   

Others  :  https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/47507/froemming10.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: University of Wisconsin

【 摘 要 】

The United States Census Bureau (2008) projects the number of U.S residents over 65 tomore than double from 40.2 million in 2010 to 81.2 million in 2040. This population;;srapid growth indicates the importance of dedicating energies toward uncovering ways tomore effectively communicate with older adults, including how to prevent them from;;tuning out;; of a listening interaction. Related to tuning out is the concept of noisewhich is defined as ;;factors that interfere with the accurate exchange of messages;;(Brownell, 2006, p. 42). Forms of noise, especially behaviors and words, can become;;hot buttons;; for people. Given the scarcity of scholarly studies on the impact ofemotional triggers on listening in the senior population, this study sought to determinehow emotional triggers contribute to ineffective listening in older adults. Participantswith a mean age of 84 participated in one of four focus groups designed to gain insightsinto how emotional triggers can provide barriers to effective listening. The results of thefocus groups were analyzed using Miles and Huberman;;s (1994) methods of qualitativedata analysis. Results of this study found language barriers to include pause fillers,incorrect word usage, words that implied false familiarity, assumptive words, and poortopic choice. Non-verbal behaviors serving as barriers to effective listening includedrepetition, poor turn taking skills and the quality of the speaker;;s voice. Older adultlisteners noted that they react to emotional triggers by experiencing the desire to besomewhere else, feelings of guilt, and a drifting mind. A deeper understanding of howthe older individual perceives his or her own listening ability and effectiveness is animportant step in offering them, and those with whom they interact, information that ispractical and appropriate.