Listening Across the Life Span: A Listening Environment Comparison

Abstract

Rather than focusing on age distinctions, a more organic approach in understanding individual differences is the life-span perspective (Williams & Nussbaum, 2001) which posits that more understanding is gained from studying individuals from a behavioral approach than from age distinction. Using this life-span perspective approach, this study addresses individual listening behavior based on listening environments for both men and women. This study utilizes listening behaviors presented by Wolvin and Coakley (1993). Results from this study suggest that the different listening environments call for different applications of listening behaviors and that men and women utilize different listening behaviors. In particular, the findings suggest that the idea-based listening of comprehensive and critical are more evident in the learning and integrative environment than in the varied environment. The findings also suggest that women use more interpersonal listening behavior as they change environments than men do.