Listening, critical

Critical listening is a behaviour typical of conscious listening, aimed at verifying whether the information we obtain is solid enough for us to be able to use it in the future. In this phase, we ask questions to find a logical basis for ideas, we assess the reliability of the source, and we make every effort to understand the speaker’s interests and objectives. Critical listening is an expression of the critical thinking discipline, and is the prelude of decision-making on logical rather than emotional grounds.