Listening vs Hearing
Although hearing and listening may seem similar, it’s crucial to understand their differences. Both are senses processed by the brain through the ear and serve as the primary means of communication. While hearing is an innate ability we are born with, listening requires intention and focus on the sounds we hear.
Key Takeaways
- Listening is the act of processing sounds to understand their meaning, requiring brainpower to decipher words and sentences.
- Hearing is an inborn trait that involves receiving sounds but not necessarily processing or understanding them; it is more like a sense or perception of sounds.
- While hearing is a natural ability, listening is a skill that needs to be learned and practiced in order to gain knowledge and understanding.
What does Listening mean?
Listening involves actively processing sounds to comprehend their meaning. It requires the brain to work out each component of the sound to form words or sentences that can be understood. Most memories are ingrained in our brains because we listen carefully to the sounds, words, and music we hear. To understand what someone is saying, we must listen to them. The verb “listen” originates from the Old English word hlysnan.
What does Hearing mean?
Hearing is a natural ability for most individuals. It takes about a month after birth for a person to hear a variety of sounds. However, hearing only involves receiving sounds through the ear without processing them. We may sense that our environment is noisy but don’t necessarily understand the cause of the noise. In legal terms, a hearing refers to an act of listening to evidence in a court of law or before an official.
What is the difference between Listening and Hearing?
While both listening and hearing involve our ears, they are fundamentally different. Hearing is the perception of various sounds, whereas listening involves parsing each part of the sound and understanding its meaning. Listening requires attentiveness and concentration, engaging the brain, while hearing is more like a sense. To learn and understand new information, it is essential to use our ears for listening, not just hearing.
Hearing vs Listening
- Hearing is the sense or perception of sounds through the ear, while listening is deciphering the meaning behind the sounds.
- Listening is key to learning and understanding.
- Hearing is a natural ability, while listening is a skill that must be learned and continually practiced.
