In The Media

Listening with Purpose: Exploring the Intersection of Psychology and Theology

I have dedicated my career to exploring the profound effects of high-quality listening on human relationships and well-being. My research investigates how attentive and non-judgmental listening can foster social connection, improve well-being, and even bridge divides between groups. This focus on listening’s transformative power, while grounded in psychology, opens the door to interesting theological reflections as well.At its core, high-quality listening is more than just a psychological construct; it reflects a deeper human need for connection and understanding—a concept often explored in religious and theological traditions. The act of truly listening to another person mirrors spiritual practices found in various faith traditions, where the importance of attentiveness, compassion, and being fully present are emphasized. From a theological perspective, listening can be seen as a reflection of divine attentiveness, where the act of being heard and understood is akin to experiencing grace.

The magic of listening

One of our dear members, Guy Itzchakov, recently gave an interview to Psychology Today in Germany for an article about Carl Rogers. He hopes that this article will generate interest in Roger's influential work and the art of listening in general. As the article is in German, and most of our members are unable to read it, I used AI to translate it into English. I hope you enjoy reading this beautiful article!

Why listening well can make disagreements less damaging

להקשיב, לא חייבים להסכים

דוברים שמקשיבים להם היטב, מגלים יותר פתיחות, הזדהות ולמידה עצמית – ועמדתם מתגמשת כיצד אפשר לקיים שיח יעיל ומפרה ולמנוע ויכוחים עם אדם שחושב אחרת מאיתנו? ייתכן שהקשבה בין-אישית, שמעניקה לדובר תשומת לב, והבנה לא שיפוטית, היא התשובה לשאלה זו. הקשבה שכזאת יכולה לעורר הזדהות, להפחית מגננות ואף לשנות עמדות.

10 Qualities of Great Listeners

They ask open-ended questions and use the speaker's name. You can undoubtedly sense when you’re talking to a good listener. Something about the way the person either looks at you or makes empathic comments allows you to feel comfortable with this individual and, therefore, more likely to open up further. If this person is your romantic partner, this ability to listen allows you to feel emotionally closer, supported, and understood.

אף אחד לא נולד עם היכולת הזאת – אבל בעזרתה אפשר ליצור "שיפור בכל פרמטר"

"רוב האנשים לא נולדים עם היכולת להקשיב, אבל אפשר ללמוד את זה", אומר ד"ר גיא יצחקוב מאוניברסיטת חיפה ■ "מנהלים חייבים להיות מסוגלים להקשיב לעובדים שלהם"

We Need More 'Good Conflict' in Our Lives. Here's How It Works

Adozen liberal, Jewish New Yorkers traveled to rural Michigan to stay in the homes of a dozen conservative corrections officers, whom they’d never met, to try to understand each other.It sounds like the opening to a joke, and not a very good one. But for three days, the Michigan conservatives hosted the liberal New Yorkers, driving them in their pick-up trucks to a firing range and a prison museum, sitting down for long, hard conversations, asking and answering many questions.

Feeling Supported and Loved Helps a Person Be More Open-Minded About Opposing Views

A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin proposes that when people feel like their loved ones are attentive and supportive, they are more likely to be open-minded, consider multiple perspectives and cope with having contradicting opinions. This research was carried out by Dr. Guy Itzchakov, an Assistant Professor at the University of Haifa and Dr. Harry T. Reis, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Rochester.

When You Write an Online Review about a Product, Should You Tell a Story or Just Present the Facts?

Listening is like a muscle that requires training. Recent years have seen numerous examples of global discord and challenges to our ways of life and social interactions, but this is also a time when incredible efforts are being made in pockets of cultures around the world to support freedom of expression, overcome biases, and come to a shared understanding with dissimilar others.