How do people perceive listeners?
Abstract
Listening is essential in shaping social interactions,
relationships and communication. While listening research
has generated significant insights on how speakers benefit
from good listening, one fundamental question has been
largely overlooked: how do people perceive listeners?
This gap is crucial for understanding how perceptions of
listeners impact relational dynamics. In three studies (two
preregistered; total N = 1509), we assessed the attributes
and behaviours associated with good and bad listeners, and
whether the favourability of these attributes and behaviours
impact downstream consequences. In Study 1, participants
identified an acquaintance they judged as a good or bad
listener. Good listeners were rated higher in positive listening
attributes and behaviours, which mediated their perceived
warmth, competence and values. Study 2 replicated this using
a reverse correlation technique: one sample generated faces
of a good or bad listener, which were then evaluated by a
second, naïve sample. Consistent with Study 1, good listener
faces were rated higher in positive listening attributes and
behaviours, mediating perceptions of warmth, competence,
humility and values. Study 3 extended Study 2 by showing
that the effects were not due to a general positivity bias,
demonstrating the significant interpersonal consequences of
being perceived as a good or bad listener.
“Do you hear me?”: Understanding the interplay of listening and perceived partner responsiveness
Harry T. Reis and Guy Itzchakov
Listening
The Interactive Effect of Managers’ Listening Behaviors and Emotional Exhaustion on Turnover Intentions of Israeli Healthcare Staff: A Field Study During the COVID-19 Lockdowns
Roy Rave, Yehudit Reuveni, Guy Itzchakov , Netta Weinstein
Listening
Healthcare professionals routinely work under conditions that make high emotional and physical demands. Identifying
workplace resources that mitigate burnout and reduce turnover intentions is crucial for maintaining workforce stability during crises.
Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources model, this study tested whether (a) healthcare workers who perceive their managers as highquality listeners would report lower turnover intentions, and (b) this protective effect would be especially pronounced among
employees experiencing high emotional exhaustion.
Methods: A total of 329 Israeli healthcare professionals, including physicians (n = 96), nurses (n = 103), and support staff (n = 130),
completed validated measures of managers’ listening quality, emotional exhaustion, social support, negative affect, and turnover
intentions during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Results: Managers’ listening quality predicted lower turnover intentions, supporting Hypothesis 1. This effect was significant for employees
with high, but not low, emotional exhaustion, supporting Hypothesis 2. Subgroup analyses indicated that associations between managerial
listening and turnover intentions were consistent across physicians, nurses, and other staff, with no significant subgroup differences.
Conclusion: Managers’ listening quality emerged as a critical relational resource in healthcare settings, particularly under high strain.
High-quality listening may help buffer the negative effects of emotional exhaustion and reduce turnover intentions. Practical
interventions that enhance managers’ listening skills could therefore serve as a low-cost strategy to support staff well-being and
retention during crises. Because this study used a cross-sectional design, causal relationships cannot be inferred, and future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to confirm the protective role of managerial listening over time.
Plain Language Summary: Healthcare workers face intense emotional and physical demands, especially during crises like the
COVID-19 pandemic. This can lead to emotional exhaustion and a strong desire to leave their jobs, threatening healthcare systems’
stability. Our study looked at whether the quality of listening by healthcare managers could help reduce these turnover intentions. We
surveyed 329 healthcare professionals in Israel, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Participants reported how well they felt their managers listened to them, how emotionally exhausted they were, and whether they
intended to leave their jobs. The results showed that when employees felt their managers listened carefully and empathetically, they
were less likely to want to quit. This effect was strongest among those who were highly emotionally exhausted. In other words, good
listening by managers helped especially those struggling the most. These findings highlight the important role that managers’ listening
plays in supporting healthcare staff’s emotional well-being and retention. Listening is more than just a communication skill; it is
a relational resource that makes employees feel valued and understood. Improving managers’ listening skills could be a practical, lowcost way to help healthcare workers cope with stress and reduce staff turnover, which is critical during challenging times.
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