In this Unit 3 recap, we revisited the major theories and principles that explain how listening works beneath the surface. Rather than viewing listening as automatic, the unit emphasized that listening is cognitive, emotional, relational, and interpretive all at once.

We began with the HURIER Model, which breaks listening into six internal stages: hearing, understanding, remembering, interpreting, evaluating, and responding. This model helps identify where breakdowns occur—most often during interpretation and evaluation, when assumptions and emotions shape meaning.

Next, we explored the Transactional Model of Communication, which highlights that meaning is co-created through simultaneous interaction, feedback loops, context, and relational history. Communication is dynamic, not one-directional. We also discussed listening fidelity, wh ...