Mothers' beliefs about listening: Implications for children's comprehension and conceptions of listening

• Published in: Journal of applied developmental psychology 1991-10, Vol.12 (4), p.467-489
• Main Authors: McDevitt, Teresa M., Ewers, Cynthia A., Oreskovich, Marcia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Child development; Developmental psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology
• ISSN: 0193-3973; 1873-7900
• DOI: 10.1016/0193-3973(91)90021-U

Forty-four mothers offered their beliefs about listening and methods for encouraging listening in their 3- to 5-year-old children. Children's comprehension performance and conceptions of listening were also obtained. Mother perceived themselves as the primary agent responsible for children's development of basic listening competencies, such as figuring out the main point of what someone said to them, not interrupting others, and asking a question of the speaker when confused. Children who had strong comprehension skills had mothers who believed that listening is a complex set of activities, emphasized their own responsibility in ensuring that their children develop basic listening competencies, stressed comprehension processes and question asking in their conceptions of listening and in their techniques for enhancing children's listening, and began reading to their children at an early age.