where ae you looking while you are listening?

Yes, I do have this problem at times, and can hear more of what is actually being said if I DON'T make eye contact. Like you, I make eye contact only so often, and look down at my hands in my lap to better concentrate. Karen

I like to look into the person’s eyes and focus on them. I try not to be distracted by body language and I can appreciate how that can change a conversation. I think to be a good listener is a gift not too many of us have. I try very hard because my parents are terrible listeners and my sister and I have grown up with the feeling of not being heard and it has affected our self esteem. Because of this I am very sensitive when I am not being heard; it is one of my pet hates! My husband is a very poor listener unless it is a football match or something!

I always have the habit of looking straight to the eyes of the person talking. I get better understanding of what she is talking about. Otherwise I feel left out in all what she is trying to deliver to me in her speech. People who doesn't look straight to my eyes when talking create an uneasiness in me. I feel she is insincere when she is talking and looking somewhere else. There must be an eye to eye contact to get the message clear and loud.

Pat- In a communications course I took a few terms back we saw a study done on men versus women. Men tend not to look at each other when talking, while women do. I tend to be a looker. I like to watch a person's facial expression when I'm speaking because I feel that it reveals a great deal about the person. I have done the listening when on the go though, and I always feel like I am somehow missing something in the conversation. If someone is talking at my back, let's say when I'm cleaning, I tend to have to ask them to repeat what they've said. I typically will ask them to give me a second so that I can turn and listen to them. Namaste-Anora

Generally it look at a persons eyes at first when i'm talking to them. It shows that i'm interested and that i'm willing to listen to what they have to say to me. The i usually move down to watch their mouth. I think it's just habit but from there i usually go between looking at the mouth and then to the eyes. I think that it's important to look at a person when they are talking to you. I think it shows that you're being rude to them if you do otherwise. I think that body language is an interesting thing. By studying it you can tell how they really feel about what is going on. They might be saying one thing but their body is saying something else.

i donot know because i give total concentration in listening and preparing myself for the answer..

I always look at the person's face while talking.Only thing that is difficult for me is if it becomes a long winded monologue, I would switch off.

Hi savypat, It depends, if the person has come to me with something that is important to him/her, and wants my opinion, I will look the person in the face and give them my full attention. If it's just a regular conversation, I may be looking away but listening at the same time. blessings.

I usually look at the person, i like seeing the body language. people often talk with their eyes more then their lips. So the most important messages are on the face. but that's just me :)

hi,it is funny.I always look at his face ,not his eyes when i am listening ! I can feel distracted when someone always look at my eyes!

I could only fully listen to the person talking if I look at her face . Should I look down or look away, other things might come to my mind that would enable me not to listen to her anymore.

When I'm talking to someone I look at them in the eyes. If they are whispering to me in my ear than I'm usually looking down. However when listening to someone its best to look straight in the eye, to me it shows you are paying attention.

I always look straight at the person to whom I am listening to and do not focus on the body language much. If the topic of discussion is not very interesting and the person is not able to present it accurately,I sometimes look down although my ears just listen to what is being said.

It is important to keep looking at him when we talk with someone, especially in the first 5 minutes.

I try to make eye contact, but often find that I lower my eyelids, almost like half asleep. I got counted down on that in debate class. I wonder if I felt I listened and communicated better that way. Never thought about it.

I do look at someone when they are talking to me. I usually keep eye contact. I know what you mean about the body language.

Let me think.I really do stare at person's eyes sometimes,especially when I don't believe the things I'm being told.I often look at hands,how they move,at my own hands or something neutral around.I never look at the lower parts of the body because some people get it wrong.Especially men.

I do prefer to maintain eye contact when I am having a conversation with someone because I do think that face expressions, and communicating through our faces is quite an important part of a conversation and understanding. If I failed to look at them I would actually feel that I was being a little rude.

Initially I look at the eyes, but please do not discount a persons body language because it reveals so much more than thespoken word. It can clue you into whether they are happy or perhaps agitated or depresses. But youdo have to ballance it with the spoken word. So I would say you need to be able to listen and look at the body lanquge to be a good listener. Reflective listening is also effective in finding out what your friends are really feeling and saying. Some eye contact is better than no eye contact as your friendsmay start to think your bored

Everytime Im communicating with others I usually look in the eyes of the speaker. For me looking in the eyes is the way to show my sincerity and willingness to listen to that person. Also in the eyes there you will see the truth and the emotion of the speaker. Sometimes it's okey to read body language but it is not always applicaple because somtetimes it destruct the speaker. That's why I prefer to look to the eyes.