Not Paying Attention: Listeners may allow themselves to be distracted or to think of something else.  Also, not wanting to listen often contributes to lack of attention.   

            “Pseudo listening”: Often people who are thinking about something else deliberately try to look as though they were listening.  Such pretense may leave the speaker with the impression that the listener has heard some important information or instructions offered by the speaker.

            Listening but Not Hearing: Sometimes a person listens only to facts or details or to the way they were presented and misses the real meaning.

            Rehearsing:   Some people listen until they want to say something, then quit listening, start rehearsing what they will say, and wait for an opportunity to respond.

            Interrupting:    The listener does not wait until the complete meaning can be determined, but interrupts so forcefully that the speaker stops in mid-sentence.

            Hearing What Is Expected: People frequently think they heard speakers say what they expected them to say.  Alternatively, they refuse to hear what they do not want to hear.   

            Feeling Defensive: The listeners assume that they know the speaker’s intention or why something was said, or for various other reasons, they expect to be attacked.

            Listening for a Point of Disagreement: Some listeners seem to wait for a chance to attack someone.  They listen intently for points of which they can disagree.