
The expression “in one ear and out the other” refers to hearing without listening. You may hear noises and words without paying attention to what you are hearing. It is only an operational process if you want to do so. Listening is a behavior of choice as an individual can voluntarily choose whether or not to hear. According to Merriam-Webster, listening is the act of “hearing anything carefully.” Multiple senses are needed for the mental, active process of listening. Listening is the act of deliberately attending to sounds and words to understand their meaning and form an emotional reaction. Hearing is like gathering information even when we are not paying attention, we constantly hear noises and phrases. Hearing involves the perception of sound and is a passive, physical process that only uses one sense.

Hearing is “the activity, function, or capacity of perceiving sound specifically: the particular sense through which sounds and tones are received as stimuli,” according to Merriam-Webster. The physiological process of hearing sounds is central to the notion of hearing. Listening and hearing well are crucial to grasping communication, learning, and succeeding in interpersonal interactions. Although there are some commonalities between the two, there are also significant distinctions, with one being more active and requiring effort while the other is automatic and involuntary. Ever heard the phrase, “You could be hearing me, but you’re not listening to me”? The terms “hearing” and “listening,” which many people often conflate to signify the same thing.
