"A 2022 study found that when someone asked an ambiguous question in a conversation, both parties thought its meaning was understood almost three-quarters of the time, when they were actually on the same page less than half of the time. That's a massive understanding gap. (Participants overestimated their shared understanding even when they were speaking different languages, apparently expecting that meaning could be gleaned from tone of voice.)"
"There's another major way discussions get confused and frustrating. People get tripped up on this: What type of question are we even talking about? Imagine a hypothetical chat about college education. There are different kinds of questions that might come up, each with different goals. Factual questions Contrary to what some may say, there are straightforward facts. How can you tell if you're having a conversation about facts? It centers on closed-ended questions with clear answers."
Listeners routinely overestimate how well they understand speakers and how clearly they express themselves, producing a large shared-understanding gap. Different conversation goals cause confusion when participants assume the same question type. Question types include factual closed-ended queries, and other types with distinct aims. Speaking with nuance and specificity reduces misunderstandings and improves outcomes. Experiments show that attentive, receptive listening increases reciprocity even in ideologically charged discussions. A 2022 study found that ambiguous questions were perceived as understood about three-quarters of the time, but actual agreement was under half, revealing widespread overestimation of mutual comprehension.
Read at Psychology Today
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