Development and validation of the active empathetic listening scale

TLDR

Active empathetic listening (AEL) is a form of listening used by salespeople that blends traditional active listening with empathy to achieve a higher level of engagement. The study develops and validates a measurement scale for AEL among salespeople. The AEL scale comprises three dimensions—sensing, processing, and responding—and was constructed through item‑generation procedures and tested in three empirical studies. The scale distinguishes effective from ineffective listeners, is suitable for self‑report, aligns with the three theoretical dimensions, and demonstrates convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Abstract

This article presents a scale to measure active empathetic listening (AEL) of salespeople. AEL is defined as a form of listening practiced by salespeople in which traditional active listening is combined with empathy to achieve a higher form of listening. The AEL scale is composed of three dimensions: sensing, processing, and responding. Itemgeneration procedures and the results of three empirical studies are presented. Study 1 establishes that the item set is suitable for differentiating between effective and ineffective listeners from the point of view of customers. Study 2 determines that the item set is suitable for use by self-report of salespeople, establishes that it conforms to the three theoretical dimensions, and that it possesses convergent validity. Study 3 further refines the item set, confirms the dimensionality of the scale, and establishes that the scale possesses construct validity in the form of discriminant and nomological validity. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.