APCO Practice Exam 2025 – The Complete All-in-One Guide to Master Public-Safety Communications!

The active listening technique that involves stating the emotions communicated by the speaker is reflecting. This technique requires the listener to carefully interpret and acknowledge the feelings expressed by the speaker, which helps to reinforce the speaker's emotional experience and ensures that they feel heard and understood. By reflecting emotions, the listener provides validation, which can foster a deeper connection and encourage further communication.

For instance, if a speaker expresses frustration about a situation, the listener might respond by saying, "It sounds like you are feeling really frustrated about this." This not only shows that the listener is engaged but also invites the speaker to elaborate or share more about their feelings.

In contrast, summarizing focuses on reiterating the main points of what the speaker has said, while paraphrasing involves restating the speaker's message in the listener's own words. Clarifying seeks to gain a better understanding of the speaker's message by asking follow-up questions or seeking additional information. While all these techniques are important in active listening, reflecting is specifically about acknowledging and articulating the emotions being conveyed.