Selective attention can be deadly in small group communication. When someone chooses one message over another, they are losing out on the other message. People tune out certain messages because they are not interested, it doesn't involve them, it is the opposite of their view point, or the material is difficult to understand.
In my business ethics class, my professor assigns reading before each lecture. I came into class one day without reading the pages he assigned. I sat in my chair and became easily distracted because the material was hard to follow. On days I kept up with the reading, I sat in class and listened to the whole lecture. During the whole lecture, I would tell myself, "I remember reading that!" If I tune out my professor because I didn't read the book, I am losing out on certain questions that my professor could have answered in his lecture. Knowing and reading about the material before a discussion is a great way to overcome selective hearing.
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