What is listening?

What is listening? What does it mean to listen to someone else? The question seems simple, but the answer is actually quite complicated. Here are some ways we listen, together with some of the characteristics:

• listen to your mother or boss (obey, maybe grudgingly)
• listen to your ipod (casually or really immersed in it)
• listen to a rock concert (lots of physical involvement throughout)
• listen to a classical music concert (stay quiet until the end, then clap)
• listen to a customer (gather feedback, gather requirements, diffuse complaint)
• listen to an angry spouse (you're often more interested in fighting back than anything else)
• listen to someone asking for directions or instructions (the focus is on the solution)
• listen to a good friend who just lost his job (the focus is on helping, comforting, or just listening to your friend)

When you listen to your spouse, do you just give her part of your attention, like when you're listening to your ipod? When your small child comes home jumping up and down about winning the soccer game, do you listen as if you're at a rock concert or classical music concert?

How else can we listen?