Nestačí jen „slyšet“: Aktivní naslouchání – Herynková Marie, Havigerová Jana Marie (2026)

Can you really listen, or are you merely waiting for your turn to speak? Listening is not just the passive reception of information; it is a biologically and psychologically demanding process requiring perception, attention, empathy and specific communication skills. This Czech-language monograph by Marie Herynková and Jana Marie Havigerová connects the theory of active listening in the tradition of Carl Rogers with contemporary models of the listening process, neuroscientific explanations of its demands and, above all, the authors’ own quasi-experimental research involving 74 student teachers. Their seven-week training was monitored using the AEL-S questionnaire and objective analysis of recorded conversations. The results reveal an interesting contrast between subjective perception and measurable reality: although the students did not themselves feel changed, their communication shifted from defensive reactions towards greater use of clarification, emotional validation and expressions of empathy, while their overall style of conducting conversations also changed. The book offers no simple instructions or universal recipes, but presents an expert, measured, data-based view of active listening as a skill that can be developed and is worth developing. It is intended for students and professionals in education, psychology and the helping professions, as well as readers seeking a scholarly text linking theory and practice through empirical findings.