Have you ever walked away from a debate feeling unheard, even when your arguments were airtight? Or wondered why some colleagues effortlessly sway opinions during meetings? 

The answer might not lie in what they say but in how they listen. A groundbreaking study published this year suggests that while high-quality listening improves trust and reduces defensiveness, it may not necessarily enhance persuasion.

The study setup

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, the experiment recruited 1,485 US participants for 10-minute video conversations with trained canvassers about unauthorized immigration, a politically divisive issue.

Researchers randomized two elements: persuasive narrative and high-quality listening. Participants in the persuasive narrative group heard a compelling story about an undocumented immigrant, while those in the high-quality listening group interacted with canvassers who actively listened by asking open-ended questions, avoiding judgment, and demonstrating engagement.

Listening improves trust, but not persuasion

Contrary to common belief, the study found that sharing a persuasive narrative significantly shifted attitudes, with effects persisting even five weeks later. 

Active listening improved perceptions of the persuader and reduced defensiveness, making participants feel more positive about the speaker. However, listening did not enhance persuasion; attitude shifts occurred with or without high-quality listening.

The researchers suggest several reasons for their findings, including how people process persuasive messages. A 2000 study on narrative persuasion found that persuasive storytelling — not listening — is the key factor in changing minds. In other words, the more absorbed you are into a story, the more persuasive that narrative would be. Trust and likability also do not necessarily lead to belief change, as past studies on media persuasion suggest. People process persuasive messages regardless of whether they feel heard.

The 2025 study also found that listening increased cognitive processing, meaning participants thought more deeply about the topic. However, this didn’t always lead to changed attitudes.

In contrast, earlier studies in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggested that when people feel safe in a conversation, they’re more likely to critically reassess their views. However, the 2025 study found that even when participants processed information more deeply, they often retained their original stance.

The limits of listening: Performance vs. authentic engagement

A 2024 study in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that individuals in high-emotional labour roles — such as therapists, mediators, and negotiators — experienced 22 per cent higher burnout rates when required to “perform” listening without genuine intent. However, empathetic engagement, defined as actively listening, understanding, and responding to others’ emotions with authenticity and care, can help mitigate this burnout when performed sincerely.

This aligns with the findings of the 2025 study, which discovered that while listening is beneficial for relationship-building, it is not a guaranteed tool for persuasion. As a result, organizations that train employees in empathetic engagement may need to reconsider their expectations, as persuasion relies more on storytelling.

How to listen without losing yourself

The researchers from the 2025 study suggest three practical strategies to balance listening and persuasion. 

First, pair listening with storytelling, as facts alone don’t change minds — people respond to compelling personal stories. Use listening to lower defensiveness; if someone is highly resistant, listening can create space for eventual attitude shifts. Finally, avoid emotional labour traps — listening should not come at the expense of your own well-being.

While universities and workplaces increasingly emphasize and value “soft skills,” these studies suggest that listening alone does not drive persuasion. Instead, persuasion requires both storytelling and listening to create the best environment for it. 

True persuasion isn’t about out-talking others — it’s about creating environments where people feel safe enough to process their thoughts and change their minds.