Which term describes 'taking a new message and making it fit what we want to hear or what we are used to hearing'?

• A. Intrinsic reward
• B. Informing
• C. Expressing imagination
• D. Reconstructive listening

Answer: (D)

Taking a new message and making it fit what we want to hear describes reconstructive listening. It happens when we use our preconceptions and desires to interpret new information, bending or reshaping it to align with what we already believe or want to be true. This is a form of top-down processing, where our expectations guide how we hear and understand, often leading to distortion or reinterpretation of the message so it feels familiar or agreeable.

This term fits best because it specifically captures the idea of actively shaping incoming information to fit our own views, rather than simply delivering information clearly or creating something from imagination, or focusing on internal rewards. For example, you might hear a neutral policy note and interpret it as endorsing a position you oppose because that interpretation matches your existing stance.