1 – One listening barrier present in the initial situation above is selective listening, where Scott was focused on watching the hockey game and did not fully engage with Melissa’s questions and comments.

2 – Scott was an ineffective listener during the initial conversation as he displayed signs of pseudo-listening, where he pretended to listen by saying “uh-huh” but was not fully attentive or engaged in the conversation.

3 – Scott achieved the lowest step on the hierarchy of listening during the initial conversation, which is hearing. He heard Melissa’s words but did not actively listen or comprehend the message she was trying to convey.

4 – It is the responsibility of both parties involved in the communication to ensure successful communication. While the speaker should articulate their message clearly, the listener should actively listen and engage to ensure mutual understanding.

5 – Scott displayed passive-aggressive conflict behavior when Timmy arrived, as he reacted with surprise and retreated to watch the ballgame instead of addressing his feelings or concerns directly with Melissa.

6 – If Melissa later began a conversation with Scott about the incident using Assertiveness Conflict Behavior, she would express her feelings and concerns assertively, focusing on open communication, honesty, and respect for each other’s perspectives to resolve the conflict.

7 – In the initial conversation, if Scott was an Active Listener, he would have used active listening techniques such as maintaining eye contact, nodding to show understanding, paraphrasing Melissa’s words to confirm comprehension, and providing verbal cues to indicate engagement and interest in the conversation. This would have helped improve communication and prevent misunderstandings.