When a person listens and attempts to understand the other person's viewpoint, he or she can be termed as engaging in

Listening in order to understand another person's point of view is empathetic listening.

Here the listener tries to enter the speaker's frame of reference and grasp their feelings and meaning.

Active listening is the broader practice of full attention and feedback, of which empathy is one strand.

Critical listening judges and evaluates the message rather than seeking to understand the other's view.

Passive listening is mere receiving without effort, the opposite of this engaged understanding.

Empathetic listening is central to Carl Rogers' client centred, non judgmental approach to communication.