Final answer:
Empathetic listening involves engaging with the speaker's emotions and is more challenging than active listening because it requires emotional depth and understanding, making option (b) the correct choice.
Step-by-step explanation:
Empathetic listening is a deep form of listening where you practice understanding and sharing the feelings of others. Unlike simply hearing words, empathetic listening involves paying attention to the speaker's emotions, using non-verbal cues like body language, and providing feedback that communicates emotional engagement and comprehension. It is a crucial skill in building rapport and aiding communication in personal and professional relationships.
Among the options provided, empathetic listening is typically considered more challenging than active listening (option b) because it goes beyond the mechanics of capturing information to include emotional depth and alignment with the speaker. It is not less important than active listening (option a), does not focus solely on verbal communication (option c), and certainly does not exclude emotional understanding (option d).
The correct option in the final answer is therefore (b) Empathetic listening is more challenging than active listening.