Final answer:
Greater similarity and familiarity between individuals enhance the process of understanding in the listening process. Understanding is supported by the ease of connecting new information with known experiences, which helps in making sense of what is being communicated.
Step-by-step explanation:
When individuals can relate something with which they are familiar, and there is similarity between individuals, the chances are greater that the part of the listening process known as understanding will occur.
Understanding is facilitated when concepts can be connected to known experiences or knowledge. This connection aids in making the new information more accessible and easier to grasp.
For example, using analogies or examples that draw on common experiences can enhance understanding. In visual perception, the principle of similarity means that elements that are similar to each other are grouped together, aiding recognition and understanding.
Additionally, retrieval of information through processes such as recall and recognition, which rely on familiarity, can also support understanding.
Understanding is further influenced by our natural tendency to form relationships with people who share similarities with us, as well as cultural factors that affect how individuals perceive and understand the world around them.