And according to psychology research, only about 5% of people have mastered the art of genuine listening. Here are nine signs that psychology says separate exceptional listeners from everyone else. Exceptional listeners have what psychologists call “episodic memory for conversations.” They don’t just hear words; they encode the entire experience. Exceptional listeners know that silence isn’t empty; it’s where people gather courage to share what really matters. If you recognized yourself in several of these signs, congratulations – you’re probably already a better listener than most.