Ropes suggests that the phrase “swift to hear,” used in James 1:19 (tachus eis to akousai), relates primarily to the hearing of or the ready obedience to the Word (referring to 1:18).
It is not just an imperative concerning normal social interaction or communication. It is, in fact, the trait of a good pupil, “quick to learn, slow to forget” (Ropes, International Critical Commentary, James, pp.168f.).
The imperative given in this text is really a conventional Jewish exhortation. The same form or pattern (not exactly the same directive) can be seen in Ecclesiastes 7:9, Matthew 5:22, and Ephesians 4:26 (Sidebottom, Century Bible, James, p.33).