An intonation of interest in the meaning of the answer

Hello,

The follow words are about how the innotation would affect the answer from a patient. But I don't understand the sentence in blue.

Q1. Does that mean "if I ask the patient with certain innotation which show my emotion, i.e. interest, the innotation would likely change the answer of the patient.

Q2: I think "answer" I highlight in red is not answer, but a question from the therapist. I don't know why it is stated as "answer" but not "question". Could you explain this to me?

Thanks!

Yet experience has taught me the importance of my assumption of the role of a purely passive inquirer, one who asks a question solely to receive an answer regardless of its content. An intonation of interest in the meaning of the answer is likely to induce the subject to respond as if he had been given instructions concerning what answer to give. In therapeutic work I use intonations to influence more adequate personal responses by the patient.

With Huxley I tested this by enthusiastically asking, "What, tell me now, is that which is just about 15 feet in front of you?" The correct answer should have been, "A table." Instead, the answer received was" A table with a book and a vase on it." Both the book and the vase were on the table but on the far side of the table and hence more than 15 feetaway. Later the same inquiry was made in a casual indifferent fashion, "Tell me now what is that just about 15 feet in front of you?" He replied, despite his previous answer, "A table." "Anything else?" "Yes." "What else?" "A book." (This was nearer to him than was the vase.) "Anything else?" "Yes." "Tell me now." "A vase." "Anything else?" "Yes." "Tell me now." "A spot." "Anything else?" "No."