However, it is also important to remember that he's also potentially the Ego Ideal in various theories. Thus, he's notably shown to be more-or-less telling the other what it is they need to hear and want to hear - all the things they strive and want to be - that's usually in his scope. He's basically approval and reassurance of "good behavior" (and I say this quotations as it's not actually literal in his case - more like a reassurance of individual thought or opinions, etc.), if you'd like to get down to it. He's more-or-less a mirror of Shinji's ideal, thus this can be more-or-less applied in some fashions by those who speak with him. He mirrors back certain concepts, but never allows anyone under the surface (or so extremely rarely it might as well be counted as never). He's more interested in learning about the other, thus his questions and conversations - as well as his construction of thoughts naturally flows in that direction.
5/??