Seven 40-minute sessions in the computer imagery laboratory resulted in significant reductions in fear among people who tried this technique. The group may act out the feared situations, such as public speaking. The group members are coached on what frightens the speaker most. For example, they are told to fidget and look bored. Through such exposure, the person learns not to be so frightened of the performance situations.
Cognitive therapy is also helpful for social phobia.
This type of treatment addresses the cognitive biases we discussed earlier. For instance, a social phobic might learn not to interpret fidgeting in the audience as a sign that his or her speech is not going well, but instead to see the fidgeting as caused by uncomfortable chairs, fatigue, and so on.