of as a form of behavioral experiment. By entering feared situations and exposing your -
self to feared sensations repeatedly, you will discover whether your beliefs about social 
and performance situations are true or false.
Why Exposure May Not Have Worked in the Past
People who are about to begin exposure-based treatments often wonder why they 
should expect exposure to work now if it hasn’t worked in the past. In all likelihood, 
you’ve already been exposed to anxiety-provoking social situations from time to time 
and, in many cases, your fear has probably not decreased. In fact, your anxiety may have 
increased with repeated exposures. Given such previous experiences with exposure, you 
may be skeptical about whether simply exposing yourself again to feared social situations 
will lead to a decrease in your fear. 
It’s important to acknowledge that exposure is not effective under all circumstances. 
For example, unpredictable exposure can lead to an increase in fear, particularly if it 
involves a negative event or consequence. Imagine this situation: You are afraid of dogs 
and a dog unexpectedly runs out from behind a tree and starts growling at you. That 
kind of exposure would only make your fear worse. On the other hand, if you are