Safety behaviors are actions that a person with social anxiety performs in feared situations to prevent a catastrophic consequence (blushing, trembling, being judged). They include: avoiding eye contact, speaking softly, carrying a phone "just in case", preparing scripts, avoiding drinking in meetings, occupying corners to not be seen. Salkovskis showed that they paradoxically maintain and reinforce the phobia: the person attributes the "success" (not fainting, not being rejected) to the behavior, not to their ability to tolerate the situation. By withdrawing the behavior (exposure without safety), the fear reduces.
Concept origin
Salkovskis PM, Clark DM, Gelder MG. (1995). Social phobia: The role of in-situation safety behaviors in maintaining anxiety and negative beliefs. Behavior Therapy, 26, 153-161. doi:10.1016/s0005-7894(05)80088-7
How it manifests
- ▸ Avoiding direct eye contact
- ▸ Speaking in low or monotonous voice
- ▸ Carrying safety items (phone, water, candy)
- ▸ Preparing scripts for spontaneous conversations
Therapeutic approach
The central technique is the "behavioral experiment" in exposure: identify the safety behavior, withdraw it in a gradual situation, and compare the predicted result (catastrophe) with the real one. Exposure works ONLY if the person exposes themselves WITHOUT safety behaviors, because these hide the true learning ("I can tolerate uncertainty").
Related concepts
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