Albert Bandura and his incremental process - Creative Confidence #4
Albert Bandura, a researcher and a professor of psychology at Stanford explained his process to cure phobias; snake phobias, for example.
Basically, it takes a lot of patience and small incremental steps. First, Bandura tells phobic people that there is a snake next door and they're going in there.
He leads them through a long sequence of challenges, tailoring each subsequent step to be just within reach. For example, at one point, he tells them to look at a man in the room, holding a snake. He asks what they think the snake will do. People with phobias say that the snake will wrap itself around the man and choke it. But the snake does nothing as such.
Many small steps later, they are standing next to the snake. By the time the session ends, they have touched the snake.
His research has shown that when people believe they can change a situation, they undertake tougher challenges. They are more resilient in the face of obstacles.
Lesson:
Doubt in one's ability can be cured by guiding people through a series of small successes. The same holds true for creative confidence too. You are better able to find solutions to difficult problems. You'll find new possibilities and collaborations to improve your situation.
[Creative Confidence Newsletter: 4 of 25]
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