How to Engage in Behavioural Experiments 

‘Experiments’ are an incredibly impactful therapeutic intervention, commonly used within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment.

Experiments (also referred to as ‘behavioral experiments’), are planned activities designed to test the validity of one’s thoughts or beliefs. The purpose of an experiment is to provide the individual with an opportunity for some experiential learning and real-time information gathering. Experiments are frequently used to challenge existing beliefs (usually ones that are problematic or rigid), or to test out and build new beliefs (that are more flexible and adaptive).

Why do a behavioral experiment in the first place?

• Experiences are powerful!
  • Experiential learning (going out and testing our beliefs firsthand) is a rich and valuable learning opportunity.
• Experiments give us opportunity to put logic into action.
  • So often people will say that they “know” their thoughts or beliefs aren’t true logically – but they just “feel” true.
• Experiments allow us to intentionally gather new information and consolidate new learning.
  • This process can eventually support more balanced (and less rigid) ways of thinking
• Experiments give us opportunity to learn about ourselves!
  • Even if the thing we’re worried about does happen – we usually have an opportunity to learn more about our own coping skills, and the world around us. (Psst: usually the worst case doesn’t happen – even if it doesn’t go as planned. And when the outcome isn’t favorable, there’s a good chance you have the skills to tolerate or manage it).

What are some types and examples of behavioral experiments?

• Survey and Observe: directly survey others/ask their opinions or observing others in real life to gather information related to your beliefs
  • Example Belief: “If I ask for help, others will laugh at me”
  • Experiment (Survey): Survey friends, family, work colleagues – and more! Ask what they believe it means when someone asks for help.
  • Experiment (Observe): Keep an eye out – in the office, the grocery store, the restaurant (or wherever!) – and see what happens when a stranger asks another person for help.

• Does the “THEN” always follow the “IF”? Often the beliefs we are testing follow the formula “If ____, Then ____”. For instance, “If I do everything perfectly, then others will like me”, “If there is silence in the conversation, then it will be awkward”, “If I don’t respond to people right away, then they will be angry with me”.
  • Example Belief: “If there is silence in the conversation, then it will be awkward”
  • Experiment: Engage in (many) conversations where you purposefully allow for moments of silence – and see what happens!

• Opposite Behavior: Do the opposite behavior to what your rigid or troublesome belief tells you to do, and see what happens!
  • Example Belief: “I must never make mistakes”
  • Experiment: Try making small, calculated mistakes and see what the outcome actually is. This may look like sending an email with a known spelling error, “forgetting” something at the grocery store that your spouse asked for, or pulling out the wrong card at the grocery store and asking the clerk to try payment again.

• Act as your “PREFERRED” belief: If you’re aware of the more balanced and adaptive belief that you’d like to be governed by, try to choose actions that align with that belief.
  • Example Beliefs: If my existing/rigid belief is “If I go to social events, nobody will talk to me”, and yet logically I know a more balanced and realistic belief would be “I have good social skills and can make small talk with others”
  • Experiment: Attend a social event and lean into this preferred belief (remembering your skills and strengths) and see how you do!

How to set up an experiment:

Most behavioral experiments are planned using a worksheet to help guide the plan. Often this sheet will include spots to identify:

• The experiment (what exactly are you testing, how and when)
• The belief/thought you are challenging
• Your prediction (how you think the experiment will go)
• Any possible problems or barriers to completing the experiment (we always want to set ourselves up with greatest success to follow through with therapeutic interventions, so troubleshooting is key)
• Strategies to overcome perceived barriers

Then we go forth and complete the experiment!

When the experiment is over, we also want to record:

• The outcome (what happened!?)
• A debrief and reflection of “what was learned” from doing this experiment

Of all the items in the list above, the most important pieces to highlight are the (1) pre-experiment predictions and (2) debrief of lessons learned. These two pieces are essential for consolidating new learnings and moving towards more adaptive and healthy beliefs.

And remember: sample size is key! No solid research is based on one experiment alone. In order to truly see a shift in everyday thoughts and beliefs, we need numerous rounds and experiences to gather lots of information (or “data”). Only then can we draw any hard conclusions or see any real change occur.