Social Stress

CBT

Socratic Questioning

Purpose:

Socratic Questioning is a reflective technique where you ask a series of open-ended questions to examine and challenge your beliefs and thought patterns. This technique helps you break down assumptions and reconsider perspectives, especially in social situations, allowing you to gain clarity and make more balanced decisions.

Science:

  • Reduces Cognitive Bias: Socratic questioning challenges automatic beliefs and assumptions, reducing cognitive biases and promoting more logical, balanced thinking in stressful social situations.
    Improves Emotional Regulation: The process of questioning helps detach from impulsive emotional responses, fostering calm and thoughtful reactions in social interactions.
    Enhances Self-Awareness: By examining your thought patterns, you develop greater self-awareness, improving emotional intelligence and social decision-making.

When to Use:

  • Before moments of social stress

(ie. preparing for a social event where you may not know anyone, before a group project with tough social dynamics)

  • During social stressors

(ie. when feeling judged or during a disagreement)

  • After facing socially stressful events

(ie. after a conflict or when replaying an interaction with others)

How to Use:

  1. Identify the belief or thought: Recognize the negative thought or assumption causing distress (e.g., “Everyone is judging me”).

  2. Ask open-ended questions: Challenge your belief with questions like:

    • “What evidence supports this thought?”

    • “Is there another explanation?”

    • “How would I respond if I weren’t so stressed?”

  3. Consider alternatives: Explore different perspectives by asking:

    • “What might someone else think in this situation?”

    • “What are the facts, and how can I interpret them differently?”

  4. Reframe the thought: Replace the original thought with a more balanced one (e.g., “Not everyone is focused on me; they’re likely thinking about their own experiences”).

  5. Evaluate the impact: Reflect on how this new perspective affects your emotional state and behavior, and continue practicing questioning to build resilience.

Tools:

To practice Socratic Questioning try our:

  • “Flip the Script” Guided Worksheet