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Virtual reality simulations are just as effective as conventional therapy at
curing people’s fear of flying, Samantha Smith and Barbara Rothbaum told the
American Psychological Association’s annual convention in Washington DC last
week. Therapy usually involves time-consuming trips to the airport, sitting on
aircraft and imagining flights. By using virtual reality to simulate planes
taking off and landing in all kinds of weather, patients can be treated in the
comfort of the therapist’s office.