Compulsive hand washing often increases in frequency because it relieves feelings of anxiety.This best illustrates the impact of ________ on compulsive behaviors.

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Compulsive hand washing is a behavior that is reinforced by the relief of anxiety. Reinforcement refers to any consequence that strengthens a behavior and increases the likelihood of it happening again in the future. By relieving feelings of anxiety, hand washing is reinforced and becomes more frequent. The other options are not as applicable to this scenario. Panic refers to sudden and overwhelming feelings of fear, which may not necessarily be present in this situation. Classical conditioning involves learning associations between stimuli and responses, which may play a role in some compulsive behaviors, but is not the primary driving factor in hand washing. Stimulus generalization refers to the tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to a previously conditioned stimulus, which is also not directly relevant to this scenario.

Compulsive Hand Washing Often Increases in Frequency Because It Relieves