Which technique is commonly referred to as exposure therapy?

• A. Modeling.
• B. Shaping.
• C. Systematic Desensitization.
• D. Thought stopping.

Answer: (C)

Exposure therapy focuses on confronting feared stimuli or situations in a controlled way to reduce anxiety through habituation or extinction. Systematic desensitization fits this approach because it is a graded exposure procedure that pairs relaxation training with a fear hierarchy, allowing the person to gradually face the feared stimuli while staying calm. This gradual, paired approach is what makes it a classic form of exposure therapy. In contrast, modeling involves watching others perform the task, shaping is about reinforcing successive approximations of a behavior, and thought stopping targets intrusive thoughts rather than actual exposure to the feared cue.