Which of the following best illustrates a compulsion?

• A. A person experiences persistent, intrusive thoughts about contamination.
• B. A person repeatedly washes their hands to reduce anxiety about germs, even when their hands are already clean.
• C. A person feels sad and hopeless for most of the day.
• D. A person avoids social situations due to fear of embarrassment.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of a compulsion in psychology: A compulsion is a repetitive behavior or mental act that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rigid rules, often aimed at reducing distress or preventing a feared event.
2. Identify the key features of compulsions: They are repetitive actions, often performed to alleviate anxiety caused by intrusive thoughts (obsessions), and are typically recognized by the individual as excessive or unreasonable.
3. Analyze each option in the problem: The first option describes intrusive thoughts (obsessions), not compulsions. The second option involves repetitive hand washing, which is a behavior performed to reduce anxiety, fitting the definition of a compulsion.
4. Recognize that feeling sad and hopeless (third option) relates to mood symptoms, not compulsions, and avoiding social situations (fourth option) relates to avoidance behavior, not compulsions.
5. Conclude that the best illustration of a compulsion is the repeated hand washing to reduce anxiety about germs, as it matches the criteria of a compulsive behavior.