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In social anxiety disorder, which of the following would count as a safety behaviour?
ARehearsing a plan to confront the feared situation
BAvoiding eye contact during a conversation
CReporting anxiety symptoms honestly to a doctor
DRecalling a past social success before speaking
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Avoiding eye contact during a conversation
1. Safety behaviours are mental or behavioural acts that cut anxiety by reducing the chance of a negative social outcome.
2. Listed examples include avoiding eye contact, rehearsing sentences before speaking, talking only briefly and not talking about oneself.
3. They usually make matters worse, because they stop the person disconfirming their own negative beliefs.
4. Confronting the situation and reporting symptoms to a doctor move against avoidance rather than serving it.
_Source: OpenStax Psychology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 15 "Psychological Disorders", section 15.4 Anxiety Disorders_
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