Arranging anxiety-provoking situations in a hierarchy would be characteristic of __________.

A) behavioral contracting
B) operant conditioning
C) aversive conditioning
D) systematic desensitization

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce phobic responses and anxiety through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation.

Anxiety-Provoking Situations

Circumstances or events that induce a state of anxiety or stress, often used in psychological studies to understand coping mechanisms.