Tamara is deathly afraid of coming in contact with germs. So, her therapist gradually exposes Tamara to "unclean" things, such as touching dirt or taking a bite of an unwashed piece of fruit, while in a calm, relaxed, and supportive environment. This technique is known as:______.
a. systematic desensitization.
b. vicarious conditioning.
c. spontaneous recovery.
d. modeling.

Systematic desensitization: In psychology, the term "systematic desensitization" is described as one of the 'behavioral techniques" that is being generally used by different psychologists to treat phobias, fear, and anxiety disorders.

A psychologist who uses systematic desensitization on his or her clients engages the client in a few relaxation exercises and then eventually expose the client to a distinct "anxiety-provoking stimulus" such as place, object, etc.

Goal: It is considered as one of the therapeutic interventions that help in eliminating anxiety or fearful situations.

In the question above, the given technique is known as systematic desensitization.