The final variable that can influence your anxious response is the size or degree of something. For example, if you’re afraid of dogs, you might be more anxious around a large dog than a small one. For Bart, the intensity of his anxious response was
influenced by the degree to which he perceived something was dirty or germ laden. Touching the toilet seat in his bathroom at home triggered more anxiety and more-intense urges to wash his hands than touching his kitchen counter.
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