Unleash Your Inner Social Worker: Master the SWES Human Behavior Exam 2026!

The term that best describes the behavior of a young woman with an overwhelming urge to clean her shoes after being outdoors is compulsive behavior. Compulsions are repetitive actions that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. In this case, the urge to clean the shoes can stem from obsessive thoughts regarding cleanliness, contamination, or an irrational fear of dirt.

Compulsive behaviors are often aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing a feared event, even if such actions do not logically connect to that outcome. The young woman's need to clean her shoes reflects a compulsion that might be associated with a fear of germs, dirt, or disorder, illustrating an intense and repeated action prompted by this underlying anxiety.

Other options, while related, do not fully encapsulate the nature of her actions. Obsessive thoughts would refer to the persistent, intrusive thinking that could drive her behavior, while an anxiety response might involve a general reaction to fear rather than the specific behavior witnessed. Adaptive behavior relates to actions that effectively enable individuals to adjust to challenges or changes in their environment, which does not align with the description of the overwhelming urge noted in the scenario.