In the analogy “Obsession is to compulsion as cognition is to ____”, which option best matches the relationship between mental process and its typical partner?

Introduction / Context:
This analogy comes from psychology and tests your understanding of how certain mental processes are commonly paired in theory and therapy. In discussions of obsessive–compulsive disorder, obsession refers to recurrent unwanted thoughts, and compulsion refers to repetitive actions that people feel driven to perform in response to those thoughts. The second part uses the term cognition, which is a broad word for thinking or mental processing. You must choose the option that stands to cognition in a relationship similar to the way compulsion stands to obsession.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair: obsession and compulsion.
• Second pair: cognition and an unknown term.
• Options: behavior, emotion, compulsion, None of the above, memory.
• We assume standard terminology from cognitive–behavioral psychology.

Concept / Approach:
In clinical and theoretical psychology, the phrase “cognitive–behavioral” is very common. It reflects the idea that cognition (thoughts) and behavior (actions) are closely linked. Similarly, in obsessive–compulsive disorder, obsession (thoughts) and compulsion (actions) are paired. Thus, obsession : compulsion and cognition : behavior both show “thought patterns” linked to “actions or responses”. To keep the analogy consistent, we must pair cognition with behavior.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Clarify the first pair. Obsession refers to persistent thoughts or mental images that cause anxiety. Step 2: Compulsion refers to repetitive behaviours or rituals performed in response to obsessions. Step 3: Label the relation as “mental process” leading to or paired with a “behavioural response.” Step 4: Cognition is a broad term for mental processes such as thinking, reasoning, and perceiving. Step 5: In psychology, cognition is commonly paired with behavior, for example in cognitive–behavioral therapy. Step 6: Therefore, behavior is the term that stands to cognition as compulsion stands to obsession.

Verification / Alternative check:
Consider the options. Emotion refers to feelings like happiness or anger; although related to thoughts, the classic pair in therapy and theory is not “cognition and emotion” but “cognition and behavior.” Compulsion repeats the word from the first pair and would suggest obsession : compulsion :: cognition : compulsion, which does not fit the pattern. Memory is a subtype of cognition, not a paired action. “None of the above” is incorrect because a valid and conventional pair does exist, namely cognition and behavior.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Emotion is indeed influenced by cognition, but the standard conceptual pair used in many models is “cognition–behavior,” not “cognition–emotion.” Compulsion is already on the behavioural side in the first pair and does not form a new analogous pair with cognition. Memory sits inside cognition as a process rather than acting as its counterpart. Therefore, these options do not reproduce the relationship “thoughts linked to actions” that the first pair displays.

Common Pitfalls:
Students unfamiliar with psychological terminology may treat the problem as just a vocabulary question and choose emotion because it seems like a different mental process. Others may feel uncertain and choose “None of the above.” Learning the common phrase “cognitive–behavioral therapy” and understanding that it connects thoughts and actions helps ensure that behavior is recognised as the correct answer in such analogies.

Final Answer:
The analogy is correctly completed as “Obsession is to compulsion as cognition is to behavior,” linking thought processes to their associated actions.