Musturbation is the term used to describe rigid thinking characterized by musts, shoulds, and oughts; what type of thinking is this?

• A. A technique for cognitive restructuring
• B. The word used by Albert Ellis to describe beliefs grounded in musts, shoulds, and oughts; a rigid and absolute thinking.
• C. A process for recognizing irrational thoughts
• D. A coping strategy for emotional regulation

Answer: (B)

Musturbation refers to rigid, absolutist thinking driven by musts, shoulds, and oughts—a term Albert Ellis used in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy to describe beliefs that demand the world conform to certain rules and that something must happen a certain way. When those demands aren’t met, it often leads to emotional distress because the person reacts as if those musts are nonnegotiable. That’s why this option is the best fit: it names the exact thinking pattern and its connection to Ellis’s work, rather than describing a technique, a recognition process, or a coping strategy.