A fear hierarchy is a list of situations or behaviors related to a phobia, ranked from least to most anxiety-inducing. This tool is used in graded exposure and systematic desensitization. For a person with arachnophobia (fear of spiders), a sample hierarchy with corresponding fear ratings could be:

• Look at a photo of a spider: Fear Rating 15
• Look at a real spider through clear glass: Fear Rating 35
• Hold a box that contains a spider: Fear Rating 55
• Watch a spider crawl across the floor: Fear Rating 65
• Watch a spider crawl across your desk: Fear Rating 75
• Hold a spider with gloved hands: Fear Rating 90
• Hold a spider with bare hands: Fear Rating 100

The accompanying image of a person holding a large spider on their bare arm represents the final and most challenging step in this hierarchy.