Dr Bandura presents basic psychological principles governing human thought and behavior within the conceptual framework of social learning. This theory emphasizes the prominent roles played by vicarious, symbolic, and self-regulatory processes in psychological functioning. Dr Bandura believes the reason for the sustained interest in this book is because it provided a unified conceptual framework within which to study diverse psychological phenomena and it specified procedures for effecting change. Behavior modification is the use of empirically demonstrated behavior change techniques to increase or decrease the frequency of behaviors, such as altering an individual's behaviors and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior and/or the reduction of behavior through its extinction, punishment and/or satiation. Most behavior modification programs currently used are those based on Applied behavior analysis (ABA), formerly known as the experimental analysis of behavior which was pioneered by B. F. Skinner.

1. Causal processes -- 2. Value issues and objectives -- 3. Modeling and vicarious processes -- 4. Positive control -- 5. Aversive control -- 6. Extinction -- 7. Desensitization through counterconditioning -- 8. Aversive counterconditioning -- 9. Symbolic control of behavioral changes.