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A REVIEW OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES BY

RAYMOND G. MILTENBERGER

Article in Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis · March 1998

DOI: 10.1901/jaba.1998.31-159

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JOURNAL OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS 1998, 31, 159–161 NUMBER 1 (SPRING 1998)

A REVIEW OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:

PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES BY RAYMOND G. MILTENBERGER
JAMES E. CARR
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA

AND

JENNIFER L. AUSTIN
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

In a marketplace that already includes sev- dents that applied behavior analysis is a data-
eral high-quality textbooks on applied be- driven science concerned with precise mea-
havior analysis (e.g., Cooper, Heron, & He- surement of behavior. It also provides them
ward, 1987; Kazdin, 1994; Martin & Pear, with the information they need to under-
1995; Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991), cre- stand research examples presented later in
ating one that makes a significant improve- the text. However, because measurement is
ment in the presentation of the material is typically not one of the more compelling
not an easy task. However, Miltenberger topics taught in behavior analysis courses,
(1997) has accomplished this goal with his placing it at the beginning of the book may
recent textbook entitled Behavior Modifica- require that the instructor work a bit more
tion: Principles and Procedures. diligently to establish an initial excitement
Miltenberger states that the goal of the about learning the principles and procedures
textbook is to teach students the basic prin- of applied behavior analysis.
ciples and procedures of behavior modifica- Part 2 (‘‘Basic Principles’’) includes chap-
tion. To accomplish this goal, he first intro- ters on reinforcement, extinction, punish-
duces students to the definition of behavior ment, stimulus control, and respondent con-
modification and its areas of application, ditioning. The purpose of this unit is to fa-
and then follows this definition with chap- miliarize students with the fundamental
ters organized into five conceptual units. principles of behavior prior to applying
Part 1 (‘‘Measurement of Behavior and Be- those principles.
havior Change’’) includes chapters on ob-
Part 3 (‘‘Procedures to Establish and In-
serving and recording behavior, graphing,
crease Desirable Behavior’’) includes chap-
measurement, and research design. Placing
ters on differential reinforcement, shaping,
the unit on measurement at the beginning
prompting and transfer of stimulus control,
of the book is a departure from the organi-
zation seen in most undergraduate behavior chaining, behavioral skills training, antece-
modification texts, which typically begin dent control procedures, and promoting
with the basic principles of behavior. A ben- generalization. This unit covers some of the
efit of covering this information at the be- more current issues in behavior analysis, in-
ginning of the text is that it imparts to stu- cluding brief coverage of stimulus preference
assessment.
Miltenberger, R. G. (1997). Behavior modification: Part 4 (‘‘Procedures to Decrease Undesir-
Principles and procedures. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. able Behavior’’) includes chapters on func-
Correspondence should be addressed to James E. Carr,
Department of Psychology / 296, University of Nevada, tional assessment, extinction, differential re-
Reno, Nevada 89557-0062 (E-mail: jcarr@[Link]). inforcement, antecedent manipulations,

159
160 JAMES E. CARR and JENNIFER L. AUSTIN

punishment procedures (two chapters), and summaries, and study questions. The text is
promoting generalized behavior reduction. rich with examples of both real-life and clin-
Miltenberger’s exemplary chapter on func- ical situations that provide the student with
tional assessment is located before the chap- a better understanding of how behavior anal-
ters on decelerative procedures; this empha- ysis is utilized to make meaningful changes
sizes the importance of designing interven- in human behavior.
tions based on behavioral function. Part 4 Some of the most unique and helpful
also includes a good discussion of the issue parts of the text are the application and mis-
of using punishment for behavior reduction application sections at the end of most chap-
only after functional approaches have failed. ters. These sections present scenarios that re-
This is a departure from other behavior quire students either to apply the informa-
modification textbooks that often include tion they have learned in the chapter or to
only the ethical considerations of how to determine how principles or procedures may
use punishment procedures as opposed to have been incorrectly applied. These sections
when to use them, given our current un- give students an opportunity to test their
derstanding of behavioral function. Another proficiency with the material presented in
specific strength of this section is that it in- the chapter. Answers to the applications and
cludes discussion of several state-of-the-art misapplications are provided in the text, so
interventions including demand fading, that students receive immediate feedback on
curricular revision, and noncontingent re- their performance.
inforcement.
Weaknesses of Miltenberger’s text include
Part 5 (‘‘Other Behavior Change Proce-
the absence of chapters covering group con-
dures’’) includes chapters on habit reversal,
tingencies, behavioral programs, and rule-
token economies, behavioral contracts, fear
governed behavior. In addition, some of the
and anxiety reduction, cognitive-behavior
chapters on procedures to increase behavior
modification, and self-management. The
chapter on habit reversal is probably the only are almost identical to those on decreasing
one of its kind and includes many examples behavior (e.g., antecedent manipulations,
from the current literature. Overall, Part 5 promoting generalization). This material
provides good coverage of the relevant top- might be more effective and less repetitive if
ics; however, the cognitive-behavior modifi- it were presented in a single chapter. Finally,
cation chapter should be updated to include it is unfortunate that Miltenberger chose to
some of the more current empirically vali- use the term behavior modification as op-
dated therapies (e.g., dialectical behavior posed to applied behavior analysis. He states
therapy, functional-analytic psychotherapy, that the terms are synonymous in that they
acceptance and commitment therapy). share common goals (i.e., the analysis and
General strengths of Miltenberger’s text modification of behavior). However, Mace
include chapters that are short and consist (1994) has proposed distinctions in the
of manageable amounts of information that terms, in that behavior modification implies
can be covered in a single semester. The ma- that the primary goal is behavior change and
terial is presented in a clear and concise applied behavior analysis emphasizes a com-
manner, and important information is sum- plete understanding of behavior prior to
marized and presented in useful tables change. Clearly, Miltenberger’s text stresses
throughout the chapters. The text also in- the importance of analyzing the function of
cludes many easy-to-understand graphs of behavior before change. Perhaps this point
behavioral data, comprehensive chapter would have been more consistently conveyed
 BOOK REVIEW 161

if he had used more accepted terminology to REFERENCES

describe the field. Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L.
The accompanying instructor’s manual (1987). Applied behavior analysis. Columbus,
provides a multitude of useful resources for OH: Merrill.
Kazdin, A. E. (1994). Behavior modification in applied
instructors, including answers to textbook settings (5th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
study questions, test questions for each Mace, F. C. (1994). The significance and future of
chapter (true-false, fill-in-the-blank, open- functional analysis methodologies. Journal of Ap-
plied Behavior Analysis, 27, 385–392.
ended), and chapter outlines in large font Martin, G., & Pear, J. (1995). Behavior modification:
that are perforated and designed to be pho- What it is and how to do it (5th ed.). Upper Saddle
tocopied and used as overhead transparen- River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Miltenberger, R. G. (1997). Behavior modification:
cies. In general, Behavior Modification: Prin- Principles and procedures. Pacific Grove, CA:
ciples and Procedures makes a sound contri- Brooks/Cole.
bution to the applied behavior analysis text- Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1991). Behavior
analysis for lasting change. Fort Worth, TX: Holt,
book market by providing understandable Rinehart, and Winston.
and innovative coverage of contemporary
Received August 20, 1997
applied behavior-analytic issues. We look Final acceptance September 4, 1997
forward to future editions of this text. Action Editor, David P. Wacker

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