This paper outlines the principles of Choice Theory, which provide a practical foundation for understanding and influencing human behavior. Choice Theory is an explanation of human behavior developed by Dr. William Glasser. Reality Therapy is the application of Choice Theory within the context of helping relationships. According to Choice Theory, all behavior is an attempt to meet one or more of five basic psychological needs; love and belonging, power, fun, survival, and freedom. Though human beings have the same basic needs, they have different perceptions of how to meet those needs. Individual meet their needs and express perceptions through Total Behavior, which has four components; thinking, feeling, doing, and physiology.
             William Glasser was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1925 and attended Case Western Reserve University, where he received BS (1945), MA (1948), and M.D. (1953) degrees in Clinical Psychology. He completed his medical internship at UCLA from 1954 to 1957, his Psychiatric Residency at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Los Angeles, and became a Board Certified Psychiatrist in 1961. The University of San Francisco awarded Dr. Glasser the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa in 1990. (Clark, 2003)
             Dr. Glasser has written seventeen books, all published by Harper Collins, including his best selling Reality Therapy (1965), Schools Without Failure (1969), Positive Addiction (1976), The Quality School (1990), Choice Theory (1998), Reality Therapy in Action (2000), and Counseling with Choice Theory (2001).
             Dr. Glasser was a private practitioner of psychiatry in West Los Angeles from 1956-86, while lecturing and writing on a concurrent basis. Since closing his office, he has devoted himself completely to writing, lecturing and training people how to use his ideas. He has worked and consulted in every area of psychiatry and has taught and lectured at universities on every continent. (http:/w...