Behavior modification is based on the principles of operant conditioning, developed by the American behaviorist BF Skinner. In his research, he placed a mouse in a cage later known as the Skinner Box, in which the mouse could receive a pellet of food by pressing on a bar. The food reward acted as a reinforcer by strengthening the rat's bar pressing behavior. Skinner studied how rat behavior changed in response to different patterns of reinforcement. By studying how rats operated in their environment, Skinner formulated the concept of operant conditioning, through which behavior could be shaped by reinforcement or the lack of it. Skinner considered his discovery applicable to a wide range of both human and animal behaviors (“Behavior,” 2001). Today, behavior modification is used to treat a variety of problems in both adults and children. Behavior modification has been used successfully to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, phobias, bedwetting, anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder. Behavior modification is not used to treat disorders and problems, but is also used to increase a desired behavior. An example of a behavior that many seek to increase is their athletic abilities, including speed, strength, and endurance (Fedor, 1990). Athletes use a variety of behavior modification techniques to achieve their overall goal. The most used is positive reinforcement, which encourages certain behaviors through a reward system. After rewarding desirable behavior, behavior modification can also discourage undesirable behavior, through negative reinforcement or punishment. This could be the removal of a privilege or an unwanted event. Behavior modification in athletics requires the development of goals. It needs an overall goal and small step goals. Goal setting is one of the strongest motivational tools. Studies have shown that goals should be broken down into short-term or intermediate goals to help achieve ultimate goals; the goals must be accepted by the individual; challenging goals are better than easy ones; monitoring progress is useful for maintaining commitment to goals; and an action plan facilitates the achievement of objectives (Annesi, 2004). With the addition of a written contract that binds the athlete to their goals, they act as another guarantor to achieve the desired behavior. Behavior modification, or behavior therapy, trains individuals to replace undesirable behaviors with healthier behavioral patterns.