THE PRACTICE OF SOCIO-BEHAVIORAL THEORY CONSISTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIO-BEHAVIORAL KNOWLEDGE (SBK) IN PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE CHANGE, STABILIZATION, OR CONTROL OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR, AND OF THE BEHAVIORAL SPECIFICATION OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE HELPER. THE NATURE OF SBK IS DESCRIBED, AND INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND COMMUNAL MEANS OF ALTERING ASPECTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVIOR ARE ILLUSTRATED BY FOUR STUDIES. SBK HAS THESE DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS--(1) IT MAINTAINS OR CHANGES BEHAVIOR, (2) EMPIRICAL CORROBORATION MAY BE SUPPLIED, AND (3) IT IS OPERATIONAL. THE MAJOR REQUISITES FOR SOCIO-BEHAVIORAL PRACTICE (SBP) ARE THAT IT IMPLEMENT SBK, AND THAT IT BE BEHAVIORALLY SPECIFIC IN FIVE AREAS. THESE AREAS ARE--(1) BEHAVIOR SPECIFICATION OF PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR, (2) SPECIFIC CONTEMPORANEOUS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLLING CONDITIONS, (3) DESIRED BEHAVIOR IN THE FORM OF A BEHAVIORAL CURRICULA, (4) IDENTIFICATION OF THE TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED TO ACHIEVE BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION, AND (5) SPECIFIC CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGE. PRINCIPLE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS APPROACH IS RESEARCH INDICATION THAT IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES. TWO ADVANTAGES OF SBP ARE THE APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE BASED UPON EMPIRICAL CORROBORATION, AND THE USE OF CONCRETE TECHNIQUES. (PR)