Reality therapy has incorporated a theory later referred to as choice theory. Which theory is this?

• A. Psychoanalytic theory
• B. Control theory
• C. Social Learning Theory
• D. Gestalt Theory

Answer: (B)

Reality therapy rests on Choice Theory, which William Glasser later labeled to highlight that people are driven to meet their needs through the choices they make. This theory is a refined form of Control Theory. The idea is that all behavior is chosen to control our perceptions and satisfy five basic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. We don’t control others or the world around us; we control our own actions and how we respond to events, aiming to influence our feelings and outcomes.

In practice, reality therapy helps individuals look at present behavior and choices, taking responsibility for how they meet those needs. The theory underpins the approach that change comes from choosing more effective ways to satisfy needs, rather than analyzing past unconscious conflicts or merely observing external reinforcement.

Other theories listed aren’t the foundation of reality therapy because psychoanalytic theory focuses on unconscious processes from the past, Social Learning Theory emphasizes learning through observation and reinforcement, and Gestalt Theory centers on awareness of experience in the here and now. The approach you’re studying is built on Control Theory, later reframed as Choice Theory.