The viscosity of hydrophobically modified alkali-soluble polymers to different hydrophobic macromonomer concentrations in the presence of various concentrations of anionic surfactant and salt were investigated. Associative polymers containing both ionic sites and small number of hydrophobic groups were prepared, and their thickening properties in aqueous solution were investigated. Solution polymerization was used for obtained the different polymers. Relationships between hydrophobe, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and salt (NaCl) concentrations are proposed. Owing to the competition between attractive hydrophobic interaction and repulsive electrostatic interactions, such hydrophobically modified polymers exhibit various rheological behaviors in aqueous solution depending on hydrophobic macromonomer, SDS and NaCl concentrations.