What does whole-interval recording involve?

Whole-interval recording is a systematic observation method used in behavioral assessment and research. It specifically involves recording whether a behavior occurs during the entire time period of a predetermined interval. For this method, the interval is divided into small segments (e.g., 10 seconds, 30 seconds), and the observer notes whether the target behavior was present for the entire duration of each interval.

This technique is particularly useful for measuring continuous behaviors, as it emphasizes the sustained occurrence of a behavior over time. This is essential in contexts where it is important to ensure that the behavior is not just momentarily exhibited but sustained throughout the entire interval. In contrast, the other options focus on different aspects of behavior measurement, such as counting occurrences, measuring duration, or calculating latency, which do not align with the specific definition of whole-interval recording.