Recording if the target behavior occurred at any time during a predetermined interval is which sampling method?

• A. Partial interval recording
• B. Whole interval recording
• C. Momentary time sampling
• D. Frequency

Answer: (A)

Partial interval recording is the method where you divide the observation period into fixed intervals and record a yes if the target behavior occurs at any moment during each interval. This approach counts any occurrence that happens at least once within the interval, which can lead to overestimating how often the behavior occurs because brief moments inside an interval still count. It differs from whole interval recording, which only tallies the behavior if it is present for the entire interval, and from momentary time sampling, which checks for the behavior only at specific moments (typically at the end of each interval). Frequency, on the other hand, simply counts how many times the behavior occurs, without the interval-based presence check. So, describing recording if the behavior occurred at any time during the interval aligns with partial interval recording.