Which procedures involve sampling the behavior rather than recording every instance?

• A. Discontinuous measurement procedures
• B. Continuous measurement procedures
• C. Permanent product recording procedures
• D. Enter data and update graphs

Answer: (A)

Discontinuous measurement procedures involve sampling the behavior instead of recording every instance. In these methods, you observe for defined intervals or moments and note whether the behavior happened at least once during each interval, rather than tallying every single occurrence. This lets you estimate how often or how long the behavior occurs without needing to record every event, which is especially useful when behaviors are frequent, lengthy, or observation time is limited.

Continuous measurement procedures, by contrast, involve capturing every instance of the behavior as it happens, providing precise moment-by-moment data. Permanent product recording looks at the outcome produced by the behavior rather than the behavior itself, so it isn’t sampling the behavior in real time. Enter data and update graphs is about data management and presentation, not a method for observing and sampling behavior.