Which technique measures presence or absence of behavior over discrete moments, especially for high-frequency behavior?

• A. Time sampling
• B. Topography
• C. Temporal extent
• D. Stimulus response

Answer: (A)

Time sampling measures whether a behavior is present or absent at predefined moments or intervals. This approach is especially useful for high-frequency behaviors because observing every single occurrence in real time is often impractical; by checking at regular, discrete moments, you can efficiently estimate how often the behavior occurs overall. Temporal extent, by contrast, concerns how long the behavior lasts; topography is about the form or shape of the behavior; and stimulus response describes the relationship between a stimulus and the response. Therefore, time sampling best fits the description of recording presence or absence across discrete moments.