What is the term used for the length of time a behavior occurred?

The length of time a behavior occurs is referred to as duration. This measurement captures how long a specific behavior lasts from its onset to its offset. For instance, if a child engages in shouting for five minutes, that five-minute span is recorded as the duration of that behavior.

Duration is particularly important in behavioral analysis because it helps practitioners understand not only whether a behavior is occurring but also the extent of its occurrence, providing deeper insight into the context and potential function of the behavior. In contrast, frequency measures how many times a behavior occurs, latency measures the time that elapses from a prompt until the behavior begins, and interval refers to a designated time period during which occurrences of a behavior are recorded but does not provide a precise duration of the behavior itself.