What is the main characteristic of discontinuous measurement?

The main characteristic of discontinuous measurement is that it only records some instances of the behavior rather than documenting every occurrence. This approach is useful in various behavioral analysis contexts where recording the complete frequency of a behavior might be impractical or unnecessary.

Discontinuous measurement techniques, such as partial interval recording or momentary time sampling, focus on collecting data during specific intervals, thus allowing practitioners to gather data without overwhelming demand. This method provides a more manageable way of observing behaviors in situations where continuous measurement may not be feasible due to time constraints or the nature of the behavior itself.

In contrast to other methods, discontinuous measurement typically emphasizes capturing a representative sample of behavior over time, which can allow for effective data analysis and intervention planning.