What type of data collection method yields a conservative estimate for frequent behaviors?

Whole interval recording is a data collection method that involves observing whether a behavior occurs throughout the entire duration of a specific time interval. This method tends to yield conservative estimates for frequent behaviors because it requires the behavior to be present for the whole interval in order to be counted as occurring. For instance, if a behavior happens only briefly within the interval and not consistently for its entirety, it will be recorded as not occurring, potentially underrepresenting the actual frequency of the behavior.

In contrast, methods like partial interval recording or momentary time sampling may yield more liberal estimates by allowing for a behavior to be counted if it occurs at any point during the interval or at specific moments, respectively. Standardized testing is not directly applicable to behavior tracking in the same way as the interval recordings are. Therefore, the choice of whole interval recording is well-founded in its tendency to provide a more cautious or conservative measure of frequent behaviors.