Knowledge Base

Select Intervals

Use interval selection to analyze events that occur in time periods defined by an event or a combination of events (interval conditions).

• Example 1 – You want to analyze the events that occurred when the user was performing Task 3. You select intervals based on behavior Task 3. This way analysis is done on all events scored when the state Task 3 was active.
• Example 2 – You want to analyze co-occurrence of two behaviors, for example how often a child was playing at a table. Select intervals based on the behavior Child Play and analyze the behavior At Table.

You can select intervals in the following ways:

• Select Intervals by Manual Selection – To define the start and stop of the intervals manually.
• Select Intervals by Subjects – To analyze the time intervals during which behaviors by certain subjects took place.
• Select Intervals by Behaviors – To analyze time intervals during which certain behaviors took place.
• Select Intervals by Modifiers – To analyze time intervals during which certain modifiers took place.
• Select Intervals by Duration – To analyze time intervals with a minimum or maximum duration.
• Select Intervals by External Data – If your license includes the External Data Module. To analyze time intervals during which your external data had a certain value.

Select Intervals by Manual Selection

Use this option to set the start and end of the intervals manually. Both the start and end of the interval can be determined by:

• Observation time – For example, one minute after the start of the observation.
• Observational data – For example, the start of Task 1.
• External data – If your license includes the External Data Module. For example, when the heart rate becomes higher than 100 bpm.

You can also combine time, events, or external data to define the interval. For example: From 1 minute after the event Start Test to the event User Error. See also How Manual Intervals Are Generated.

Prerequisites

• You carried out your observations.
• The Data Selection window is open (Choose Analyze > Select Data > New/Open Data Profile).

Procedure

1. Click By Manual Selection.
2. In the window that opens, specify the criteria for the start and the stop of the interval:
   • Observation time – Enter the time in the appropriate field and select after start of or before end of from the list.
   • Observational data – Select the event from the lists. Depending on your Coding Scheme, subjects or modifiers may not be available. Optionally enter a time in the Start interval at / Stop interval at field and select after end of, after start of, before end of, or before start of from the list.
   • External data – This option is available if your license includes the External Data Module. Specify the criteria for the external data. The options are Becomes higher than/or equal to and Becomes lower than/or equal to. Optionally, set a time in the Start/Stop interval at field and select after or before from the list. See also The Difference Between Select Intervals by External Data and Select Intervals by Manual Selection with External Data.
3. Insert the Interval box in the selection sequence between the Start box and the Results box.

Select Intervals by Behaviors

Use this option to analyze all time segments when a state event occurred.

Prerequisites

• You carried out your observations.
• You defined Behaviors in your Coding Scheme.
• The Data Selection window is open (Choose Analyze > Select Data > New/Open Data Profile).

Procedure

1. Click By Behaviors.
2. Select the behaviors you want to use as interval criteria.
3. If your Coding Scheme contains Subjects, specify which ones should perform the behavior. You have the following choices:
   • <Any Subject> – To specify the time intervals as long as the behaviors occurred, independent of which subject performed those behaviors. Example: When either the male or the female bird was in the nest.
   • <All Subjects> – To specify the time intervals as long as the behaviors occurred for all subjects simultaneously. Example: When both the male and female bird were simultaneously in the nest.
   • <Missing Subjects> – To specify the time intervals during which a behavior was scored but no subject was recorded.
   • <Individual Subject> – To specify the time intervals as long as the behaviors occurred for that subject. Example: When the specified bird, either the male or the female, was in the nest.
4. Insert the Interval box in the sequence between the Start box and the Results box.

Notes:

• To select intervals based on the behaviors performed by a subset of subjects, not just one or all, create multiple selection conditions. See Advanced Data Selections.
• Selecting a certain combination of subject and behavior in the Select Intervals (Behaviors) window is equal to selecting the same combination when you Select Intervals by Subjects.

Select Intervals by Subjects

Use this option to analyze all time segments when one or more subjects were scored.

Prerequisites

• You defined Subjects in your Coding Scheme.
• You carried out your observations.
• The Data Selection window is open (Choose Analyze > Select Data > New/Open Data Profile).

Procedure

1. Click By Subjects.
2. Select the subjects you want to use as interval criteria.
3. Specify what behaviors the selected subjects performed:
   • <Any Behavior> – To specify the time intervals when the selected subjects were scored, independent of their behavior.
   • <Missing Behavior> – To specify the time intervals when the selected subjects were scored but no behavior was recorded. Example: All intervals in which Tijmen and Martijn were scored independent of their behavior.
   • <Individual Behavior> – To specify the time intervals when the selected subjects performed the selected behavior. Example: All intervals in which Tijmen and Martijn were interacting with a colleague.
4. Insert the Interval box in the sequence between the Start box and the Results box.

Notes:

• To select intervals by two or more subjects when performing a subset of behaviors, not just one, you need to create multiple interval conditions. See Advanced Data Selections.
• Selecting a certain combination of subject and behavior in the Select Intervals (Subjects) window is equal to selecting the same combination in the Select Intervals (Behaviors) window. See Select Intervals by Behaviors.

Select Intervals by Modifiers

Use this option to analyze all time intervals when a modifier has a certain value.

Prerequisites

• You defined Modifiers in your Coding Scheme.
• You carried out your observations.
• The Data Selection window is open (Choose Analyze > Select Data > New/Open Data Profile).

Procedure

1. Click By Modifiers.
2. Select a Modifier group from the Modifier list.
3. Select the Modifiers. For numerical modifiers, you can also specify a range of values.
4. Insert the box in the sequence between the Start box and the Results box.

Note: If the selected modifiers are linked to more than one behavior, all intervals in which these behaviors with the selected modifiers were scored will be analyzed. If you want to analyze only time intervals in which a selection of these behaviors took place, position a By Behavior box with the selected behaviors in the data selection sequence as well. See Advanced Data Selections for how to combine selection boxes.