What does inter-response time measure?

Inter-response time is a specific measurement in the field of behavior analysis that captures the duration between two successive instances of a behavior. It provides insight into the rate and pattern of responses, allowing practitioners to evaluate how often a behavior occurs and the potential triggers or reinforcers that might be influencing the timing between those behaviors. Measurement of inter-response time can help in understanding how quickly a subject might engage in a behavior again after its previous occurrence, which can be useful in assessing the effectiveness of interventions and in planning future strategies to modify behavior.

In contrast, measuring the total time a behavior occurs in a session is linked to duration, while latency focuses on the time taken to respond after a stimulus is presented. The duration of the entire behavior occurrence, similar to total time, also assesses the length of time a single behavior lasts rather than the intervals between instances of that behavior. Thus, understanding inter-response time specifically highlights the gaps between repeated behaviors, enabling a more nuanced analysis of behavior patterns.