Description
Measure positive-duration overlap between two supplied event intervals.
Behavioral records distinguish observed outcomes, missing observations, response deadlines, code conflicts and sampling opportunities. Unobserved trials differ from observed wrong responses, while time coverage differs from event probability. Supplied observations and cutoff values do not by themselves validate a task or identify a behavioral mechanism.
Measure positive-duration overlap between two supplied event intervals.
When to use this tool
Use Behavior Event Boundary Overlap when you already have firstStart, firstEnd, secondStart, secondEnd and need to measure positive-duration overlap between two supplied event intervals.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter firstStart, firstEnd, secondStart, secondEnd. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read overlapDuration, overlaps. Inspect overlaps before interpreting the associated values.
Require each end>=start; overlap=max(0,min(ends)-max(starts)), with overlaps=true only when positive.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| firstStart | First Start | Required. Finite number. |
| firstEnd | First End | Required. Finite number. |
| secondStart | Second Start | Required. Finite number. |
| secondEnd | Second End | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| overlapDuration | Overlap Duration | Required. Finite number. |
| overlaps | Overlaps | Required. Boolean. |
{
"input": {
"firstStart": 1,
"firstEnd": 5,
"secondStart": 3,
"secondEnd": 8
},
"output": {
"overlapDuration": 2,
"overlaps": true
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Touching endpoints have no positive overlap. No event detection, common clock, coding compatibility or causality is inferred.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use the complete protocol, observation records and analysis plan. Check missingness, coding rules, timing and sampling design before interpreting local counts, labels or interval fractions as research outcomes or appropriate interventions.
References
Similar or alternative tools
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- Observation Onset Offset Duration
Calculate a supplied observation onset-to-offset duration.