In terms of behavior analysis, what does 'Consensus' measure?

In the context of behavior analysis, 'Consensus' measures how similar a person's performance is relative to the performance of others in similar situations. This concept is important in understanding how behavior is perceived in relation to group norms. When evaluating whether a behavior is typical or atypical, assessing consensus allows one to determine whether an individual's performance aligns with the behavior of peers—indicating whether the behavior is influenced by situational factors or is more reflective of the individual’s traits.

The reason this measure is relevant is rooted in the concept of social comparison, where individuals gauge their performance against that of others. High consensus would indicate that the individual's behavior is common among their peers, while low consensus might suggest that the individual's behavior stands out as unique or divergent from the norm.

The other options address different dimensions of behavioral evaluation. Specificity pertains to how actions may be unique to the individual, consistency focuses on the stability of an individual's past behaviors, and recency addresses the timing of past events and their impact on current decisions. However, none of these specifically relate to the comparison of performance among individuals in a group context, which is the essence of what consensus measures.