Misunderstanding Data on Time: a Cautionary Tale

Abstract

This article offers a different perspective to that usually used to interpret data on time use. According to current interpretations, the indicators used – mainly generic average duration, specific average duration, the frequency of participation – provide information on the behavior of the individuals in the analyzed sample and, ultimately, the reference population. Here a different interpretation is proposed, based on the fact that the indicators refer instead to a sample of events of participation in activities rather than to the individuals that those events produce. In other words, we try to show that the usual interpretations of these indicators are mostly incorrect.