choicesrates

Choicesrates is a metric used in decision science, behavioral analytics, and product research to quantify how often individuals select from a defined set of alternatives within a given observation period. It is typically represented as a vector of rates, with one rate for each option indicating its frequency of selection per unit time or per exposure.

To compute choicesrates, designate T as the total observation time and let N_i be the number of times option i is chosen during T. The choice rate for option i is r_i = N_i / T. The overall rate of choices across all options is R = sum_i N_i / T = (total number of choices) / T. If exposure to options varies over time, r_i can be defined as N_i / T_i, where T_i is the time option i was available.

Choicesrates are useful for comparing relative attractiveness of alternatives, modeling choice behavior, and driving decisions in product design and marketing. They can be analyzed at different scales, such as by user segment, time window, or experimental condition, and can be incorporated into multinomial or hazard-based models to explain observed selections.

Limitations include sensitivity to observation window, exposure, and ordering effects, as well as external influences that shift choices over time. Aggregated rates can obscure within-subject variation, and inaccurate exposure estimates can bias results. As with any frequency metric, choicesrates should be interpreted alongside context and exposure data.

Related concepts include choice probability, conversion rate, click-through rate, and multinomial logistic regression. See also discrete choice models and time-to-event analysis for methods that extend the basic rate concept to more complex settings.