generalization

[jen-er-uh-luh-zey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of generalizing.

2. a result of this process; a general statement, idea, or principle.

3. Logic.

   1. a proposition asserting something to be true either of all members of a certain class or of an indefinite part of that class.

   2. the process of obtaining such propositions.

4. Psychology.

   1. Also called stimulus generalization. the act or process of responding to a stimulus similar to but distinct from the conditioned stimulus.

   2. Also called response generalization. the act or process of making a different but similar response to the same stimulus.

   3. Also called mediated generalization. the act or process of responding to a stimulus not physically similar to the conditioned stimulus and not previously encountered in conditioning.

   4. the act or process of perceiving similarity or relation between different stimuli, as between words, colors, sounds, lights, concepts or feelings; the formation of a general notion.

generalization

/ ˌdʒɛnrəlaɪˈzeɪʃən /

noun

1. a principle, theory, etc, with general application

2. the act or an instance of generalizing

3. psychol the evoking of a response learned to one stimulus by a different but similar stimulus See also conditioning

4. logic the derivation of a general statement from a particular one, formally by prefixing a quantifier and replacing a subject term by a bound variable. If the quantifier is universal ( universal generalization ) the argument is not in general valid; if it is existential ( existential generalization ) it is valid

5. logic any statement ascribing a property to every member of a class ( universal generalization ) or to one or more members ( existential generalization )

Word History and Origins

Origin of generalization¹

First recorded in 1755–65; generalize + -ation

Example Sentences

An acquaintance of Lowell’s bemoaned the habit Lowell had of “jumping at some general idea or theorem,” after which he “selects and bends facts to underprop that generalization.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Supreme Court has long held that law enforcement officers cannot detain people based on generalizations that would cast a wide net of suspicion on large segments of the law-abiding population.

From Los Angeles Times

If Levick shies away from generalization, he too is a composer not easily pinned down.

From Los Angeles Times

Findling repeatedly referred to the allegations against his client as “sweeping generalizations.”

From Los Angeles Times

This is too much of a generalization, but it’s an irresistible one: We are seeing a truly extraordinary transformation, something like the awakening of the mainstream conservatives alongside the continuing surrender of the mainstream liberals.

From Salon

Related Words

• acumen 
• analysis 
• argument 
• hypothesis 
• inference 
• interpretation 
• premise 
• proposition 
• rationale 
• thinking