overgeneralisation
overgeneralisation — noun
- overgeneralisationsingular
- overgeneralisationsplural
1. a statement that treats a small set of facts or examples as if they are true in
a statement that treats a small set of facts or examples as if they are true in every possible case, ignoring the many exceptions that exist in real life
Saying that all young people dislike reading is an overgeneralisation that ignores the many teenagers who love books.
structure: saying that X is an overgeneralisation
Shirin felt that the article's claim about social media and teenagers was a harmful overgeneralisation.
When Diya claimed all teachers give too much homework, her father called it an overgeneralisation.
The manager told the team not to make an overgeneralisation from feedback given by only three customers.
Rachel argued that the statement 'nobody cares about the environment' is a lazy overgeneralisation.
- sweeping statement
more informal and common in everyday speech
- blanket statement
emphasises that the statement covers all cases without exception
- stereotype
carries a stronger negative connotation, often about groups of people
- nuanced statement
a statement that considers exceptions and fine differences
用法筆記
Often used critically to point out that a claim lacks supporting evidence or ignores important exceptions.
常見錯誤
2. a thinking error that makes someone believe all future situations of a certain t
a thinking error that makes someone believe all future situations of a certain type will turn out badly, based on nothing more than one or more unfortunate events from their past
After losing her purse twice, Sumin's overgeneralisation made her afraid to carry any bag in public.
Tunde's overgeneralisation led him to expect every job interview to end in rejection after just one unsuccessful attempt.
result: overgeneralisation + led [person] to expect...
The therapist helped Mateo see how overgeneralisation was making his anxiety worse after a single panic attack at the supermarket.
Shirin's overgeneralisation from one rude taxi driver made her avoid taking taxis altogether for nearly a year.
- cognitive distortion
broader term that includes overgeneralisation as one type
- catastrophising
similar but focuses on expecting the worst-case scenario, not just repeated patterns
用法筆記
Common in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a type of 'thinking trap' or cognitive distortion. Therapists help patients identify and challenge overgeneralisation patterns.
3. an error produced by a language learner who takes a grammar rule or word meaning
an error produced by a language learner who takes a grammar rule or word meaning and applies it to cases that do not follow that pattern, relying too much on a common structure
A child who says 'runned' instead of 'ran' is showing a common overgeneralisation of the regular past-tense rule.
Xiu learned that calling every four-legged animal 'doggy' is a type of overgeneralisation that young children often make.
pattern: calling X 'Y' is a type of overgeneralisation
Language teachers watch for overgeneralisation when a student uses one grammar pattern in almost every sentence.
Overgeneralisation explains why young children learning English say 'foots' instead of 'feet' while they figure out irregular plurals.
- overextension
more specific term for using a word too broadly (e.g. calling all men 'daddy')
- overregularisation
focuses specifically on applying grammar rules too broadly, such as adding -ed to irregular verbs
用法筆記
Most commonly observed in children acquiring their first language and in adult second-language learners. The term describes a natural part of learning, not a failure.