overgeneralization

American  

[oh-ver-jen-er-uh-luh-zey-shuhn] / ˌoʊ vərˌdʒɛn ər ə ləˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of overgeneralizing.

2. the result of overgeneralizing.

3. Linguistics. (in language acquisition) the process of extending the application of a rule to items that are excluded from it in the language norm, as when a child uses the regular past tense verb ending -ed of forms like I walked to produce forms like *I goed or *I rided.

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Usage

What does overgeneralization mean? Overgeneralization is the act of drawing conclusions that are too broad because they exceed what could be logically concluded from the available information. The word can also be used to refer to an instance when such an overly broad conclusion has been made.Overgeneralization is frequently used in everyday speech, but it can also be used in logic, linguistics, psychology, or other fields of research to mean something a little bit more specific relating to the particular field. Generalization is similar, but it is typically used when drawing such a conclusion is considered appropriately practical and not overly broad.Example: Unfortunately, there is a lot of overgeneralization in the report, which claims that all hospitals lack evacuation plans, when in fact only a small number of hospitals were studied.

Etymology

Origin of overgeneralization

First recorded in 1945–50; over- + generalization

Example Sentences

And one of the things that happens to kids—well, it happens to adults, too—is that we engage in a process of overgeneralization.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2023

But if this is a problem you want to address, “avoid overgeneralization with phrases like ‘you always’ or ‘you never.’

From Washington Post • Nov. 22, 2021

I am contrasting this broad overgeneralization to the reality of the woman that I was falling in love with, okay?

From The Verge • May 12, 2021

“That’s an overgeneralization to say that black films don’t travel,” Deckter says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2017

It almost certainly derives from overgeneralization of the answer in the following well-known Rinzei Zen teaching riddle:      A monk asked Joshu, "Does a dog have the Buddha nature?"

From The Jargon File, Version 2.9.10, 01 Jul 1992 by Raymond, Eric S.