A sweeping generalization is when you apply a fair rule to an exceptional case. Irrespective of the circumstances of the exceptional case. For example, one says "Every person should run a mile each day." Although this is somewhat good advice for your health, what if someone just had a heart transplant or has Asthma. There are always two parts to a S.G. --1. The rule 2. The case.
sweeping generalization
sweeping statement, simplification, oversimplification, overview, generality, broad view
An example of a hasty generalization is when someone claims, "All teenagers are irresponsible because my neighbor's son skipped school." This statement draws a broad conclusion about all teenagers based on a single instance, failing to consider the diverse behaviors and circumstances of individuals within that group. Such generalizations can lead to misconceptions and reinforce stereotypes without sufficient evidence.
All teenagers are lazy
The word "generalization" is the noun form of the word "generalize. " An example of a sentence using the word "generalization" is "Their theory is a broad generalization that doesn't always hold true. "
The word that typically invalidates a generalization is "some." When a statement uses "some," it indicates that the claim does not apply universally, thereby challenging the validity of the generalization. For example, saying "Some birds can’t fly" contradicts the generalization that all birds can fly.
The paragraph employs the fallacy of hasty generalization, making a sweeping conclusion based on insufficient evidence or a small sample size.
Hasty generalizations are often typified by exaggeration and poor preparation. Thus, one example of a hasty generalization may be "everyone knows what generalizations are." While a hasty generalization may sound accurate at first, a cursory fact check can quickly disprove it.
Stimulus generalization occurs when a response is triggered by stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus, while response generalization involves the production of different responses to the same stimulus. For example, if a dog learns to sit when hearing a bell, it may also sit when hearing a similar sound (stimulus generalization). In contrast, if the dog learns to sit and then also learns to lie down in response to the same bell, that would be an example of response generalization. Essentially, stimulus generalization is about the stimuli that evoke a response, while response generalization is about the variety of responses elicited by the same stimulus.
The fallacy of false generalization occurs when a conclusion is drawn about a whole group based on insufficient or unrepresentative evidence. This often involves making sweeping claims from a limited sample size or misinterpreting specific instances as universally applicable. For example, if one encounters a few rude individuals from a particular city and concludes that all people from that city are rude, it exemplifies this fallacy. Such generalizations can lead to stereotypes and misleading assumptions about groups.
An example of a valid generalization is that "most people enjoy spending time outdoors." This generalization is based on the observation that a large majority of individuals exhibit a preference for outdoor activities.
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