Stimulus Generalization
Definition
The spread of a behavior to stimuli that resemble the one present during training, without those stimuli having been trained directly. The more similar a new stimulus is to the trained one, the more likely the behavior. Too much of it is a discrimination problem; too little means the skill stays stuck to the teaching materials.
In plain language
A behavior learned with one thing also happens with things that look or feel similar. Useful when it spreads to the right things, a problem when it spreads too far.
Example
Taught to say "cup" to one blue cup, a learner says "cup" to a white mug at grandma's house.
Not stimulus generalization
Taught to ask for help by raising a hand, a learner starts asking by saying "help." A new form of the response is response generalization.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- stokes-baer-1977
Written from Stokes and Baer (1977). No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.