Stimulus Generalisation for Dummies
noun
What does Stimulus Generalisation really mean?
Hey there! Let's talk about "Stimulus Generalisation." Now, I know those are some big words, but don't worry, I'm here to break it down for you in a way that will make it super easy to understand.
So, imagine you have learned something really well. Maybe it's how to ride a bike or how to tie your shoelaces. When you first learn it, you focus on one specific bike or a specific pair of shoes, right? But as you practice more and more, you start to realize that you can apply what you've learned to other bikes or other shoes too! This is kinda like stimulus generalisation.
Now, let's break it down even further. In the world of psychology, stimulus generalisation is when we respond to things that are similar to what we originally learned.
So, think about it this way: you learn something, like saying "please" and "thank you" when you receive something. At first, you may only say it when someone gives you a toy. But then, when someone gives you some candy, you remember what you learned and say "please" and "thank you" again! You generalized what you learned to a new situation.
But guess what? There's more to it!
In psychology, there are actually a couple more definitions of stimulus generalisation. One is when we respond to something that is similar to what we learned, even if it's not exactly the same.
Imagine if your friend has a bike that looks a lot like yours, but maybe it's a different color or has a slightly different design. You might still be able to ride that bike because it's similar to yours. That's another example of stimulus generalisation.
The other definition of stimulus generalisation in psychology is when we respond to something that is completely new, but it reminds us of something we previously learned. It's like our brain connecting the new thing to what we already know.
Think about how when you first learned how to write letters, you practiced every single one of them. But as you got better and better, you could start writing words you had never seen before, right? That's because you generalized your knowledge of letters to new words. Pretty cool, huh?
So there you have it! Stimulus generalisation is when we respond to things that are similar to what we learned, even if they're not exactly the same. It can also happen when we respond to something completely new that reminds us of what we already know.
I hope that makes sense! If you have any more questions or if there's anything else you'd like me to explain, just let me know. Remember, learning is all about making connections and understanding how things relate to each other, so keep up the great work, and keep asking questions!
Revised and Fact checked by Emma Johnson on 2023-10-28 20:30:05
Stimulus Generalisation In a sentece
Learn how to use Stimulus Generalisation inside a sentece
- Imagine you have a pet dog named Max. One day, you teach Max to sit whenever you say the word 'sit' and give him a treat. Now, Max starts sitting not only when you say 'sit' but also when other people say it or when he hears a similar sound like 'hit' or 'fit'. This is stimulus generalization because Max is responding to different words or sounds that are similar to 'sit'.
- Let's say you have a favorite red sweater that you always wear on cold days. One day, you wear a new red jacket and feel cozy and warm. Now, whenever you see any red clothing, like a red scarf or red hat, you automatically feel warm and cozy. This is stimulus generalization because your feeling of warmth generalized from your red sweater to other red items.
- Imagine you have a music teacher who always praises you when you play the piano correctly. One day, you decide to play a different musical instrument, like the guitar. As you start strumming, your music teacher still praises you because they generalized the positive reinforcement from playing the piano to playing the guitar. This is stimulus generalization because the teacher's response generalized from one musical instrument to another.
- Suppose you have a friend named Sarah who is always kind and friendly towards you. One day, you meet someone new named Sam who looks very similar to Sarah. Even though you don't know Sam, you automatically assume that Sam will also be kind and friendly just because they look like Sarah. This is stimulus generalization because you generalized your friend's behavior to another person who looks similar.
- Imagine you were scared by a bee that stung you when you were outside. Now, whenever you see any flying insect, like a butterfly or a dragonfly, you get scared and run away. This is stimulus generalization because your fear response generalized from the bee to other flying insects.
Stimulus Generalisation Synonyms
Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.
Stimulus Generalisation Hypernyms
Words that are more generic than the original word.
Stimulus Generalisation Hyponyms
Words that are more specific than the original word.
Stimulus Generalisation Category
The domain category to which the original word belongs.