/jen'euhr euh leuh zay"sheuhn/ , n.
1. the act or process of generalizing.
2. a result of this process; a general statement, idea, or principle.
3. Logic.
a. a proposition asserting something to be true either of all members of a certain class or of an indefinite part of that class.
b. the process of obtaining such propositions.
4. Psychol.
a. Also called stimulus generalization . the act or process of responding to a stimulus similar to but distinct from the conditioned stimulus.
b. Also called response generalization . the act or process of making a different but similar response to the same stimulus.
c. Also called mediated generalization . the act or process of responding to a stimulus not physically similar to the conditioned stimulus and not previously encountered in conditioning.
d. the act or process of perceiving similarity or relation between different stimuli, as between words, colors, sounds, lights, concepts or feelings; the formation of a general notion.
[ 1755-65; GENERALIZE + -ATION ]