Generalization and Interpretation

The Overgeneralization Trap

Overgeneralization occurs when a universal conclusion or rule is drawn based on one or very few isolated incidents, then applied to future, current, or unrelated situations.

The person uses a specific negative event to label his or her identity or predict a pattern of eternal defeat, often using words such as "always," "never," "everyone," or "no one."

To illustrate this, consider someone who tries to cook a new recipe and gets burned.

Instead of thinking, "I got distracted today and burned dinner," the person concludes, "I'm useless, I never do anything right."

If someone suffers a love breakup and thinks "all men/women are the same and will always cheat on me," he/she is overgeneralizing a painful experience into an immutable law of life, which generates hopelessness and avoidance behaviors.

Arbitrary Inference and Mind Reading

Arbitrary inference refers to the process of reaching negative conclusions without evidence to support them or even with contrary evidence.

One of its most common manifestations is "thought reading," where the individual assumes he knows what others are thinking or feeling, and assumes it is negative toward him, without verifying it.

For example, if an employee greets his supervisor in the hallway and the supervisor does not respond effusively, the employee might immediately think, "He's furious with me, he sure didn't like my last report." He does not consider alternate variables (the boss was distracted, preoccupied or did not hear him).

This distortion generates interpersonal conflict and social anxiety, as the person reacts emotionally to an offense or judgment that has only occurred in his or her imagination.

The Fortune Teller's Error (Divination of the Future)

This variant of arbitrary inference involves anticipating that things will go wrong and convincing oneself that this prediction is an established fact. It acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

If a person has a job interview and thinks "I'm sure I'll get nervous and make a fool of myself," that prediction generates anxiety that can indeed undermine his or her performance.

Unlike prudent risk planning, the fortune teller's mistake does not seek solutions, but rather sentences the future as an inevitable catastrophe, paralyzing action and initiative.

Summary

Overgeneralization establishes negative universal rules based on isolated incidents. Absolute terms such as "always" or "never" are used to predict patterns of eternal defeat from error.

Arbitrary inference draws conclusions without evidence, highlighting mind reading. The subject mistakenly assumes that he or she knows what others think and that those judgments are negative.

The fortune teller's error involves anticipating a catastrophic future and accepting it as a fait accompli. This prediction generates anxiety and paralyzes action, acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy.