Generalization refers to the ability of a learner to apply a learned behaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organ... or skill across different situations, environments, people, or stimuli, beyond the specific conditions under which the behavior was initially taught. It ensures that the behavior is not limited to one setting but can be transferred to other contexts, making it more functional and useful in real-life situations.
Example
A teacher is working with a student to improve their use of polite requests, such as saying “please” when asking for something. Initially, the student learns to say “please” when requesting items from the teacher during one-on-one sessions in the classroom. To promote generalization, the teacher encourages the student to use “please” when interacting with other staff members, peers, and even family at home. The teacher also introduces different scenarios, such as asking for help with homework or requesting a toy during recess. Over time, the student starts to use “please” consistently across various environments and with different people, demonstrating successful generalization of the polite request behavior.