Overgeneralizing is a cognitive distortion, or a distorted way of thinking, that results in some pretty significant wrong assumptions. A great deal of unnecessary emotional pain is caused by distortions such as overgeneralization. Overgeneralization is often implicated in clinical depression, anxiety disorders, and anger management problems. Making a broad assumption about something from limited experience is the definition overgeneralizing. Overgeneralization ExamplesOvergeneralization can take many forms. We may, for example, predict the outcome of something based on just one instance of it:
In the examples of overgeneralization above, it’s pretty clear that overgeneralizing unnecessarily leads to painful emotions. What’s also evident is that in each of these examples, the overgeneralization was a pretty inaccurate assumption. Working off of a faulty assumption and believing the distortion to be true, it becomes even harder to put any effort toward achieving your goals. Then your overgeneralizing conclusion might turn out to be true!  Overcoming Overgeneralizing With Cognitive ReappraisalUsually, when we experience setbacks, painful emotions go along with them. The stronger the emotion, the more likely it is to influence our thinking and result in us believing a distortion, such as overgeneralization. Fortunately, we can reverse this pattern by being more introspective: examining our own thinking in order to come to a more balanced, reasonable perspective. This process is called cognitive restructuring or cognitive reappraisal. Cognitive behavioral therapy has numerous techniques and exercises for investigating the validity of cognitive distortions such as overgeneralizing, and distancing ourselves from these unhelpful thought patterns. A useful skill to help us let go of our attachment to overgeneralizing is to intentionally investigate our thoughts from a number of angles: 6 Steps to Stop OvergeneralizingStep 1: Ask yourself: What are the costs and benefits of thinking this way? In other words, is it worth being so attached to this way of thinking? Does this kind of thinking protect you from anything? Is it harmful? If this thought costs you more than you’re gaining, it makes sense to develop more effective ways of reacting to the situation by going through the next five steps. Step 2: Collect the evidence that supports this thought. Are you basing your conclusion on a lot of relevant data, or just one or two data points? Is there significant evidence against this particular thought? Is there a way to consider both the evidence against this thought and evidence supporting it when thinking about this situation? Would the evidence you’re considering hold up in court, or is it too flimsy? Step 3: Based on the current facts, do you think everyone would draw the same conclusion as you? If not, why not? Are they seeing something you’re not? Would other interpretations be more effective in coping or in achieving your desired outcome? If someone were handling this situation more effectively, how might their thinking be responsible for their success? Step 4: Take a step outside of your own head for a moment: Pick a friend. If this friend came to you and told you the same thing was happening to them, what would you tell them? Is it different than what you’re telling yourself right now? Consider why you might be giving your friend different advice than you’re giving yourself, and whether this is helpful. Would you tell a friend what you are telling yourself? If not, why not? Step 5: Do you think you’re relying on the actual evidence, or is it possible you’re letting your feelings guide your thinking about this matter? Emotions have a tendency to color our thinking, altering the conclusions we make, and exacerbating natural errors in thinking. If you were feeling better or were in a better mood, what’s your best guess as to how you’d think about this situation? Step 6: Identify examples of this interpretation not being true. What are the exceptions to this conclusion? Now identify some more examples… Looking at the thought from new perspectives helps us to soften our attachment to old patterns of thinking like overgeneralization. The best way to use these steps is to first identify the situations where you usually engage in this sort of distortion and apply the steps to them. You can even plan ahead by rehearsing these steps both before and during the situation. And don’t feel you have to be totally convinced of some other thought for this process to work. Just the act of taking on new ways of thinking can result in our emotions settling down, and our thinking becoming more flexible. Cognitive behavioral therapy is devoted to identifying similar patterns of thinking and helping people develop healthier thinking habits. There is significant scientific research showing cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment for a whole host of problems. Click here to learn more about cognitive therapy. Copyright © Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles, 2016 What is arbitrary inference in psychology?Arbitrary inference is “the process of forming an interpretation of a situation, event, or experience when there is no factual evidence to support the conclusion or where the conclusion is contrary to the evidence” [1]. Example: As John walked down the street he thought to himself “Everyone can tell that I'm a loser”.
What is mind reading distortion?One common distortion is mind reading. Mind reading is assuming what someone else is thinking without having much to go on. If we rely too much on mind reading, we can make mistakes about what others think of us, which can really wreak havoc with our mood.
Which REBT technique involves having the client do the very thing they avoid because of what people might think ?'?The REBT technique that involves having clients vividly imagine one of the worst things that might happen to them and to describe their disturbing feelings is called: rational-emotive imagery.
What refers to when an individual takes responsibility blames oneself or applies external events to oneself when there is no basis or evidence for making the connection?A self-serving bias is the common habit of a person taking credit for positive events or outcomes, but blaming outside factors for negative events.
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What is the cognitive distortion of making conclusions without supporting and relevant evidence?
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