Overgeneralization - Cognitive Distortion

Overgeneralization happens when a person takes one isolated experience and applies it to all other events. People who do this are often very convinced that they are correct, even though the body of evidence is simply too small. Therefore, overgeneralization can easily make a serious impact on our core beliefs and values.

Common Examples

Imagine you visit a local cinema for a movie you were looking forward to. Unfortunately, as you are about to enter the cinema, you realize you forgot your tickets, and 3D glasses are needed to view the movie. The staff do not believe you, and to make matters worse, the issue takes longer to resolve. You get anxious, annoyed, and afraid you will miss the start of the movie.

In the end, the movie was great, and the issue was eventually resolved, but you may find yourself saying, “The staff in this cinema deliver bad service.”

This statement may feel 100% true, but in reality, this cinema has existed for 20-odd years and has served millions of customers who are happy with their experience. It may just be that in your particular case, the systems were lagging, or the person behind the desk had an awful day, so they simply weren’t as bubbly and apt as they would normally be.

Impact on Your Health

Overgeneralization can cause stress and make you feel insecure. It can contribute to a lack of motivation and also limit your own beliefs because it tends to make negative experiences bigger and heavier than they actually are.

Self-Correction

Try to spot this behavior by looking for words such as “all” or “always.” Challenge your thinking and ask yourself whether your statement is genuine and whether your thinking could impact you negatively in any way.