Question

How can you distinguish between generalisation and discrimination?

Answer 1

The distinguishing features between generalisation and discrimination are as follows:

Generalisation refers to the phenomenon of responding similarly to similar stimuli. It represents the occurrence or elicitation of learned response by a new stimulus. For instance, in the absence of a mother, a child is able to find a jar of chocolates. Furthermore, generalisation occurs due to the failure of discrimination.

Discrimination on the other hand is a response caused by differences in stimuli. The discriminative response depends on the discrimination capacity of the organism. For example, a child who is scared of all men with a moustache may not be scared of clean-shaved men.