thinking pattern
Overgeneralization: turning one event into a never-ending rule
Overgeneralization takes one bad moment and stretches it into a rule. The giveaway is in the words: always, never, everyone, nothing.
What overgeneralization sounds like
- “I always mess things up.”
- “Nothing ever works out for me.”
- “People never listen to me.”
Overgeneralization examples from everyday life
situation
A friend cancels plans.
the thought
“People always drop me.”
situation
You forget one deadline.
the thought
“I’m never organised.”
situation
A date doesn’t go well.
the thought
“I’ll never meet anyone.”
Why our minds do this
Our minds look for rules so we can predict what comes next. A single painful moment can feel like enough evidence to write one.
How to catch overgeneralization in the moment
- 1Catch the absolute word and swap it: “always” becomes “this time”.
- 2Name one exception — a time it went differently.
- 3Ask what made this moment different, instead of what it proves about you.
Which thinking styles it shows up in
Overgeneralization often comes with the Pragmatic thinking style — usually as the flip side of a real strength.