Final answer:
Generalizations are statements that reflect trends within groups and can be useful for making inferences, although they must not apply to individuals or be used for value judgments. Overgeneralization in language shows rule comprehension but not the mastery of exceptions. Application refers to the practical use of knowledge or generalizations for problem-solving.
Step-by-step explanation:
Generalizations are broad statements or principles that arise from examining patterns among a wide array of data or cases. They are useful for summarizing trends or commonalities within large groups and can assist in making predictions or inferences about future instances. For example, stating that political conservatives in the United States tend to oppose higher levels of immigration is a generalization. It's important to recognize that generalizations describe groups, not individuals. They also should not be used to assign value judgments – they are descriptive, not normative.
Overgeneralization, commonly seen in the developmental stages of language acquisition in children, occurs when a language rule, such as adding "s" for pluralization in English, is incorrectly extended to irregular forms. Children might say "gooses" instead of "geese," demonstrating their understanding of the general rule but not yet mastering the exceptions.
When discussing application in a learning context, such as in basic science versus applied science, application refers to using knowledge or generalizations to solve specific problems or improve aspects of life. A hasty generalization, however, is a fallacy where an assertion is based on insufficient or biased evidence, such as assuming all students have test anxiety because a couple exhibit nervous behavior.