A Reconceptualization of Generalization and Generalization Problems

In this essay, I argue that issues of language generalization are best viewed as part of the broader issue of how individuals apply existing knowledge to situations that range from familiar to novel. The ability to flexibly apply existing knowledge is influenced by at least four factors: (a) the type of knowledge in question; (b) the level at which this knowledge is represented; (c) the similarity of the transfer situation to the original learning situation; and (d) performance factors that relate primarily to the limitations of the human information processing system. Children with speech or language impairments tend to be less flexible than others in applying knowledge. However, this inflexibility is underpinned by (a) deficient reasoning abilities that lead to difficulty acquiring language knowledge and noticing the occasions in which existing knowledge should be applied; and (b) greater vulnerability to linguistic processing demands.