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fallacy

Hasty generalization

Also called: Overgeneralization, Jumping to conclusions

A hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from a sample that is too small or unrepresentative to support it.

How it works

A few memorable cases feel like a pattern. The conclusion goes beyond what the evidence covers, often to a whole group, place or category.

Examples

"I met two rude tourists from that country, so people there are rude."

Two encounters cannot represent millions of people.

"The first week of the trial showed great results, so the treatment works."

One early week is too little data and may not reflect later outcomes.

How to spot it

How many cases support the claim, and how were they chosen?
Words like "all", "always" or "they" applied to a whole group.
Personal experience treated as statistics.

How to respond

Ask about the sample size and how it was selected.
Offer counterexamples or base rates.
Narrow the claim to what the evidence actually supports.

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