A newly learned skill that is explored in a variety of situations is called?

• A. Lateral learning
• B. Generalization
• C. Transfer
• D. Adaptation

Answer: (A)

Generalization is when a newly learned skill is used across a variety of situations, not just the exact setting where it was practiced. After practicing a skill, you look for the child to display it in different contexts, with different people, or with different materials, showing the behavior isn’t tied to a single scenario. For example, if a child learns to press a button to make a toy light up, generalization would be them pressing other buttons or using the same action with different toys in different rooms. This demonstrates the skill’s flexibility and applicability beyond the original drill.

Transfer involves taking a strategy or knowledge from one domain and applying it to a different task, which is not the same as applying the same skill across varied contexts. Adaptation means adjusting behavior to meet new demands or constraints. Lateral learning isn’t a standard term used to describe this pattern.