Amanda, a two-year-old girl, calls every man in uniform "Daddy!". What is this an example of?

The behavior demonstrated by Amanda, where she calls every man in uniform "Daddy," illustrates stimulus generalization. This occurs when a child responds in a similar manner to different stimuli that share certain characteristics. In this case, Amanda associates men in uniform with her father, whom she likely sees as a distinctive figure, and generalizes that association to all men in similar attire, leading her to use the same label "Daddy" for them.

Stimulus generalization is common in young children as they learn to categorize and apply language based on their experiences. Amanda's behavior reflects her developing understanding of the world around her, which often involves creating broad associations based on limited experiences. This is an important aspect of language acquisition and social cognition in early childhood development.