Which fallacy involves drawing a broad conclusion from a very small sample?

• A. Begging the question
• B. Hasty generalization
• C. False dichotomy
• D. Post hoc ergo propter hoc

Answer: (B)

Hasty generalization is when you leap to a broad conclusion after looking at only a few cases. When the sample is very small, you can miss how much variation there really is, so the general claim isn’t well supported by enough evidence. For example, meeting two students from a city and assuming everyone from that city shares the same view is a hasty generalization. The idea in the question fits this fallacy because it draws a broad conclusion from a tiny sample. Other options don’t match: begging the question repeats the conclusion within the premise, false dichotomy limits options to two, and post hoc ergo propter hoc mistakes correlation or sequence for causation.