What logical error is made when Melissa decides never to take another art course after one negative experience?

The reasoning behind identifying hasty generalization as the logical error in Melissa's decision lies in the principle of deriving a broad conclusion from insufficient evidence. In this case, Melissa's conclusion that all art courses will be similarly negative is based solely on one incident. A hasty generalization occurs when someone extrapolates the outcomes of a single experience to a larger group without adequate justification.

In Melissa's scenario, she has taken one art course and had a negative experience, leading her to conclude that she should avoid all future art courses. This leap disregards the possibility that other courses could offer vastly different experiences or that her experience in this particular course could be an outlier.

Recognizing hasty generalization helps underscore the importance of evaluating evidence in decision-making processes and not allowing a singular experience to overshadow broader possibilities.