junk category

is a category made up in order to explain away an unknown cause, such as dubbing a child a 'slow learner' so as to avoid examining the teaching side of the problem.

to explain away the cases in which an indicated treatment fails to lead to cure (Geertz, 1973). And if the kids do not get it, then there's a need to explain why they're not getting it, and categories like 'slow learner,' 'poor motivation,' 'short attention span,' are ways of describing what Clifford Geertz has called 'junk categories' to remove their not getting it from the range of things with which the teacher would have to deal.

junk category, n.Definitions

junk category