In this paper, we attempt to cope with states in a universal algebraic setting, that is, introduce a notion of generalized state map from a pseudo equality algebra
to an arbitrary pseudo equality algebra
. We give two types of special generalized state maps, namely, generalized states and generalized internal states. Also, we study two types of states, namely, Bosbach states and Rie
an states. Finally, we discuss the relations among generalized state maps, states and internal states (or state operators) on pseudo equality algebras. We verify the results that generalized internal states are the generalization of internal states, and generalized states are the generalization of state-morphisms on pseudo equality algebras. Furthermore, we obtain that generalized states are the generalization of Bosbach states and Rie
an states on linearly ordered and involutive pseudo equality algebras, respectively. Hence we can come to the conclusion that, in a sense, generalized state maps can be viewed as a possible united framework of the states and the internal states, the state-morphisms and the internal state-morphisms on pseudo equality algebras.