Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

associationist

noun

əˌsoʊ.siˈeɪ.ʃən.ɪst

Definition

A person who advocates or practices associationism in psychology, a theory that emphasizes the connection between ideas and mental processes based on their associations.

Examples

The associationist perspective in psychology seeks to understand how ideas are connected.
As an associationist, she thought that learning occurs through associations between stimuli.
His work as an associationist highlighted the importance of past experiences in shaping current thoughts.

Meaning

Associationist refers to someone who believes that mental processes and ideas are connected through associations formed by experience, primarily linked to the theory of associationism which posits that our mental processes are largely shaped by the experiences we encounter.