Definition

A person who believes that mental processes and behaviors are formed through the association of ideas and experiences.

Example

As an associationist, she studied how people's thoughts are connected through their past experiences.

Conversation

I was reading about how some philosophers are called associationists because they link ideas together.

That's interesting! What do they believe exactly?

They think our thoughts are connected through the relationships we create between them.

So, it's like how certain memories can trigger other memories, right?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Associationist → It is formed from "associatio" (from Latin, meaning a joining together) and "-ist" (meaning one who practices or is concerned with). The word describes a person who advocates for or practices the theory of association, which emphasizes the connections between ideas or experiences.

Memory Tip

Think of someone who is 'joining together' ('associatio') ideas or experiences — that's what an associationist does.

Visually Confused Words