1. a person who believes that mental processes and ideas are formed through the association of simpler elements or experiences
Usage: philosophy, psychology

1. relating to or based on the theory that mental phenomena arise from the association of ideas or sensations
Usage: philosophy, psychology

Examples

• The associationist philosopher argued that all knowledge comes from linked sensory experiences.
• Associationist psychology emerged as a major school of thought in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• David Hume was an important associationist thinker who explored how ideas connect in the mind.
• The associationist approach explains learning as the formation of connections between stimuli and responses.
• Critics challenged the associationist view that complex thoughts could be reduced to simple associations.
• Associationist theories influenced the development of modern behavioral psychology.