associationists

Example:This theory of mind is more aligned with associationism than rationalism.

Definition:The psychological and philosophical theory that the mind is made up of basic building blocks (sensations, ideas, etc.) and that complex mental events are built up by the association of these basic elements.

Example:Some associationists are psychologists who study the processes by which we form associations between ideas and perceptions.

Definition:A scientist trained in the study of the structure and function of the mind and behavior.

Example:Thorndike's experiments with animals were foundational to theories of associative learning, which some are associationists advocate as a basis for psychological understanding.

Definition:The process by which a new behavior is acquired through pairing a neutral stimulus with a meaningful one until the neutral stimulus alone produces a response.