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KembaraXtra-Psychology - associationism
Associationism is the doctrine that mental elements (ideas) become linked through principles of association. John Locke (1632–1704) first suggested it explicitly by adding a chapter on the association of ideas in 1700 to later editions of his Essay (first published 1690). The doctrine was developed by James Mill (1773–1836) and John Stuart Mill (1806–73), who distinguished elementary sensations (from sensory stimulation) from ideas (thoughts/memories without stimulation) and argued that ideas naturally associate: complex ideas emerge by linking simpler ones, and once associations are established, experiencing one idea tends to trigger the other (for example, redness bringing to mind warmth). James Mill emphasized a single contiguity law (association through closeness in time/space), while John Stuart Mill added similarity and frequency laws and proposed “mental chemistry,” where combinations yield complex ideas that differ qualitatively from their parts. Alexander Bain (1818–1903) later extended association to behavioural actions linking with ideas. Associationism relates to grouping laws and is often compared with connectionism.
Associationism is the doctrine that mental elements (ideas) become linked through principles of association. John Locke (1632–1704) first suggested it explicitly by adding a chapter on the association of ideas in 1700 to later editions of his Essay (first published 1690). The doctrine was developed by James Mill (1773–1836) and John Stuart Mill (1806–73), who distinguished elementary sensations (from sensory stimulation) from ideas (thoughts/memories without stimulation) and argued that ideas naturally associate: complex ideas emerge by linking simpler ones, and once associations are established, experiencing one idea tends to trigger the other (for example, redness bringing to mind warmth). James Mill emphasized a single contiguity law (association through closeness in time/space), while John Stuart Mill added similarity and frequency laws and proposed “mental chemistry,” where combinations yield complex ideas that differ qualitatively from their parts. Alexander Bain (1818–1903) later extended association to behavioural actions linking with ideas. Associationism relates to grouping laws and is often compared with connectionism.
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