ASSOCIATIONISTIC VIEW OF LEARNING

Associationistic View of Learning



Abstract

Associationistic view of learning portrays the concept of learning through the association of two variables. This research aims to analyze various aspects of Associationistic view of learning. Associationism was developed over two and half millennia ago by Aristotle (584-322 BCE). His notions of how the mind worked incorporated elements of connectionism such as the way memories were structured and associated with one another via connections. The Aristotelian notion of association refers to a process of learning dependent on the association of one object/thing with another object/thing, so that a connection is formed and it may lead to a more complex idea/thing. The associationist view of learning is linked with the association of stimuli and response.

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Discussion3

Principles of Associationistic View3

Contribution of Theorists5

Mental Process6

How People Learn8

Permanent Change in Behavior10

Application in Educational Learning10

Conclusion11

Associationistic View of Learning

Introduction

Associationistic view of learning portrays the concept of learning through the association of two variables. Empiricists propose an associationistic theory of learning, a theory from the origin and accumulation of knowledge. This research aims to analyze various aspects of Associationistic view of learning. The theory operates on two levels: It examines the relationship between ideas and things (idea is complementary, and they are always associated with something else via a sensation or perception). They also look at things and the relationship between ideas. The ideas are associated with each other according to the resemblance, contiguity and repetition.

Discussion

Principles of Associationistic View

Associationism was developed over two and half millennia ago by Aristotle (584-322 BCE). His notions of how the mind worked incorporated elements of connectionism such as the way memories were structured and associated with one another via connections. The Aristotelian notion of association refers to a process of learning dependent on the association of one object/thing with another object/thing, so that a connection is formed and it may lead to a more complex idea/thing. The next addition to cognitivism as a paradigm can be traced to writings Within cognitive science of john Locke (1690) 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', where he outlines empiricism as an embryonic state of mind he refers to as tabula rasa. Tabula rasa being the mind as a blank slate at the onset of consciousness (it was customary to say from birth until the discovery that a fetal brain can process information whilst still in the womb) and from that point on be responsive to external and internal stimuli i.e. data or information that is processed, stored and makes up our knowledge of the world. Locke was also a materialist, and he was thus admired by Karl Marx (Olson & Hergenhahn, 2009).

Associationistic Theory

Empiricists propose an associationistic theory of learning, a theory from the origin and accumulation of knowledge. This theory operates on two levels: It examines the relationship between ideas and things (idea is complementary, and they are always associated with something else via a sensation or perception). They also look at things and the relationship between ideas between them. The ideas associated with each other according to the resemblance, contiguity and repetition (Hoare, ...