Definition
Associative learning refers to the process in which a new response is paired with a particular stimulus or response that already exists within the learner’s repertoire or experiences; it is based on the ideas that experiences reinforce one another and can be linked to enhance the learning process. Associative learning responses are “associative” in that the responses being learned are associated with previous responses or stimuli, either conditioned or unconditioned. Associative learning, like classical conditioning, involves pairing an unconditioned stimulus (which reflexively produces a response) with another stimulus that is neutral. Over time, the pairing results in the reliable emission of a response that was previously not consistently emitted.
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References and Readings
Moran, D., & Malott, R. (2004). Evidence based educational methods. New York: Elsevier Academic Press.
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DeAquair, R. (2013). Associative Learning. In: Volkmar, F.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1698-3_1005
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