The association is a stream of psychology that emerged in Britain and aims to explain the psychic issues from the principles governing the association of ideas. Ultimately, this theory reflects on how thoughts establish different kinds of combinations in the mind.
John Locke (1632 – 1704), according to Aristotle’s postulates(384 AC – 322 AC), claimed that human beings are born white, without any kind of innate ability or natural aptitude. Only the experiences that people live with the passage of time allow them to develop certain representations, which means that ideas do not arise through reasoning.
According to experimental psychology, on the other hand, there is talk of passive associationism to indicate how the mind acts as a reflection of the natural representations that give meaning to existence.
In this sense, it should be emphasized that within this aforementioned field of psychology, many are the schools that have approached and bet, in one way or another, on what is associationism. In this way, for example, empiricist mentalist psychology, behaviorism that is based on the stimulus-response union, connectionism that revolves around behavior and mental processes, or psychoanalysis that focuses on free association of ideas as a therapeutic method.
David Hartley (1705 – 1757) and James Mill (1773 – 1836) also postulated that consciousness is the consequence of the law of association, which involves a linking of the elements that are captured by the senses.
According to DigoPaul, associationism is, in another sense, a social movement that proposes the creation of political, civic and other associations to deal with matters of community interest.
At this time precisely within what is associationism, it is necessary to highlight the boom that has been experienced by the one that takes place within what is youth. Thus, the different organizations and public administrations, both at the local, provincial or national level, promote the union of young people for the implementation of these mentioned associations.
And it is that thanks to these work groups their members have at their fingertips actively participating in what the society in which they live is making proposals, proposing projects that interest them or developing all kinds of actions that are improving both for their well-being and for other citizens.
A phrase that could serve as an example of what we have exposed in the last place is the following: “The Madrid City Council encouraged associationism among youth and got it to launch the Youth Cultural Association from which reading workshops are held, theater performances and concerts ”.
Finally, it should be noted that in the framework of social education, associationism is a postulate that maintains that the participation of citizens in public debate is the best way to modify reality and improve collective living conditions, since it allows pursue the common good.