Over several centuries American psychology was focused on the study of associationistic theory connected with such elements as experience and learning. It is necessary to underline the fact that the principles of this theory are close to the views of empiricists.
The basic concepts of the associationistic theory are considered to be the following: generalization, extinction, spontaneous recovery, excitation, the dynamic stereotype, excitatory and inhibitory conditioning, irradiation, and concentration.
Generalization is considered to be the background element of human reasoning and logic positing the existence of the elements; the concept is closely connected with the verification process used for the purpose of truth determination.
Extinction is the element of associationistic theory denoting the death of the species members; it is a natural phenomenon of species disappearing because of disability to survive.
Spontaneous recovery is the element of conditioned response reemergence being extinguished previously. It is important to stress that this phenomenon was examined by Pavlov on the example of dogs proving that extinction is aimed at the learning process; spontaneous recovery sometimes expresses partial dissipation in the phase of extinction sessions.
Excitation refers to the behavior of threat display expressed by the representatives of the same or different species. This concept helps in disclosing aggressive potential.
A dynamic stereotype is the phenomenon of neural traces integration from internal and external environments. Pavlov stated that higher organisms’ interaction was concentrated on dynamic stereotypes being based on the issues of experimental evidence. (Pavlov, 1994)
Excitatory conditioning is considered to be part of classical conditioning as well as inhibitory one referring to the conditioned response change because of contingency between various forms of stimulus being conditioned (CS) and unconditioned (US) one. Excitatory and inhibitory conditionings are opposite phenomena being characterized by various elements; thus, inhibition is connected with the illustration of fear and anger while excitation is characterized through lack of focus and exhaustion. It can be explained by the stimulus strength expressed in the behavior of the species; inhibition is characterized by negative associative strength and excitation has the positive one.
Irradiation is considered to be the process characterized by accident or intentional exposure; it is aimed at the fulfillment of a particular purpose being dependant on the level of radiation used.
Concentration is the concept measuring the rate of substances mixture; the phenomenon is connected with the homogeneous solutions. The theoretical study states that concentration can be referred to as the cognitive process when one sticks to the particular thing to the others’ exclusion.
So, the associationistic theory is based on the major concepts analyzed previously is based on the principles of an automatic mechanical character. It should be noted that “Associations are to mind what gravity is to objects” (Hume). (Segal, 2003) The basic elements of the theory appeared to be conditioning and learning issues mixed with an experimental association of objects.
References
Segal, Erwin. Reasoning and Problem Solving. Associationistic Theory. University at Buffalo, Department of Psychology. 2003.
Pavlov, I.P. Psychopathology and Psychiatry. Transaction Publishers, 2nd Edition, 1994.