associative learning
noun
: a learning process in which discrete ideas and percepts become linked to one another
Examples of associative learning in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Notably, researchers propose associative learning as a critical mechanism in the development of synesthetic experiences, highlighting that synesthesia can potentially be learned through appropriate training procedures.
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Mark Travers, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
But not many experiments have demonstrated associative learning in simple animals such as jellyfish, says Ken Cheng, an animal behaviorist at Macquarie University in Australia who was not involved in the new research but wrote a commentary on it for the same issue of Current Biology.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2023
These experiments provide evidence that box jellyfish are capable of associative learning, or the process of linking two unrelated stimuli together.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023
In 2021 Cheng published a review of learning in Cnidaria—a group that includes jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and more—and found only a handful of studies that tested for associative learning, all of which were on sea anemones.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2023
By contrast, however, vocal learning did not appear to be linked to the other cognitive abilities measured, such as self-control and associative learning.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023
But apparently, that's enough to perform associative learning, the sort most often (forgive me) associated with Ivan Pavlov.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023
Monica Gagliano, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Western Australia, thought her experiment on associative learning in plants wasn’t working.
—Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2017
The cognitive tests used in this study consisted of three tasks designed to quantify associative learning, reversal learning, and inhibitory control (Figure 1).
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
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Mark Travers, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
But not many experiments have demonstrated associative learning in simple animals such as jellyfish, says Ken Cheng, an animal behaviorist at Macquarie University in Australia who was not involved in the new research but wrote a commentary on it for the same issue of Current Biology.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2023
These experiments provide evidence that box jellyfish are capable of associative learning, or the process of linking two unrelated stimuli together.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023
In 2021 Cheng published a review of learning in Cnidaria—a group that includes jellyfish, corals, sea anemones, and more—and found only a handful of studies that tested for associative learning, all of which were on sea anemones.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2023
By contrast, however, vocal learning did not appear to be linked to the other cognitive abilities measured, such as self-control and associative learning.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Sep. 2023
But apparently, that's enough to perform associative learning, the sort most often (forgive me) associated with Ivan Pavlov.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023
Monica Gagliano, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Western Australia, thought her experiment on associative learning in plants wasn’t working.
—Marta Zaraska, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2017
The cognitive tests used in this study consisted of three tasks designed to quantify associative learning, reversal learning, and inhibitory control (Figure 1).
—Grrlscientist, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'associative learning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1905, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of associative learning was
in 1905
Dictionary Entries Near associative learning
Cite this Entry
“Associative learning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/associative%20learning. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Medical Definition
associative learning
noun
: a learning process in which discrete ideas and percepts which are experienced together become linked to one another compare paired-associate learning
More from Merriam-Webster on associative learning
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about associative learning
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