Definition of associative

The word "associative" has its roots in Latin. The Latin word "associare" means "to join" or "to unite". During the 16th century, the Latin term was borrowed into Middle English as "associat". Over time, the spelling evolved into "associative". In the context of mathematics, particularly algebra, the term "associative" refers to a property of operations that permits the reordering of operations without affecting the result. For instance, in the expression (a + b) + c, the parentheses allow the operations to be evaluated in any order (a + (b + c)) without changing the outcome. In psychology, "associative" refers to a connection or link between two ideas, concepts, or stimuli. This concept is central to theories of learning and memory, where it is believed that associations between stimuli are formed through repeated exposure or co-occurrence.