Definition and Pronunciation
Association is a connection, relationship, or link between people, groups, ideas, events, objects, or concepts. It may also refer to an organized group of people formed for a common purpose, such as a professional, educational, or community organization.
In psychology, an association is a mental connection between thoughts, memories, emotions, or experiences. In discussions of relationships and human sexuality, the term usually refers to a connection between concepts or people rather than a romantic or sexual relationship.
Pronunciation: uh-soh-see-AY-shuhn
Easy Explanation
An association is a connection or relationship between two or more things.
For example, researchers may study the association between communication and relationship satisfaction. A person may also associate certain memories with a place or event. In another meaning, an association can be an organization, such as a medical or professional association.
An association does not necessarily mean that one thing causes another; it simply indicates that they are connected in some way.
Grammatical Formation
As a noun
- Singular: Association
- Plural: Associations
Related Forms
- Verb: Associate
- Adjective: Associated
- Related noun: Associate
Word Comparisons
Association vs. Connection
An association is a general relationship or link between people, ideas, or events. A connection often emphasizes a stronger, more direct, or more personal relationship, especially between people.
Association vs. Relationship
A relationship is an ongoing interaction or bond between people or things. An association is broader and may simply indicate that two things are related without implying a close or continuing relationship.
Association vs. Correlation
In research, an association means two variables are related. Correlation is a statistical measure describing the strength and direction of that relationship. Correlation is one type of association.
Association vs. Causation
An association does not necessarily mean one thing causes another. Causation means one factor directly contributes to producing another. This distinction is especially important in scientific research.
Connotations
The term association has a neutral meaning. It is widely used in psychology, medicine, sociology, education, law, statistics, journalism, and everyday English.
Meaning with Prepositions
Association between
Example: Researchers found an association between stress and sleep quality.
Association with
Example: Trust is associated with healthy relationships.
Association among
Example: The study examined associations among family, education, and well-being.
Association of
Example: The association of communication with relationship satisfaction has been widely studied.
Real-Life Examples
Researchers may examine the association between emotional intimacy and relationship satisfaction. Psychologists study associations between memories and emotions. A medical association may publish health guidelines. Community members may form an association to promote shared interests or professional standards.
Synonyms
- Connection
- Link
- Relationship (context-dependent)
- Correlation (research context)
- Affiliation (organization context)
- Tie
Antonyms
- Disconnection
- Separation
- Isolation
- Independence (context-dependent)
- Dissociation (psychology context)
Related Terms
- Connection
- Link
- Relationship
- Correlation
- Causation
- Affiliation
- Organization
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Emotional intimacy
- Communication
- Trust
- Human relationships
- Humansexuality
Common Collocations
- Strong association
- Positive association
- Negative association
- Significant association
- Statistical association
- Association between
- Association with
- Professional association
- Medical association
- Psychological association
- Association research
- Causal association
Idiomatic and Figurative Usage
Association is mainly used in its literal sense.
A common expression is:
By association – because of a connection with someone or something else.
Example:
- The company gained credibility by association with respected researchers.
Sample Sentences
- Researchers found an association between communication and relationship satisfaction.
- Association does not necessarily imply causation.
- Children often form associations between experiences and emotions.
- She joined a professional association after graduation.
- Emotional well-being is associated with supportive relationships.
- Scientists carefully distinguish association from cause.
- Strong associations help researchers identify important patterns.
- Context is essential when interpreting associations.
Connection to Sexuality
Association is a general relational and scientific concept, not a sexual orientation, gender identity, or sexual behavior. In discussions of human sexuality, researchers often examine associations between variables such as communication, consent, relationship satisfaction, sexual health, and well-being. These associations help identify patterns but do not necessarily establish cause-and-effect relationships.
Understanding association helps distinguish between relationships among concepts, scientific evidence, sexual orientation, gender identity, and human sexuality, promoting more accurate interpretation of research findings.
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