free association (redirected from free-associated)

free association

n.

1. A spontaneous, logically unconstrained and undirected association of ideas, emotions, and feelings.

2. A psychoanalytic technique in which a patient's articulation of free associations is encouraged in order to reveal unconscious thoughts and emotions, such as traumatic experiences that have been repressed.

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free association

n

1. (Psychoanalysis) Psychoanal a method of exploring a person's unconscious by eliciting words and thoughts that are associated with key words provided by a psychoanalyst

2. a spontaneous mental process whereby ideas, words, or images suggest other ideas, etc., in a nonlogical chain reaction

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free association

Psychoanalysis. the unhampered and uncensored expression of ideas, impressions, etc., passing through the mind of the patiënt, used to permit access to the processes of the unconscious.

See also: Thinking

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

free association - a thought process in which ideas (words or images) suggest other ideas in a sequence cerebration, intellection, mentation, thinking, thought process, thought - the process of using your mind to consider something carefully; "thinking always made him frown"; "she paused for thought"