• Perception for MRCPsych: Gestalt Principles and Perceptual Organisation
    Mar 6 2026

    MRCPsych Part A revision podcast on visual perception, covering Gestalt principles, figure–ground differentiation and perceptual organisation in cognitive psychology.

    This MRCPsych revision episode explores the principles of Gestalt psychology, including Prägnanz, figure-ground differentiation, proximity, similarity, symmetry, continuity and closure, and explains how the brain organises visual information into meaningful patterns.

    The episode illustrates how perception depends on interpretation rather than direct sensory input.

    These concepts frequently appear in MRCPsych Part A examination questions involving perception, cognitive psychology and perceptual disturbances in psychiatry.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.2 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination, MRCPsych Part A, syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • Learning Theory for MRCPsych: Positive and Negative Punishment, Observational Learning
    Mar 5 2026

    MRCPsych Part A revision podcast on learning theory, covering punishment, observational learning and social learning theory in behavioural psychology.

    This MRCPsych revision episode explores positive and negative punishment, their limitations in behaviour change, and the principles of observational learning within social learning theory.

    It explains how punishment can reduce behaviour through consequences, why punishment often fails to produce lasting behavioural change, and how new behaviour can be acquired through modelling and vicarious reinforcement.

    The episode also introduces observational learning within social learning theory, first described by Albert Bandura. These concepts frequently appear in MRCPsych Part A clinical vignette questions involving behavioural psychology and learning theory.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.1 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination, MRCPsych Part A, syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • Learning Theory for MRCPsych: Habituation, Shaping, Chaining and Cueing
    Mar 4 2026

    MRCPsych Part A revision podcast on behavioural therapy principles and learning theory, covering reciprocal inhibition, habituation, shaping, chaining and cueing.

    This MRCPsych revision episode explores key behavioural therapy principles in learning theory that are commonly tested in the MRCPsych Part A examination. The episode focuses on reciprocal inhibition, habituation, shaping, chaining and cueing, and explains how these behavioural learning principles are applied in real clinical practice.

    Clinical examples illustrate how these behavioural techniques are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, including specific phobias, panic disorder and behavioural activation approaches. These principles form an important bridge between learning theory and behavioural therapy interventions frequently examined in MRCPsych Part A questions.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.1 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination, MRCPsych Part A, syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • Learning Theory for MRCPsych: Escape and Avoidance Conditioning
    Mar 3 2026

    MRCPsych Part A revision podcast on learning theory, covering escape conditioning, avoidance conditioning and the role of negative reinforcement in maintaining anxiety disorders.

    This MRCPsych revision episode explores escape conditioning and avoidance conditioning, two core operant learning processes in learning theory that maintain anxiety disorders and are frequently tested in the MRCPYsch examination, especially Part A.

    The episode distinguishes escape behaviour from avoidance behaviour, explains how negative reinforcement maintains both patterns, and demonstrates how avoidance prevents the extinction of fear. It also applies these principles to common MRCPsych Part A exam scenarios involving panic disorder, phobias, agoraphobia and obsessive compulsive disorder.

    These mechanisms are central to behavioural models of anxiety and are highly examinable in the psychiatry membership examination.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.1 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination, MRCPsych, syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • 2. MRCPsych Revision Learning Theory: Generalisation, Reinforcement and Fear
    Feb 24 2026

    This MRCPsych revision episode explores how fear spreads and persists within learning theory, a core topic for psychiatry trainees preparing for the membership examination.

    Topics include generalisation and discrimination, primary and secondary reinforcement, incubation of fear, and stimulus preparedness as described in behavioural psychology.

    These mechanisms are central to understanding phobias, anxiety disorders, and maintenance of symptoms, and are frequently examined.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.1 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination (MRCPysch) syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • 1. MRCPsych Revision Learning Theory: Classical and Operant Conditioning, Reinforcement Schedules
    Feb 16 2026

    This MRCPsych revision episode covers classical conditioning, operant conditioning and reinforcement schedules for MRCPsych Part A examination revision.

    You will review Pavlov’s experiments of classical conditioning, understand Skinner’s model of operant learning and conditioning, and master reinforcement, punishment, and reinforcement schedules, including variable ratio and fixed interval patterns.

    These core behavioural psychology principles underpin anxiety disorders, behavioural therapy, and many single best answer questions in the MRCPsych Part A examination.

    This episode maps directly to paragraph 1.1.1 of the Royal College of Psychiatrists membership examination (MRCPysch) syllabus.

    Show More Show Less
    13 mins