Learning, Perception, Memory and Thinking
Learning models, attention, perception, information processing, memory, reasoning and their relevance to symptoms and behavioural treatments.
How to prepare for MRCPsych Paper A
Build mechanisms first, connect them to development and assessment, then practise distinguishing one best answer within SBA and extended-matching formats.
Core concepts
Concept 1
Learning theory spans classical, operant, observational and cognitive models; clinical application depends on distinguishing acquisition, reinforcement, extinction, generalisation and avoidance.
Exam cue: For a learning vignette, name the antecedent, behaviour, consequence and mechanism that maintains or changes it.
Concept 2
Perception, attention, information processing, memory and reasoning are active systems whose normal biases and failures help explain symptoms without by themselves establishing a diagnosis.
Exam cue: For a cognitive finding, separate encoding, storage and retrieval from attention, language and executive control.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Calling every reduction in behaviour extinction when avoidance or negative reinforcement may be maintaining it.
Guardrail: Do not select an option because it is merely associated or familiar; choose the one that answers the exact lead-in.
Equating a memory complaint with storage failure before checking attention, mood, retrieval and recognition.
Guardrail: Do not select an option because it is merely associated or familiar; choose the one that answers the exact lead-in.
Memory anchors
What distinguishes negative reinforcement from punishment?
Negative reinforcement increases behaviour by removing an aversive consequence; punishment aims to reduce behaviour.
What is extinction in classical conditioning?
The conditioned response weakens when the conditioned stimulus is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus.
What three stages organise memory?
Encoding, storage and retrieval; impairment at any stage can produce an apparent memory problem.
Why can attention mimic memory failure?
Information that was not adequately attended to is poorly encoded and therefore unavailable for later recall.
What is a heuristic?
A rapid rule of thumb that reduces cognitive effort but can produce predictable bias or error.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
A child becomes frightened of every dog after being bitten by one Alsatian. Which learning process best explains fear spreading to other dogs?
During exposure therapy, anxiety falls after prolonged contact with a feared but safe stimulus. Which process most directly accounts for the within-session reduction?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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