MRCPsych on the Go: Revision Essentials

28. Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Motivational Conflict and Trauma

Not all stress comes from outside events. Some of the most corrosive stress arises from within, when we are pulled in opposite directions at the same time. In this episode, we explore the psychology of conflict and trauma. We cover the three classical types of motivational conflict described by Kurt Lewin, the psychological impact of traumatic experience, and the relationship between trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Topics include approach-approach, avoidance-avoidance and approach-avoidance conflict, the diagnostic features of PTSD, and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying traumatic memory. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone seeking to understand why trauma leaves such a lasting mark. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

27. Can Stress Make You Sick? The Social Readjustment Rating Scale and Daily Hassles

Can a single life event make you physically ill? Research suggests it can, and the evidence is more precise than you might expect. In this episode, we explore the social origins of stress. We cover Holmes and Rahe's Social Readjustment Rating Scale, the landmark studies linking life events to illness onset, and Kanner's research on daily hassles and uplifts as independent predictors of wellbeing. Topics include the concept of the life change unit, the distinction between acute and chronic stressors, the difference between negative and positive life events as stressors, and the clinical relevance of life event assessment in psychiatry. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about why stress gets under the skin. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9.  I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

26. What Is Stress? Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome and the Biology of Cortisol

We all talk about feeling stressed, but what is actually happening inside the body when stress strikes? In this episode, we explore the physiology and psychology of stress. We cover Hans Selye's landmark General Adaptation Syndrome, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the role of cortisol, and the distinction between acute and chronic stress. Topics include the three stages of Selye's model, the physiological consequences of prolonged stress, and the clinical relevance of the stress response in psychiatric practice. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about the science of stress. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.9. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

25. Do We All Feel the Same Things? Ekman, Plutchik and Emotional Arousal

Can the same emotion mean something different depending on who is feeling it, or where in the world they live? And does being more emotionally aroused always mean you perform better? In this episode, we explore the differentiation of emotions, the debate around primary emotions, and the relationship between emotional arousal and performance. Topics include Ekman's six primary emotions and his cross-cultural research, Plutchik's wheel of emotions, Feldman Barrett's theory of constructed emotion, and the Yerkes-Dodson Law alongside Easterbrook's cue utilisation hypothesis. The clinical relevance of these ideas to anxiety, depression and therapeutic practice is discussed. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about what emotions really are and where they come from. Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.8. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]

24. Can the Same Feeling Mean Different Things: The Two-Factor Theory and Cognitive Appraisal of Emotion

Can the same physical sensation produce completely different emotions? Schachter and Singer proved that it could, using nothing more than an adrenaline injection. In this episode, we explore cognitive appraisal theories of emotion, including Schachter and Singer's two-factor theory and the counterintuitive phenomenon of misattribution of arousal. We also examine Richard Lazarus's model of primary and secondary appraisal, and why two people can face the same situation and feel entirely different emotions. Topics include the jukebox theory of emotion, the suspension bridge study, the concept of reappraisal, and the direct relevance of these ideas to cognitive behavioural therapy, panic disorder and emotion regulation. Ideal for MRCPsych Part A revision, psychology students and anyone curious about the role of thought in shaping how we feel.  Aligned with the Royal College of Psychiatrists MRCPsych Part A syllabus, paragraph 1.1.8. I would love to hear from you! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596662/fan_mail/new]