PSYCH 030: Learning Theory and Psychosis, Anxiety, and Addiction

Clinical Deep Dives · Jun 14, 2026 · 56m

At its core, the brain is a learning system - constantly updating itself based on experience. This chapter explores how fundamental learning mechanisms, when altered, can give rise to psychiatric conditions such as psychosis, anxiety, and addiction.

In this episode, we examine key principles of learning theory, including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and reinforcement learning. These processes allow the brain to predict outcomes, assign value, and adapt behaviour accordingly.

We explore how these mechanisms can become distorted. In anxiety, neutral stimuli may acquire…