UPSC Psychology Optional Syllabus PDF Download

Browse Other Optionals

Optional Homepage	Hindi Literature	Geography
History	Philosophy	Law
Public Administration	Sociology	Anthropology
PSIR

Syllabus of Psychology Paper - I

Foundations of Psychology

Introduction: Definition of Psychology; Historical antecedents of Psychology and trends in the 21st century; Psychology and scientific methods; Psychology in relation to other social sciences and natural sciences; Application of Psychology to societal problems.
Methods of Psychology: Types of research: Descriptive, evaluative, diagnostic and prognostic; Methods of Research: Survey, observation, case-study and experiments; Characteristics of experimental design and non-experimental designs; quasi-experimental designs; Focused group discussions, brain storming, grounded theory approach.
Research methods: Major steps in psychological research (problem statement, hypothesis formulation, research design, sampling, tools of data collection, analysis and interpretation and report writing); Fundamental versus applied research; Methods of data collection (interview, observation, questionnaire and case study). Research Designs (Ex-post facto and experimental). Application of statistical techniques (t-test, two-way ANOVA, correlation and regression and factor analysis) item response theory.
Development of Human Behaviour: Growth and development; Principles of development, Role of genetic and environmental factors in determining human behaviour; Influence of cultural factors in socialization; Life span development—Characteristics, development tasks, promoting psychological well-being across major stages of the life span.
Sensation, Attention and Perception: Sensation: concepts of threshold, absolute and difference thresholds, signal-detection and vigilance; Factors influencing attention including set. and characteristics of stimulus; Definition and concept of perception, biological factors in perception; Perceptual organization-influence of past experiences, perceptual defense-factor influencing space and depth perception, size estimation and perceptual readiness; The plasticity of perception; Extrasensory perception; Culture and perception, Subliminal erception.
Learning: Concepts and theories of learning (Behaviourists, Gestaltalist and Information processing models). The processes of extinction, discrimination and generalization. Programmed learning, probability learning, self-instructional learning, concepts, types and the schedules of reinforcement, escape, avoidance and punishment, modelling and social learning.
Memory: Encoding and remembering; Shot-term memory, Long-term memory, Sensory memory, Iconic memory, Echoic memory: The Multistore model, levels of processing; Organization and Mnemonic techniques to improve memory; Theories of forgetting: decay, interference and retrieval failure: Metamemory; Amnesia: Anterograde and retrograde.
Thinking and Problem Solving: Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; Concept formation processes; Information processing, Reasoning and problem solving, Facilitating and hindering factors in problem solving, Methods of problem solving: Creative thinking and fostering creativity; Factors influencing decision making and judgement; Recent trends.
Motivation and Emotion: Psychological and physiological basis of motivation and emotion; Measurement of motivation and emotion; Effects of motivation and emotion on behaviour; Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation; Factors influencing intrinsic motivation; Emotional competence and the related issues.
Intelligence and Aptitude: Concept of intelligence and aptitude, Nature and theories of intelligence-Spearman, Thurstone, Gulford Vernon, Sternberg and J.P. Das; Emotional Intelligence, Social intelligence, measurement of intelligence and aptitudes, concept of IQ deviation IQ, constancy of I Q; Measurement of multiple intelligence; Fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence.
Personality: Definition and concept of personality; Theories of personality (psychoanalytical, socio-cultural, interpersonal, developmental, humanistic, behaviouristic, trait and type approaches); Measurement of personality (projective tests, pencil-paper test); The Indian approach to personality; Training for personality development; Latest approaches like big 5 factor theory; The notion of self in different traditions.
Attitudes, Values and Interests: Definitions of attitudes, values and interests; Components of attitudes; Formation and maintenance of attitudes. Measurement of attitudes, values and interests. Theories of attitude changes, strategies for fostering values. Formation of stereotypes and prejudices; Changing other’s behaviour, Theories of attribution; Recent trends.
Language and Communication: Human language—Properties, structure and linguistic hierarchy, Language acquisition—predispotion, critical period hypothesis; Theories of Language development—Skinner and Chomsky; Process and types of communication—effective communication training.
Issues and Perspectives in Modern Contemporary Psychology: Computer application in the psychological laboratory and psychological testing; Artificial intelligence; Psych cybernetics; Study of consciousnessleep-wak schedules; dreams, stimulus deprivation, meditation, hypnotic/drug induced states; Extrasensory perception; Intersensory perception; Simulation studies.

Online/Offline Programme	Test Series	Books
Delhi	Buy Now	Buy Now

Syllabus of Psychology Paper – II

Psychology: Issues and applications:

Psychological Measurement of Individual Differences: The nature of individual differences. Characteristics and construction of standardized psychological tests. Types of psychological tests. Use, misuse and limitation of psychological tests. Ethical issues in the use of psychological tests.
Psychological well-being and Mental Disorders: Concept of health-ill health positive health, well being casual factores in Mental disorders (Anxiety disorders, mood disorders; schizophrenia and delusional disorders; personality disorders, substance abuse disorders). Factors influencing positive health, well being; lifestyle and quality of life; Happiness disposition.
Therapeutic Approaches: Psychodynamic therapies. Behaviour therapies. Client centered therapy. Cognitive therapies. Indigenous therapies (Yoga, Meditation). Biofeedback therapy. Prevention and rehabilitation of the mentally ill; Fostering mental health.
Work Psychology and Organisational Behaviour: Personnel selection and training. Use of Psychological tests in the industry. Training and human resource development. Theories of work motivation. Herzberg, Maslow, Adam Equity theory, Porter and Lawler, Vroom; Leadership and participatory management; Advertising and marketing; Stress and its management; Ergonomics; consumer psychology; Managerial effectiveness; Transformational leadersip; Senitivity training; Power and politics in organizations.
Application of Psychology to Educational Field: Psychological principles underlying effective teaching-learning process. Learning styles. Gifted, retarded, learning disabled and their training. Training for improving memory and better academic achievement. Personality development and value education. Educational, vocational guidance and Career counselling. Use of Psychological tests in educational institutions; Effective strategies in guidance programmes.
Community Psychology: Definition and concept of Community Psychology. Use of small groups in social action. Arousing Community consciousness and action for handling social problems. Group decision making and leadership for social change. Effective strategies for social change.
Rehabilitation Psychology: Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programmes—role of psychologists. Organising of services for rehabilitation of physically, mentally and socially challenged persons including old persons. Rehabilitation of persons suffering from substance abuse, juvenile delinquency, criminal behaviours. Rehabilitation of victims of violence. Rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS victims, the role of social agencies.
Application of Psychology to disadvantaged groups: The concepts of disadvantaged, deprivation social, physical, cultural and economic consequences of disadvantaged and deprived groups. Educating and motivating the disadvantaged towards development; Relative and prolonged deprivation.
Psychological problem of social integration: The concept of social integration. The problem of caste, class, religion and language conflicts and prejudice. Nature and manifestation of prejudice between the ingroup and outgroup. Casual factors of such conflicts and prejudices. Psychological strategies for handling the conflicts and prejudices. Measures to achieve social integration.
Application of Psychology in Information Technology and Mass Media: The present scenario of information technology and the mass media boom and the role of psychologists. Selection and training of Psychology professionals to work in the field of IT and mass media. Distance learning through IT and mass media. Entrepreneurship through e-commerce. Multilevel marketing. Impact of TV and fostering value through IT and mass media. Psychological consequences of recent developments in Information Technology.
Psychology and Economic development: Achievement motivation and economic development. Characteristics of entrepreneurial behaviour. Motivating and Training people for entrepreneurship and economic development; Consumer rights and consumer awareness, Government policies for promotion of entrepreneurship among youth including women entrepreneurs.
Application of Psychology to environment and related fields: Environmental Psychology effects of noise, pollution and crowding. Population Psychology: Psychological consequence of population explosion and high population density. Motivating for small family norms. Impact of rapid scientific and technological growth on degradation of environment.
Application of psychology in other fields:
a. Military Psychology: Devising psycological tests for defence personnel for use in selection, Training, counseling; training psychologists to work, with defence personnel in promoting positive health; Human engineering in defence.
b. Sports Psychology: Psychological interventions in improving performance of athletes and sports. Persons participating in Individual and Team Games.
c. Media influences on pro and anti‐social behaviour.
d. Psychology of Terrorism.
Psychology of Gender: Issues of discrimination, Management of diversity; Glass ceiling effect, Self-fulfilling prophesy, Women and Indian society.

Download Syllabus PDF

Previous Year UPSC Questions

2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
2020	2019	2018	2017

2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
2020	2019	2018	2017

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
(a) Why did behaviourists avoid the topics of thought and knowledge? Discuss.
(b) Highlight the major factors that influence the psychological well-being of youth in the Indian setting.
(c) Do attribution processes explain success and failure behaviour in social context? Answer this in the light of Weiner's model of attribution.
(d) Critically evaluate the role of facial-affect programme and display rules in the expression of emotions by citing relevant examples.
(e) IQ tests are too narrow in focus.' Evaluate the statement from the perspectives of Sternberg and Gardner's theories of intelligence.
(a) Personality is all in our genes.' Evaluate the statement in the context of different personality theories. 20
(b) When psychologists label their perspective humanistic, what does this term mean to you? What is its relevance in the modern era? 15
(c) In what ways is probability sampling appropriate in the conduct of psychological research? Illustrate your answer with different techniques of probability sampling. 15
(a) Discuss the role of biological, cognitive and learning influences on gender identity and gender typing by focusing on relevant theories and research studies. 20
(b) Are quasi-experimental designs more advantageous than experimental designs? Discuss in the light of various methodological considerations. 15
(c) Bring out the contributions of Binet and Wechsler in the measurement of intelligence. In what ways are Wechsler's approach and procedures more effective than Binet's approach and procedures? Discuss with examples. 15
(a) Describe social cognitive theory and its applications to solve large scale societal problems. 20
(b) Meditation alters consciousness.' Discuss this by explaining meditation and consciousness along with relevant research examples. 15
(c) What is the Whorfian hypothesis of linguistic relativity? Evaluate with empirical evidences. 15

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10x5=50
(a) Do correlational studies contribute in understanding 'cause and effect' relationship in human behaviour? Discuss.
(b) Explain how psychological and cultural factors affect perception.
(c) Can amnesia patients recall emotional events ? Explain your answer citing research evidence.
(d) Discuss how the narrative approach to personality hinges on answering the question, Who am I ?".
(e) Is jet-lag a genuine phenomena? Explain it in the light of Circadian rhythms.
(a) How would you justify the use of factor analysis in psychological research ? Answer with appropriate concepts and examples. 20
(b) State the structure of language and explain its role in speech perception and comprehension. 15
(c) What enables us to see the world in 3D despite our retinas capturing only 2D images? Explain. 15
(a) 'Motivation is a complex process and cannot be explained by a single approach.' Evaluate the statement with the help of arousal, drive and expectancy theories by citing relevant examples. 20
(b) Distinguish between deductive and inductive reasoning and throw light on stumbling blocks of reasoning. 15
(c) Reward and punishment sometimes fail to effectively change behaviour. Explain with relevant examples. 15
(a) Why do human beings form attitudes and prejudices? Discuss the role of psychosocial factors in bringing the change in them, in the present Indian socio-cultural context. 20
(b) Give two examples of the use of the availability heuristic in everyday life - one example when it would be appropriate and another example when it might not be. Explain why your examples are illustrative of availability heuristic. 15
(c) Describe some major strategies for memory retention and explain each one with relevant examples. 15

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
(a) What are the different methods of estimating internal consistency reliability? Explain their strengths and limitations.
(b) Evaluate the cognitive-behavioural model of depression.
(c) Explain spontaneous remission effect in the treatment of patients with mental illness.
(d) Managerial effectiveness is influenced by the reasoning and decision-making abilities of a manager. Critically evaluate with the help of researches.
(e) Critically evaluate the conditioning model of psychopathic personality disorder.
(a) What are the factors that determine the efficacy of psychological tests? Discuss the ethical issues in the use of psychological tests. 15
(b) Explain how behaviour therapy encourages assertive coping. 15
(c) Describe the various effective strategies which can be incorporated in designing guidance programme for adolescents preparing for competitive examinations. 20
(a) What are the personality qualities to be focused on, for preparing community members as leaders for social change? 15
(b) Can the applicability of concept of norm crystallization in an organization affect transformational leadership in that organization? 15
(c) What is primary prevention? Chalk out a primary prevention programme for substance use disorder in a slum community. 20
(a) Provide a community-based model for organizing services for rehabilitation of mentally challenged people. 15
(b) Compare the 'top-down' and bottom-up' approaches to social change with specific reference to handling social problems in the Indian context. 15
(c) Which form of psychological treatment is suitable for dealing with unresolved inner conflicts? Explain. 20

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
(a) What are the cultural consequences of being disadvantaged and how can these be addressed?
(b) Write a note on distance learning through IT.
(c) Interactions between members of diverse groups can affect the ratings of in-group and out-group members. Discuss with the help of researches.
(d) Discuss the behavioural strategies for managing pollution.
(e) Critically evaluate the issues of gender discrimination in the Indian context.
(a) Discuss the psychological consequences of prolonged deprivation. What strategies can be adopted to overcome these consequences? 15
(b) Discuss the importance of consumer awareness in protecting consumer rights. How can consumers be empowered to make informed decisions? 15
(c) What are the psychological measures to be used for social integration of the communities divided by conflicts of religion? 20
(a) Explain the concepts of social facilitation and social inhibition in the context of group processes. 15
(b) Prepare the psychological profile of a terrorist. What are the common characteristics, motivations and beliefs that drive individuals to terrorist activities? 15
(c) Describe the psychological consequences of constructing social realities on the basis of information gained through social media. How can these be checked by psychological interventions? 20
(a) What motivates entrepreneurs to start and grow their business, and how do they maintain motivation in the face of challenges and setbacks? 15
(b) Discuss the concept of 'crowding', its determinants and impact on psychological health and well-being. 15
(c) What are the key challenges that psychologists face when working with defence personnel in promoting positive health, and how can they be addressed? 20

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) What makes psychology a science? Discuss.
(b) Citing relevant examples, explain independent, dependent, and mediating variables.
(c) Describe data collection methods in psychology with special reference to observation and survey methods.
(d) Differentiate between growth and development. Explain the principles of life span development in the context of developmental ecology.
(e) How do the principles of classical conditioning help in the formation of likes and preferences? Discuss.
(a) Describe the diversity in the disciplinary thoughts with special reference to structuralism, functionalism, and behaviourism.
(b) Citing relevant studies, describe the emergence and development of cognitive psychology.
(c) Explain the assumptions of two-way ANOVA. With the help of an example, illustrate main and interaction effects.
(a) Discuss the signal detection theory (SDT) with reference to perceptual vigilance task performance.
(b) Does punishment work in all situations? Discuss the pros and cons of punishment.
(c) Is reconstructed memory accurate? Describe the process of reconstruction, citing research evidence.
(a) Differentiate between classical and operant conditioning. Discuss their applications with suitable examples.
(b) How do various monocular and binocular cues help us with depth perception? Discuss with the help of examples.
(c) Differentiate between the processes of memory and forgetting. Also, discuss multistore model and meta-memory as innovations in the study of memory.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Citing research evidence, explain the components of working memory.
(b) What are the main differences between James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories of emotion? Explain.
(c) Differentiate between intelligence and aptitude. Also, discuss the main features of a good intelligence test.
(d) Describe the biological and socio-cultural determinants of personality. Illustrate your answer with the help of Indian studies.
(e) Is cognitive dissonance effective in changing attitude? Discuss in the light of research evidence.
(a) How do heuristic and algorithm differ as problem-solving strategies? Illustrate the role of mental set in reasoning with the help of experimental evidence.
(b) Explain the biological and cultural bases of emotion. Do people reveal their emotions through non-verbal cues? Discuss.
(c) Explain the main components of emotional intelligence. What does the research evidence suggest about the role of training in its enhancement? Discuss.
(a) Distinguish between psychoanalytic and humanistic approaches to personality. Discuss in detail the recent developments in the applications of these approaches.
(b) Citing relevant examples, explain how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations differ. Referring to relevant studies, describe the factors influencing intrinsic motivation.
(c) Discuss the functions of REM sleep and major theories of dreaming.
(a) How do Skinner and Chomsky differ in their approach to language development? Also, discuss the processes and outcomes of bilingualism and multilingualism in Indian context.
(b) Critically evaluate the positive and negative effects of modern computer technology and artificial intelligence on human behaviour.
(c) What advice would you give to a civil servant to reduce prejudice and discrimination in Indian society? Discuss.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Distinguish hallucinations and delusions with suitable examples.
(b) Evaluate the current status of career counselling in India.
(c) What is ergonomics? Explain the benefits of ergonomics in the workplace with suitable examples.
(d) Write a note on transference versus countertransference in the context of psychodynamic therapies.
(e) Describe "revolving door phenomenon" in the context of community-based mental health services.
(a) Evaluate the effectiveness of ABCD Model in the treatment of psychological disorders.
(b) Why are norms needed for psychological tests? Explain the uses and limitations of percentile ranks in this context.
(c) What is community consciousness? How can it be aroused for handling social problems?
(a) Discuss rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents in Indian context.
(b) What is learned helplessness? How will you explain depression using the concept of learned helplessness?
(c) Explain situation focussed and competency focussed preventive mental health approaches. Discuss in the context of mentally challenged persons.
(a) What are the components of Vroom’s theory of motivation? How can it be used to increase the performance of workers?
(b) Explain various psychological principles underlying effective teaching-learning process. Illustrate your answer with the help of suitable examples.
(c) How will you construct an achievement test in Arithmetic for the fifth standard?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain multilevel marketing with the help of suitable examples.
(b) Describe the psychological approaches that can be utilised to motivate disadvantaged groups to move towards development.
(c) What is implicit prejudice? How does it differ from explicit prejudice? Explain with the help of examples.
(d) Discuss the impact of rapid technological growth on degradation of the environment in the Indian context.
(e) To what extent the role of ideology is critical for understanding terrorism?
(a) What are the prevalent forms of gender discrimination in Indian society? Discuss the measures that can be taken to eradicate them.
(b) Differentiate between relative deprivation and prolonged deprivation. Discuss the psychological consequences of relative deprivation.
(c) Discuss the role of mass media and information technology in fostering values and spreading positivity. Design a program for college students in this context.
(a) What is social integration? Explain the psychological measures that can be taken to achieve the goal of social integration.
(b) How can people be motivated and trained for entrepreneurship? What specific issues would you consider while motivating and training women for entrepreneurship? Elaborate.
(c) Discuss the psychosocial consequences of short-term and long-term exposure to noise.
(a) Discuss the role of media in the present scenario of antisocial behavior. Considering Indian context in view, suggest some measures to regulate media.
(b) What do you mean by positive health of defense personnel? How can psychologists be trained to work with defense personnel in promoting positive health?
(c) Explain the interrelation between achievement motivation and entrepreneurial behavior? Discuss the role of child-rearing practices in the development of achievement motivation and entrepreneurial behavior.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
A. How is the descriptive type of research different from diagnostic research? Answer the question giving suitable examples of each.
B. "Mental health study is the major trend in Psychological studies in the 21st century." Discuss.
C. What do you mean by subliminal perception? Discuss its role in advertising with the help of suitable examples.
D. Your relative is going through chemotherapy. How will your knowledge about learning theories be helpful?
E. Discuss the factors facilitating problem-solving.
Answer the following questions:
A. Explain in detail the use of computer technology in psychological studies. Give your answer citing appropriate recent work in the field.
B. Describe multiple intelligence theory and its measurement
C. Why is the research method considered to be the back–bone of any research? Discuss various steps to be undertaken in Psychological research for sound and reliable results.
Answer the following questions:
A. Describe the factors influencing perceptual organisation with reference to past experiences and perceptual readiness.
B. What do you understand about the psychological and physiological basis of motivation? Discuss them giving suitable examples.
C. Discuss some key ideas from Psycho Cybernetics.
Answer the following questions:
a). Compare and contrast between programmed and probability learning and also highlight their advantages and disadvantages.
b). Do you think that in multicultural society, socialisation is a big issue? Give your opinion in this regard and suggest proper socialisation mechanism
c). Differentiate among a theory, a hypothesis and an operational definition.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
A. Should the researcher always formulate a hypothesis before collecting data? Justify your answer with an appropriate example.
B. Discuss recent trends in the field of decision-making.
C. How does gender differences account for behaviour?
D. What hypothetical ideas lead to the development of projective personality tests?
E. "Knowledge without use is useless." Discuss the statement focussing on the application of psychology in resolving societal problems.
Answer the following questions:
A. In view of Piaget, "Intellectual development takes place through stages which occur in a fixed order and which are universal regardless of social and cultural background.” Critically examine Piaget's point of view in detail.
B. Discuss formation of stereotypes and prejudices with the help of suitable examples.
C. Explain how a double-blind experiment is used to overcome experimenter bias and participant expectancy effects
Answer the following questions:
A. How do intelligence and aptitude differ ? Explain the two in the light of 'g' and 's' factors of intelligence giving suitable examples.
B. What is the meaning and significance of plasticity of perception? Discuss.
C. What are the steps for effective communication training? Discuss in detail.
Answer the following questions:
A. Do childhood experiences affect us in our entire lives? Elaborate your answer in the light of personality theories.
B. How can the memory be improved with the help of organisation and mnemonic techniques?
C. "Human behaviour is affected by multiple factors that tend to overlap. As a result of which it is difficult to analyse the cause of behaviour.” Discuss.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Compare directional and non-directional therapies with reference to their effectiveness.
(b) Give a comparative analysis of positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
(c) Explain the nature and significance of biofeedback therapy.
(d) Explain the nature of dyslexia. How can it be diagnosed?
(e) "Appreciating diversity is considered as a core value for a community psychologist in India." Justify.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the biopsychosocial model of health. Suggest relevant actions to prevent illness.
(b) Explain the assumptions of behaviour therapy. Discuss various techniques of behaviour therapy to treat phobia.
(c) Explain the characteristics of standardised psychological tests. Highlight the limitations of psychological tests.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain Maslow's need for hierarchy theory. Critically evaluate the same.
(b) Explain the strategies for rehabilitation of intellectually challenged person.
(c) Discuss the role of a psychologist in rehabilitation of victims of domestic violence with special reference to India.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the importance and applications of ecological theory for programme implementation of saving the girl child.
(b) Explain Bandura's theory for understanding criminal behaviour.
(c) Describe the applications of psychological principles in the field of marketing. Cite illustrations from Indian context.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain with suitable examples the psychosocial consequences of prolonged deprivation.
(b) What are the measures to achieve social integration?
(c) Explain the role of mass media in fostering societal values.
(d) What psychological interventions can be planned to improve the performance of athletes?
(e) How does self-fulfilling prophecy work in the case of traditional Indian women?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the steps to be taken to reduce the incidence of school dropouts among deprived groups.
(b) Discuss the psychological strategies for handling the intergroup conflict.
(c) What is achievement motivation? Discuss how family and cultural factors contribute to enhance achievement motivation.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the psychological and social effects of pornography addiction.
(b) Discuss the strategies for promoting positive mental health among defence personnel.
(c) What is pro-environmental behaviour ? Design an intervention plan for developing pro-environmental behaviour among schoolchildren.
Answer the following questions:
(a) To what extent an individual's life experiences are relevant for understanding terrorism?
(b) Discuss the psychological consequences of population explosion- Suggest some techniques to enhance awareness among people for population control.
(c) How does gender socialisation in India lead to gender discrimination?

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
A. Describe the applications of psychological principles in managing drug abuse in adolescents.
B. What are values? What strategies can be used in fostering value of equality in early childhood? Discuss.
C. Discuss the role of artificial intelligence in dealing with mental health Problems.
D. How can parents use reinforcement contingencies to manage their children's aggressive behaviour?
E. Illustrate the role of hypothesis in psychological research.
Answer the following questions:
A. State the assumptions and merits of two-way ANOVA. Explain the applications of the same in psychological research with an appropriate example.
B. Discuss language acquisition at different stages of development in the light of the theories of Skinner and Chomsky.
C. What do you understand by physical indicators of emotion? How are they relevant in polygraph test?
Answer the following questions:
A. Is problem solving a psychological process? Illustrate your answer with the steps and methods involved in problem solving. Differentiate between human and computerized problem solving.
B. Discuss the contribution of structuralism and functionalism in shaping psychology as a discipline.
C. Is sleep a conscious phenomenon? Illustrate different states of sleep and explain the functions and role it serves in human life.
Answer the following questions:
a). Dr. Ambedkar's idea of social justice leads to 'egalitarian justice' as compared to Rawls' 'justice as fairness' which aims at the notion of 'pure procedural justice'. Comment.
b). "The Panchayats with gram Sabhas should be so organised as to identify the resources locally available for the development in agricultural and industrial sectors." Examine the statement in the context of Gram Swaraj.
c). Examine the entitlement theory of justice.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
A. Discuss the significance of single blind-double blind procedures for establishing soundness of an experiment.
B. How psychologists conceptualize creativity? Explain the confluence approach to creativity.
C. Do we need 16 factors to describe human personality? Illustrate your answer in the light of big five-factor theory of personality.
D. Discuss the techniques to assess patients with memory disorders.
E. "Emotional competency is more important than intellectual competency." Discuss in the context of schoolchildren.
Answer the following questions:
A. Explain the nature of human attitudes. How is the knowledge of attitude change process helpful in bringing religious harmony in the Indian context? Discuss.
B. Nurturing social intelligence at early developmental stages can play a critical role in conflict resolution at later stages. Explain with the help of examples.
C. Is there perception without sensation? Evaluate critically in the light of empirical evidence.
Answer the following questions:
A. Is intelligence a univariate or multivariate concept? Discuss in the light of Spearman's and J. P. Das's theories of intelligence.
B. What principles of perceptual organization are useful for air traffic controllers? Also, indicate how they use each of them.
C. Evaluate the developmental challenges faced during midlife transitions across gender in the Indian context.
Answer the following questions:
A. "Learning occurs not only through conditioning but also from observations of others.” Discuss this statement from children's point of view. What are the pros and cons of observational learning for children?
B. Discuss the factors involved in ethnolinguistic vitality in the Indian context.
C. Compare and contrast the concepts of intelligence, emotional intelligence, and social intelligence. How can they contribute to the making of an effective civil servant? Discuss.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) In the light of research, discuss various ways to enhance cognitive skills of gifted children.
(b) Some measures can be reliable but not valid. Illustrate with relevant examples.
(c) Explain how power and politics go hand-in-hand.
(d) What is community psychology? Mention a few skills and qualities a community psychologist should have.
(e) What are the different criteria for labeling abnormal behavior?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the various strategies necessary for the rehabilitation of mentally ill Indian youth.
(b) Discuss the challenges to the mental health of Indian youth. As a psychologist, suggest ways to foster their mental health.
(c) Describe the instrumental role of biology, conditioning, cognition, and stress in developing anxiety disorder.
Answer the following questions:
(a) With reference to the general scenario of our country, elaborate on the significance of 'out of school' vocational guidance. Which special strategies should be used for it?
(b) Discuss uses, misuses, and limitations of psychological tests in clinical settings.
(c) Why is selection considered to be a process of infusion of fresh blood in the organization? Discuss the steps involved in employee selection.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss important concepts of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy along with its applications.
(b) Discuss the major limitations of the aged having cognitive problems. Mention strategies used to improve their psycho-social health.
(c) How can community psychologists bring positive social change to address mental health and well-being in society? Explain with suitable examples.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain the concept of social integration citing suitable examples.
(b) Discuss the ill effects of Internet addiction among adolescents. Suggest intervention for arresting the same.
(c) Discuss the characteristics of entrepreneurial behavior.
(d) Throw light on the negative impact of technological growth in our real life.
(e) Which principles of psychology are helpful for developing team spirit in sportspersons?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Critically examine the numerous innovations and programs of the Government in educating and motivating disadvantaged children towards their development.
(b) Discuss the nature and psychological consequences of sexual harassment of women at the workplace. Suggest different behavioral patterns to overcome it.
(c) Media is one of the key factors in promoting pro-social or anti-social behavior. Defend your point of view.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Elaborate on the effects of mass media on the emotional health and values of youth in our culture.
(b) Discuss how the environment, culture, and socio-economic relationships play an important role in meeting the needs of disadvantaged children.
(c) Explore causal factors of social conflicts and suggest methods of resolution.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How does advertising help people to buy intelligently and enable them to take a step in the direction of a higher standard of living? Critically examine.
(b) Discuss pollution and crowding as agents of psycho-social and physical problems. Cite a few problems and recommend remedial strategies.
(c) Discuss Gender Schema Theory and describe its contribution in explaining the personality of a housewife in a traditional family.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) What are the limits of Intuition and common sense? Why do psychologists emphasize scientific methods? Discuss.
(b) State the role of a psychologist in resolving interpersonal conflicts and social unrest.
(c) Discuss the challenges during the group brainstorming process.
(d) Describe the role of mass media in shaping the behavior of adolescents. Support it with appropriate examples.
(e) With reference to the concept of memory construction, evaluate the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in a judicial trial.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How do basic and applied research differ? Explain how knowledge from basic research helps solve practical problems.
(b) Discuss the factors causing cognitive decline in the elderly.
(c) Describe the bottom-up and top-down processing of sensory information.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How much nature (genetic factors) and nurture (environmental factors) contribute to a person's physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development?
(b) Describe the principles of classical conditioning. Illustrate the application of classical conditioning principles in real life.
(c) Explain the importance of cognitive neuropsychology and socio-cultural perspective in understanding human behavior.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Why is selective attention important? Discuss the theories of selective attention.
(b) Which method is most appropriate to investigate gender differences in aggressive behavior at the workplace? Elaborate.
(c) Describe the role of schemas and mnemonic devices in expertise and exceptional memory.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) "Some psychological measures can be reliable but not valid." Elaborate it with examples.
(b) IQ scores predict success in academic, job, and other life outcomes. Evaluate.
(c) What is self-efficacy? Discuss the potential benefits of enhancing self-efficacy.
(d) Formal operational thought is not universally achieved. Discuss.
(e) Give a critical appraisal of the practice of using aptitude tests to predict professions for high school children.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Are we born with personality? Critically evaluate with theoretical interpretation.
(b) Describe the strategies of effective communication training.
(c) Discuss the physiological basis of emotion and its measurement.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Which approaches to motivation are more commonly used in an organization? How might these approaches help to sustain or increase motivation?
(b) Describe different types of Meditation and its effect on health and well-being.
(c) Discuss the use of computer applications in the various domains of practice in Psychology.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Humans strive to assign causes to actions of self and others and fall into traps of biases and errors. Critically discuss.
(b) Discuss the cognitive and motivational determinants of belief in extrasensory perception.
(c) Give a comparative analysis of the behavioristic and nativistic perspective on language development.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Discuss the psychological tests used for the selection of defence personnel.
(b) What are the steps to be taken to promote a gender-friendly environment at the workplace?
(c) Describe the different methods for making a psychological test reliable.
(d) What roles do social agencies play in the rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS patients?
(e) Discuss the role of community psychology for handling community mental health problems.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain the major steps to be taken for the training of children with learning disabilities.
(b) Highlight the importance of career counseling in enhancing students' success in life.
(c) Why is group decision making important for social change? What errors and biases occur during the process of group decision making?
Answer the following questions:
(a) What are the different types of psychological tests for personality assessment?
(b) Describe the main tenets of cognitive therapy. Compare it with psychoanalytic therapy.
(c) Is prejudice inevitable? Discuss the techniques for reducing caste prejudice.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How does power in organizations tend to concentrate in the hands of a few persons? Discuss the tactics used to gain power.
(b) Write about the strategies for motivating students belonging to disadvantaged groups for their development.
(c) Describe the different types of anxiety disorders. What are the behavioral approaches to treat such patients?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain the factors affecting work motivation within work organization in India.
(b) What are the consequences of being a member of a disadvantaged group?
(c) Discuss the methods used by a psychoanalyst to bring unconscious motives into consciousness.
(d) Elaborate upon the strategies for inducing pro-environmental behavior.
(e) What do you understand by mood disorders? Discuss the causes.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How does a self-fulfilling prophecy work? Describe how gender bias is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy in the Indian context.
(b) Elaborate on psychological interventions for improving performance in team games like hockey.
(c) What do you understand by the psychology of advertising? How can consumer awareness be enhanced through advertising?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Highlight the psychological consequences of living in a high population density area.
(b) Illustrate the characteristics of entrepreneurial behavior. How can it be promoted among the youth?
(c) Describe the impact of electronic media on adolescents' behavior.
Answer the following questions:
(a) What are the forms of social conflicts? Explain the methods of resolution of social conflicts.
(b) In the light of the post-COVID-19 pandemic, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of online learning.
(c) What is the need for early identification of mentally challenged children? Write about the strategies for early intervention.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) What is meant by social integration? How can religious harmony be promoted to attain social integration in the present scenario in India?
(b) Bring out the role of social agencies in the rehabilitation of persons suffering from substance abuse.
(c) Values cannot be fostered through TV and Mass Media. Critically evaluate the statement.
(d) What is meant by the glass ceiling effect? Discuss the factors that facilitated some women to break this glass ceiling. Illustrate some examples.
(e) Women in remote villages have been deprived of development-related benefits. What steps would you suggest to enable women to take advantage of these benefits?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain the nature of diversity in today's organizations in India. What steps should organizations take to manage diversity?
(b) What are the challenges in the development and uses of psychological tests? Illustrate with examples.
(c) Enumerate the major processes of psychological testing in educational settings and discuss ways in which psychological tests help both the teacher and the students.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How does categorization as in-group and out-group influence social relations? How can such influence of categorization be minimized? Discuss with examples.
(b) Environmental degradation is a major issue. Explain what has led to this and how it has impacted the life of people and society in India.
(c) How media influences pro and antisocial behavior in India. Discuss one instance of prosocial behavior and one instance of antisocial behavior.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How can psychology contribute to managing IT and mass media for 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'? Discuss.
(b) Who are juvenile delinquents? Discuss the steps involved in the rehabilitation and prevention of juvenile delinquency.
(c) What are the potential sources of stress for people working in research and development organizations? Discuss some individual and organizational approaches in these organizations to manage stress.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in 150 words:
(a) Explain the psychological conceptualization that helps in understanding economic development.
(b) How are indigenous therapies an alternative to classical insight therapies? Discuss.
(c) How has population growth impacted human and social lives? Discuss this in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
(d) Discuss the factors that contribute to political behavior in organizations.
(e) In what ways are psychological tests better tools in assessing individual differences? Explain.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Identify and discuss key elements contributing to effective social change in a marginalized community.
(b) On the basis of the psychology of motivation, write a program sketch for entrepreneurship development.
(c) Illustrate the basic tenets of psychodynamic and client-centered therapies. Discuss the effectiveness of these therapies as forms of treatment for mental disorders.
Answer the following questions:
(a) What are some of the problems faced by defense personnel posted in tough terrain? Discuss how positive mental health can be promoted among them.
(b) Describe and evaluate techniques used in the training for memory development.
(c) Describe the symptoms of depression and mood disorders. Give an account of etiological factors and suggest the appropriate therapeutic treatment for these disorders.
Answer the following questions:
(a) In the case of highly skilled professionals, does their motivation come from within or is it the result of situational factors? Explain this in the light of theories of motivation.
(b) How are schizophrenic disorders different from anxiety disorders? Explain with examples.
(c) Think of a social group that has been subjected to prolonged deprivation. In what ways has prolonged deprivation impacted the lives of people belonging to this group? Suggest ways to mitigate these effects.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) What are the major features do clinicians use to interpret Rorschach responses?
(b) How does prior knowledge shape encoding in memory?
(c) Describe psychological and cognitive components of emotions.
(d) Discuss the reasons why rewards may backfire and not produce their intended results for behavior.
(e) Suggest some strategies for fostering values in Indian settings.
Answer the following questions:
(a) What is the role of artificial intelligence in psychology? How can it be applied as an intervention in identifying different psychological abnormalities?
(b) Differentiate between metamemory and self-instructional learning. Elaborate your answer with suitable examples.
(c) Define the precursors of the development of item response theory. In what ways will it help in the advancement of the area of aptitude testing?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Differentiate between exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. What is their significance in test construction? Elaborate your answer with suitable examples.
(b) Explain five most important perspectives to define human behavior.
(c) Describe the 3-stage model of memory with special emphasis on working memory.
Answer the following questions:
(a) While playing cricket, Team-A got into a fight with Team-B. Discuss it in the context of the 'realistic group conflict theory.' How can conflict resolution strategies be used to manage and control such fights?
(b) How is quasi-experimental design different from experimental design? Describe different forms of quasi-experimental design with special emphasis on time series design.
(c) "Any sort of learning takes place with the help of suitable associations and reinforcement." Critically examine how much cognitivists, Gestaltists, and evolutionary psychologists agree with the statement.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) How can a psychologist contribute to society during COVID-19?
(b) Describe brain plasticity and factors affecting it.
(c) Discuss the steps involved in effective communication training.
(d) How much do family and school environments contribute to intelligence?
(e) Explain the six primary emotions that can be identified from facial expressions.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Differentiate between Erikson's psychosocial and Freudian psychosocial theories. Also, explain the different virtues attached to each stage of the psychosocial theory.
(b) Explain the various assumptions and ways of performing regression analysis. Also, compare standardized and unstandardized beta coefficients with suitable examples.
(c) Repression is a motivated forgetting process that protects us by inhibiting anxiety-arousing memories. Explain its role in dissociation.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Describe different personality assessment techniques and also highlight their strengths and weaknesses.
(b) How are physiological, neural, and cognitive changes associated with aging? Explain.
(c) How can the grounded theory approach help explore a layperson's definition of happiness?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss in detail different attitude rating scales. How can we measure intergroup prejudice among students in the class using the Likert scale, and how can their behavior be rectified through moral education?
(b) Give details of facilitating and hindering factors in problem-solving. Answer the question by citing a suitable example.
(c) What are the different rules of language? Critically analyze the 'critical period hypothesis'.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) The edifice of behaviorism was built on the loopholes of the teleological approach in psychoanalysis. Evaluate.
(b) "Diagnostic and prognostic research are complementary to each other." Explain with suitable examples.
(c) Explain the role of hypothesis in psychological research with suitable examples.
(d) How do we see objects in three dimensions? Discuss the factors influencing the same.
(e) In what ways is deviation IQ different from traditional IQ? Discuss.
Answer the following questions:
(a) "Multistore model of memory best explains the nature of memory." Evaluate the statement in theoretical perspective and empirical evidence.
(b) What is the significance of attachment to parents in the social and emotional well-being of a child? Illustrate from the perspective of developmental theories.
(c) How do environmental factors determine the sensation of hunger? Illustrate with examples.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Differentiate between experimental and quasi-experimental designs. Evaluate the applications of quasi-experimental designs in psychological research.
(b) Explain how divergent thinking is different from convergent thinking. Discuss the methods to foster divergent thinking in children.
(c) What is achievement motivation? Discuss the projective technique as a method for assessing achievement motivation.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the effects of stimulus-deprivation on human behavior with empirical evidence.
(b) How is the NEO Five-Factor Theory different from the 16 Personality Factors Theory? Explain.
(c) Illustrate that values can best be fostered during childhood. Discuss different methods for fostering moral and ethical values among school-going children.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Evaluate the ‘critical period’ hypothesis in language acquisition.
(b) "Discrimination and generalization are two complementary processes in skill learning." Discuss with reference to operant conditioning.
(c) "Stereotypes can lead to the development of prejudice and discrimination." Explain citing examples from Indian context.
(d) How did structuralism contribute to the development of psychology as a discipline? Evaluate.
(e) Why do most people experience geometrical illusions? Explain from the psychological perspective.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How is Gardner's theory of intelligence distinct from Spearman's theory? Illustrate.
(b) Citing examples from life situations, explain the phenomenon of perceptual organization.
(c) What is vicarious learning? Discuss its applications in the acquisition of emotional responses.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Define 'concept'. Illustrate different types of concepts and processes involved in the formulation of the same.
(b) How can language be analyzed for its similarities across cultures? Explain with scientific evidence.
(c) Two-way ANOVA is not merely an addition of two one-way ANOVAs. Describe and evaluate with examples.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Citing research evidence, bring out the role of cultural factors in socialization.
(b) Is amnesia merely a phenomenon of retrieval failure? Discuss in the light of empirical evidence.
(c) Critically evaluate the uses of paper-pencil tests in personality assessment.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Even though validity often requires reliability, the reverse is not true. Explain.
(b) "If you accept that studying does not come naturally, then it is apparent that one should need to set-up an organized schedule to promote adequate study." Comment on this statement and highlight the important steps.
(c) Describe factors that may positively or negatively affect academic performance.
(d) Discuss why and how news coverage in the media affects us.
(e) What is successful aging? What are the components of successful aging?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain why group membership can have a powerful influence on social behaviors and decisions.
(b) Given the rapid changes that are taking place in the Media, specially the internet and smartphones, discuss the psychological impact of these on adolescents.
(c) Why no single form of therapy works best for every problem? How an eclectic approach is an answer to it?
Answer the following questions:
(a) What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination? Discuss the newer forms of prejudice that we see today.
(b) How would cognitive therapy explain the cause for clinical depression of a client and what would be the therapeutic approach followed for the treatment?
(c) In the light of research, discuss the ways in which social conflicts can be resolved.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How can one make a decision of using exploratory factor analysis or confirmatory factor analysis or an integrated approach while constructing a psychological test?
(b) Why is Narcissistic personality disorder considered as a personality disorder? What are the obstacles faced by the clinicians to treat these types of clients?
(c) How can substance abuse be explained through different psychological approaches? How can the rehabilitation process help the people indulging in substance abuse?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) "Psychological tests are important in personnel selection." Give reasons for it and describe which psychological tests are generally used.
(b) How can one differentiate between learning and training? Discuss any two executive training methods, giving suitable examples.
(c) Discuss the relationship of achievement motivation to entrepreneurial behavior, citing relevant research.
(d) How can the community play an important role in providing safety to women? Discuss.
(e) How can the group cohesion method be a strong psychological intervention in enhancing team performance?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss socio-emotional factors affecting achievement motivation among students from disadvantaged groups.
(b) Why is psychological wellbeing considered an essential factor of health? What are the different ways it can be enhanced?
(c) Critically examine Herzberg's two-factor theory of motivation and point out how it is different from Maslowian theory.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Point out the general psychological consequences of social and economic disadvantaged groups.
(b) Explain the influence of media towards antisocial behavior through different learning theories.
(c) There is a strong need for a wellbeing curriculum for children in schools. You are asked to develop such a curriculum. What would be the focus and essential components of such a curriculum?
Answer the following questions:
(a) "Why is social change necessary? Discuss effective strategies to bring about social change for community development."
(b) "Population explosion and high population density have negative psychological consequences." Explain this statement, especially stressing the negative psychological consequences.
(c) "Rapid scientific and technological growth is responsible for the degradation of the environment, although scientific and technological developments are necessary for national development." Discuss the above assertion and point out the mechanisms for controlling environmental degradation.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Discuss how psychology can be applied in solving the problem of global climate change.
(b) "Human memory is not like information stored in a tape recorder or compact disc." Critically evaluate the statement.
(c) According to Piaget, the egocentric preschooler is not intentionally 'inconsiderate' but rather has difficulty taking another's viewpoint. Explain.
(d) Explain and critically evaluate the phenomenon of perceptual defense.
(e) Examine how probability learning is different from other types of learning. Give examples.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Perception is plastic. However, it may also be affected by innate tendencies. Critically evaluate.
(b) How have neuroscientists and evolutionary scientists contributed to modern psychology?
(c) Demonstrate the importance of shallow and deep levels of processing in remembering. With the help of daily life examples, explain how retrieval cues enable us to remember.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Why is the principle of random assignment of participants used in the experimental method? How do experimenter effects and demand characteristics influence participants' behavior in experimentation? What procedures can be adopted to minimize such pitfalls?
(b) Differentiate between positive and negative types of reinforcement and punishment. Describe how these could be applied to enforce putting on seat belts while driving.
(c) Differentiate between various developmental tasks of young men and women in India.
Answer the following questions:
(a) What are the assumptions underlying ANOVA? Discuss the conditions when two-way ANOVA is applied and how the results are interpreted with a hypothetical example.
(b) Discuss signal detection theory and explain its applications.
(c) How can different methods of sampling and data collection be useful in the impact evaluation of government social schemes? Describe with a suitable example.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Explain the use of availability heuristic and representativeness heuristic in problem solving with the help of research studies.
(b) Do you think being in a good mood reduces your capacity to process incoming information? Examine in the light of research studies.
(c) According to Bandura, human beings often demonstrate an impressive capacity for the self-regulation of their own behavior. Evaluate.
(d) In what way can dissonance be an effective means for changing attitudes and behavior?
(e) Explain various limitations of verbal communication.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Compare the trait perspective and humanistic perspective on personality.
(b) "Creativity refers to novel ideas that address some problems in a useful way." Critically examine the statement and discuss how creative insight can be explained.
(c) Is sleep a passive process? Justify your answer with proper scientific support.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Describe the structure and features of language focusing on what makes human language unique in comparison to communication in animals.
(b) Discuss contemporary researches on simulating human intelligence using machines and their implications for understanding human behavior.
(c) Discuss the significance and correlates of values. Comment on the impact of social media on values.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Describe how J. P. Das' theory is distinct from other theories of intelligence.
(b) Explain the concepts of self-serving bias and fundamental attribution error. How do they affect problem solving?
(c) Are emotionally competent people internally controlled? Explain. What are the ways to enhance intrinsic motivation of young adults?

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
(a) Bring out the similarities and differences between intelligence, aptitude, and achievement tests.
(b) How does stress contribute to the causation of physical illness? Discuss the role of optimism as a factor moderating the impact of stress.
(C) In the context of positive social change, differentiate between first-order and second-order change. Why is second-order change often the focus of community psychology?
(d) What role do cultural factors play in the rehabilitation of senior citizens with possible memory and cognitive decline? Comment on the significance of family and social support in such rehabilitation in India.
(e) In what specific ways can psychologists work for empowering communities that have been marginalized by society?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the efficacy of systematic desensitization in reducing clients’ phobic reactions. Illustrate your answer with a suitable example.
(b) Explain the etiology of manic-depressive disorder. Evaluate the suitability of therapeutic methods for the treatment of manic-depressive disorder.
(C) Discuss the different steps in the construction and standardization of psychological tests. Illustrate your answer with a suitable example.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How is giftedness identified and what are the issues in such identification in the Indian context? How is giftedness related to IQ and creativity?
(b) Discuss the distinctive aspects of modern psychodynamic therapy. How can it be helpful in the treatment of a diverse array of disorders?
(C) Can effective teaching-learning be viewed as a process of collaborative construction of knowledge? What are the implications of such a view on classroom structure and management in Indian conditions?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain the nature of sensitivity training. Comment on its utility as an organizational development technique.
(b) Discuss the role of social and environmental intervention in the rehabilitation of the mentally challenged. Why are such interventions crucial in Indian settings?
(C) Explain Herzberg's theory of work motivation. Critically comment on its relevance in context.

SECTION ‘B’

Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain, using a psychological framework, the impact of IT and mass media on work-life in India.
(b) What psychological factors act as barriers in the context of women's entrepreneurship? How can they be overcome?
(c) Discuss the most commonly used techniques or skills psychologists teach athletes for improving their performance.
(d) Explain the psychosocial factors demotivating people from small family norms.
(e) With some examples, show how indigenous knowledge systems can be used in the management of biodiversity and cultural diversity.
Answer the following questions:
(a) How is disadvantage related to the social structure of hierarchy and discrimination? What is its relationship with capability deprivation and poverty?
(b) Discuss the relevance of the frustration-aggression hypothesis in the context of caste prejudice in India.
(c) Discuss some major factors of educational failure among tribal communities in India. Why must the education of the disadvantaged emphasize the development of self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Explain how mass media contributes to the acquisition and learning of aggressive and violent behavior. Examine the relationship between exposure to erotica and aggressiveness.
(b) Explain the psychosocial consequences of crowding and high population density. Suggest appropriate policies to deal with the related problems in the Indian context.
(c) Critically describe the role of cultural assimilation in facilitating/hindering social integration in India. Illustrate with a suitable example.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Discuss the relationship between sex-role stereotyping, self-fulfilling prophecy, and the glass ceiling effect in Indian society.
(b) What role can psychologists play in promoting the psychological well-being of defense personnel in the context of prolonged deprivation and stressful conditions?
(c) Explain the interrelationship among achievement motivation, entrepreneurial behavior, and economic development. Discuss critically whether achievement motivation can be enhanced through training. Cite relevant Indian studies.

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

Answer each the following questions in about 150 words:
(a) Describe how you used psychology to solve a social problem.
(b) Distinguish between negative reinforcement and punishment. Do you think punishment is an effective way to modify behaviour?
(c) In a study, the number of students intake in a college correlated very highly with violence. Explain the research finding.
(d) Do you think subliminal messages can actually lead to significant changes in attitudes or behaviour? Cite research evidence.
(e) Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour. Evaluate.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Why do we forget? Differentiate between anterograde and retrograde amnesia.
(b) How can you use 'Focus Group Discussion' to promote use of toilets in rural areas?
(c) How would you apply Operant Conditioning technique for toilet training to a 3-year-old boy?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Whatever we are, it is because of Genes. Discuss.
(b) Which research design would you apply to prove that a particular method of teaching yields best results? Describe.
(c) How are we able to perceive the world in three dimensions when our eyes are capable of sensing only two-dimensional images?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Evaluate "interview" as a method of data collection.
(b) Explain the role of meaningfulness and emotional arousal in encoding. Discuss the implications of encoding specificity principle.
(c) Explain the differences in information processing at various levels of memory. In what way is recall affected by initial processing of information?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer each of the following questions in about 150 words:
(a) Creative people usually have high IQ scores but those with the highest IQ scores are not necessarily the most creative people. Explain.
(b) Critically evaluate Noam Chomsky's theory of transformational grammar.
(c) Drug addiction is just a maladaptive behavior. Like other behavior, it can be easily changed. Discuss.
(d) What is paradoxical in REM sleep? How active is a person during different stages of sleep?
(e) Explain different types of reasoning processes used in problem solving with their strengths and limitations.
Answer the following questions:
(a) According to Gardner's theory, there is no one kind of general intelligence for ranking individuals. Explain.
(b) A young person helped a visually impaired woman to cross the road. He explained his action saying that he has a positive attitude towards such persons. Did his attitude determine his behavior or the behavior determine his attitude? Explain.
(c) Explain the importance of Critical Periods in language development. In what ways are bilingualism and cognitive development related?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Which needs should one be high on to be a successful entrepreneur? Explain based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
(b) Can we do justice to measuring personality by projective and objective tests? Discuss.
(c) Why do some people behave aggressively towards those who defy social norms? How can such aggressive behaviors be changed?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Can we determine a person's academic performance based only on an IQ score? Explain.
(b) How do we explain self-defeating behavior of a person from the Humanistic perspective?
(c) People emphasize personal traits more than situational factors. Evaluate the statement.

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

Answer each the following questions in about 150 words:
(a) Describe how you used psychology to solve a social problem.
(b) Distinguish between negative reinforcement and punishment. Do you think punishment is an effective way to modify behavior?
(c) In a study, the number of students intake in a college correlated very highly with violence. Explain the research finding.
(d) Do you think subliminal messages can actually lead to significant changes in attitudes or behavior? Cite research evidence.
(e) Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. Evaluate.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Why do we forget? Differentiate between anterograde and retrograde amnesia.
(b) How can you use 'Focus Group Discussion' to promote use of toilets in rural areas?
(c) How would you apply Operant Conditioning technique for toilet training to a 3-year-old boy?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Whatever we are, it is because of Genes. Discuss.
(b) Which research design would you apply to prove that a particular method of teaching yields best results? Describe.
(c) How are we able to perceive the world in three dimensions when our eyes are capable of sensing only two-dimensional images?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Evaluate "interview" as a method of data collection.
(b) Explain the role of meaningfulness and emotional arousal in encoding. Discuss the implications of encoding specificity principle.
(c) Explain the differences in information processing at various levels of memory. In what way is recall affected by initial processing of information?

SECTION ‘B’

Answer each of the following questions in about 150 words:
(a) Creative people usually have high IQ scores but those with the highest IQ scores are not necessarily the most creative people. Explain.
(b) Critically evaluate Noam Chomsky's theory of transformational grammar.
(c) Drug addiction is just a maladaptive behavior. Like other behavior, it can be easily changed. Discuss.
(d) What is paradoxical in REM sleep? How active is a person during different stages of sleep?
(e) Explain different types of reasoning processes used in problem-solving with their strengths and limitations.
Answer the following questions:
(a) According to Gardner's theory, there is no one kind of general intelligence for ranking individuals. Explain.
(b) A young person helped a visually impaired woman to cross the road. He explained his action, saying that he has a positive attitude towards such persons. Did his attitude determine his behavior or the behavior determine his attitude? Explain.
(c) Explain the importance of Critical Periods in language development. In what ways are bilingualism and cognitive development related?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Which needs should one be high on to be a successful entrepreneur? Explain on the basis of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
(b) Can we do justice to measuring personality by projective and objective tests? Discuss.
(c) Why do some people behave aggressively towards those who defy social norms? How can such aggressive behaviors be changed?
Answer the following questions:
(a) Can we determine a person's academic performance based only on IQ score? Explain.
(b) How do we explain self-defeating behavior of a person from the Humanistic perspective?
(c) People emphasize personal traits more than situational factors. Evaluate the statement.

Online/Offline Programme	Test Series	Books
Delhi	Buy Now	Buy Now

Achievers Corner

Prelims

Mains & Interview

Current Affairs

Drishti Specials

Study Material

State PCS

Test Series

Videos

Browse Other Optionals

Syllabus of Psychology Paper - I

Foundations of Psychology

Syllabus of Psychology Paper – II

Psychology: Issues and applications:

Previous Year UPSC Questions

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-1

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’

Paper-2

SECTION ‘A’

SECTION ‘B’