PSYCHOLOGY (855)

Aims:
(i) To develop an understanding of human (ii) To develop an understanding of the methods of
behaviour: the nature of individuals and of research and study employed in Psychology.
members of social groups.
(iii) To develop an appreciation of the practical value
of Psychology and its applications in daily life.

CLASS XI

There will be two papers in the subject. (ii) Fields of Psychology – clinical, counselling,
developmental, educational, organizational
Paper I - Theory: 3 hours ……70 marks
and social.
Paper II- Practical Work: ……30 marks The general importance and aims of studying
Psychology and its special benefits.
PAPER - I (THEORY) – 70 Marks Applications - different branches and the kind
Part I (20 marks) will consist of compulsory short of work done in special fields - clinical,
answer questions relating to the fundamental aspects counselling, developmental, educational,
of the entire syllabus. organizational and social (in brief).
Part II (50 marks) will consist of two sections, (iii) Heredity and Environment – meaning of the
A and B. term ‘heredity’; basic principles and
mechanism of heredity. Meaning of the term
Candidates will be required to answer two out of three environment; importance of both heredity and
questions from Section A and three out of five environment in behaviour.
questions from Section B. Each question in this part
shall carry 10 marks. The role of chromosomes; the laws of
heredity: uniformity and variability.
SECTION A Significance of environment: physical and
social. How both heredity and environment
1. The Subject Psychology interact to produce behaviour.
(i) Definition of Psychology; Nature – bio science,
social science or pure science; schools of 2 Methods of Psychology
thought – Structuralism, Functionalism, (i) Scientific Methods in Psychology -
Behaviourism, Psychoanalysis, Gestalt observation, case study, surveys,
psychology. psychological tests, experimentation – steps.
Psychological tests and their uses.
Definition of Psychology, subject matter /
nature of Psychology as a bio science, social The application of scientific methods in the
science or pure science. The eclectic approach study of behaviour. What is meant by scientific
of modern Psychology. Emergence of observation? Field study; controlled and
Psychology as an independent discipline - uncontrolled observation; longitudinal and
different views regarding the nature cross-sectional studies; the case history
of this new subject. Approaches of James method; the experimental method - variables
Watson and Freud. Main features of the and controls - steps in an experiment; surveys
schools of Structuralism, Functionalism and and use of questionnaires/self reports.
Behaviourism, Psychoanalysis, Gestalt Meaning of samples - random, biased,
psychology (two Psychologists of each representative – population. Psychological
approach and their relevant concepts). tests - definition, uses.

71
 (ii) Interpretation of research results – use of (iii) Errors in perception - illusions of size and
statistics in interpretation of data - shape; what is meant by extra-sensory
understanding of why statistics is used perception (ESP).
(descriptive & inferential). Basic statistical False interpretations - illusions: Muller-Lyer,
concepts – statistics, sample, population. Height -Width, Ponzo, Zoellner, Poggendorf
Why statistics is used in Psychology - (details of experiments are required); ESP -
interpretation of findings: describing and perceptions not based on any of the known
summarizing data, comparing individuals/ senses (general understanding of ESP).
groups, investigating relationships between
variables, predicting. Descriptive statistics - SECTION B
for summarizing scores. Inferential statistics -
to determine whether observed differences 4. Emotions and Motivation
between groups are likely/unlikely to have (i) What is meant by emotion; the basic emotions.
occurred by chance.
Subjective and cognitive experience,
How scores are grouped into frequency physiological reactions and overt expression.
distributions; central tendency of a frequency Primary emotions - fear, anger, joy, sorrow,
distribution - mean, median, mode and when affection.
each measure is used; dispersion: the extent to
(ii) Theories of emotion dealing with
which scores are spread out - range, variance,
physiological, subjective and cognitive
standard deviation; why both central tendency
aspects.
and variability are important in psychology.
James Lange, Cannon Bard, Schachter -
3. Attention and Perception Singer theories.
(i) Nature of attention - its inner and outer (iii) What is meant by motives, needs and instincts;
determinants. unconscious motives.
The importance of attention in perception - Motivation as an internal force
how both physical factors such as size, colour, generating certain behaviour - biological
movement, change, intensity, contrast and needs and homeostasis; instincts as
psychological factors such as need, interest unlearned and physiological desires; evidence
and emotion determine attention and indicating the existence of unconscious
perception. motives. Intrinsic - the desire to perform
activities for their own sake.
(ii) Perceptual processes - difference between
sensation and perception. Organizational (iv) Theories of Motivation.
principles of perception - laws, constancies, Pull and push theories, Optimum Arousal
depth and colour perception. theory and Expectancy theory - Graphic
Process involved in transforming sensation to representation of Maslow's Needs Hierarchy.
perception. Important factors in perceptual (v) Social motives.
process - figure and ground, laws of grouping: Three distinctively human motives:
similarity, proximity, continuation, simplicity, Achievement - accomplishing difficult tasks;
good figure; constancy of size, shape and Power - exerting influence over others;
colour; factors involved in depth perception - Aggression - learning and control of human
monocular and binocular cues; how colour is aggression, causes and effects.
perceived - biological and psychological
factors attributes of colour - hue, brightness
and saturation; laws of colour mixture; colour
blindness, adaptation and after-images.

72
 (vi) Frustration - blocking of motives; conflict (iii) How memory can be improved.
among motives. Attention, use of imagery, Mnemonic devices,
Frustration as a result of motives not finding application of principles of learning.
free or adequate expression. Different types of
conflict among motives: approach-approach, 7. Thinking, Problem Solving and Creativity
avoidance-avoidance, multiple approach-
(i) What is meant by thinking.
avoidance (with examples).
Nature and elements of thinking: images,
5. Learning concepts and language - interdependence of
language and thought; different kinds of
(i) What is meant by learning; how learning takes
thinking: convergent, divergent, creative,
place - Classical and Operant Conditioning;
goal-oriented and aimless thinking.
Insight learning, Observational Learning and
Learning Styles. (ii) Concepts and how they are formed.
Definition of learning - Pavlov and Classical Definition - importance of concepts in thinking
Conditioning; Thorndike and Trial and Error; - artificial, natural, simple and complex
Skinner and Operant Conditioning; concepts.
experiments, findings and principles (iii) Reasoning - how it is carried out; common
established. Insight and Observational errors in reasoning, how reasoning can be
Learning - Kohler and Bandura's studies. made more effective. Decision making and
Learning Styles – Auditory, Visual and problem solving - heuristics and algorithms.
Kinesthetic
Reaching specific conclusions from available
(ii) Learning disabilities: definition and types. information - deductive and inductive
Characteristics of the disabilities - Dyslexia, reasoning; common errors - faulty premises,
dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia. biases, fallacy of single case, rationalization,
Adjustment problems and coping with hindsight. Improving reasoning - avoiding
academics (symptoms and management). errors, examining premises and ambiguities,
guarding against emotion. Decision Making
6. Remembering and Forgetting and Problem Solving - steps involved,
(i) The memory system - how it works - different optimum expected utility, means-end-analysis,
models. analogy.
(iv) Creative thinking - what is meant by
Sensory memory, Short and Long term
Memory - encoding, storage, retrieval. convergent and divergent thinking; stages in
Semantic and Procedural Memory. Processing creative thinking, how creativity can be
memory - the Atkinson Shiffrin Model and fostered.
Parallel Distributed Processing. Use of divergent thinking in creativity - stages
in creative thinking, preparation, incubation,
(ii) Why and how forgetting occurs.
illumination, verification/validation. How
Trace decay, retro and pro active interference, creativity may be encouraged: enrich
amnesia - retrograde and anterograde; knowledge and experience, encourage
Alzheimer's disease; Dementia. independence, curiosity and promote positive
mood.

73
 PAPER - II (PRACTICAL WORK) – 30 Marks (III) Method - (i) Sample of the Study
(ii) Procedure followed (data-
Candidates will be expected to have completed two collection, nature of raw data)
studies / experiments from any chapter covered in
Theory. Assessment will be based on a written report (iii) Treatment of Data
which should cover – (iv) Results & Discussion
(I) Aim (v) Conclusion
(II) Basic concept: Definition of concepts used and (IV) Bibliography
related theory. Identification of variables –
Mark allocation per study [15 marks]:
independent and dependent.
Basic Concept 3 marks
Method (correctness of procedure) 4 marks
Results and discussion 4 marks
Viva 4 marks

74
 CLASS XII
be included; Levels of intelligence and
There will be two papers in the subject.
associated characteristics (from gifted
Paper I - Theory: 3 hours …70 marks through average to below average).
Paper II- Practical Work: …30 marks (ii) Aptitude, Achievement and Interest: meaning
of these terms. Reason for their assessment
PAPER - I (THEORY) – 70 Marks and means of assessment (different tools/
Part I (20 marks) will consist of compulsory short tests) used.
answer questions relating to the fundamental aspects What is meant by Aptitude - when aptitude
of the entire syllabus.
needs to be assessed - the GATB (General
Part II (50 marks) will consist of two sections, Aptitude Test Battery); meaning and
A and B. usefulness of Achievement tests; why and how
Interest is measured - the SCII (Strong
Candidates will be required to answer two out of three
questions from Section A and three out of five Campbell Interest Inventory).
questions from Section B. Each question in this part 2. Personality
shall carry 10 marks.
(i) What is meant by Personality.
SECTION A
Definitions of personality – Allport, Cattell,
1. Intelligence and Ability Eysenck.
(i) Intelligence: what is meant by intelligence - (ii) Theories of Personality: Type Theories,
theories regarding the nature of intelligence; Psychoanalytic Theory - Freud’s structure of
how intelligence is measured - the concept of personality; psycho-sexual stages of
IQ, intelligence tests – Individual Tests, Group development; Post Freudians (in brief);
Tests, Culture Fair Tests. Levels of Humanistic - Rogers and Maslow; Traits -
intelligence and associated characteristics Allport, Cattell; Social/Behavioural Learning -
(from gifted through average to below Bandura and Rotter.
average).
Type Theory: Sheldon, Kreshtmer,
Different views regarding the nature of Hippocrates, Friedman, Charak Samhita of
intelligence: general or multifaceted; quality Ayurveda. Types and stereotypes - the
or process; modern emphasis on social usefulness and dangers of categorizing
context; Intelligence: definition of intelligence personalities, e.g. introverts and extroverts.
(David Wechsler); what is meant by Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality: Freud's
intelligence - theories regarding the nature of levels of consciousness, structure of
intelligence; Theories of Intelligence: Two personality - Id, Ego and Superego; principles
Factor Theory – Charles Spearman; Primary on which they function; Psychosexual stages
Mental Abilities – Thurstone; Raymond Cattell of development and fixation; Post Freudians:
– Fluid and Crystallised Intelligence; Erik Erikson, Horney; Humanistic theories of
Guillford’s Structure of Intellect Model. Rogers (concept of fully functioning persons)
Modern Theories: Information Processing; and Maslow (self actualization). Traits:
Triarchic Theory – Sternberg; Theory of Allport (central, secondary and cardinal
Multiple Intelligence – Howard Gardner. How traits), Cattell (source and surface traits).
intelligence is measured - the concept of IQ; The five factor model of Costa and McCrae.
Intelligence Tests – Individual Tests - Stanford Social Cognition and Social Learning theories
Binet, Wechsler, Group Tests – Raven’s of Bandura and Rotter (Identification and
Progressive Matrices, Culture Fair Tests – explanation of concepts in each theoretical
Cattell’s Culture Fair Test. Test details (Aim, framework).
history, description, scoring and uses) should
75
 (iii) How personality is assessed: reports, 4. Stress and Stress Management
inventories (MMPI), projective techniques -
(i) Meaning of stress - its basic nature.
Rorschach Inkblot Test and Thematic
Apperception Test. Stress as a process - stressors (negative and
positive events); results of overload; the
The use of Self Reports - inventories/ stages of GAS or the General Adaptation
questionnaires in assessing Personality - an Syndrome (Selye's model). Cognitive appraisal
understanding of the MMPI (Minnesota of stress – primary and secondary.
Multiphasic Personality Inventory); what is
(ii) Common causes of stress.
meant by Projective Techniques - how the
Rorschach Inkblot and TAT (Thematic External/situational: major life events, minor
Apperception Test) are used (Test details hassles of everyday life, work-related causes,
should include procedure, scoring and the physical environment.
results). Internal/dispositional: Personality variables-
SECTION B traits and types.

3. Lifespan Development (iii) Effects of stress on health and performance.

(i) Meaning of Development, growth and Upsets the internal mechanism and balance -
maturation. immune system affected, hypertension, heart
problems, ulcers, diabetes, asthma (each effect
Why is the study of lifespan development to be briefly explained). Relation between
important? Determinants – interaction of stress and performance - burnout.
heredity and environment, context of
development. (iv) Stress management - ineffective and effective
strategies of handling stress.
(ii) Infancy - motor, cognitive development, socio-
emotional development. Coping with stress: Ineffective strategies -
defense mechanisms - rationalization,
Motor – milestones; cognitive – Piaget’s projection, reaction formation, regression,
Sensory Motor Stage; socio-emotional repression (each to be briefly explained),
development – emergence of attachment. displacement, sublimation; Effective strategies
(iii) Childhood - motor, cognitive development, - relaxation training and yoga. Effective
socio-emotional development. lifestyles: stress cycles – distress and wellness.

Motor development; cognitive development – 5. Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy

Piaget’s Theory (Preoperational, Concrete (i) Meaning of “Abnormal behaviour” -
and Formal Operation); emergence of self – biological, psychological and socio - cultural
gender awareness, emergence of peer perspectives. Principles of classification of
relationships; moral development – psychological disorders with reference to
Kohlberg’s perspective – pre-conventional DSM IV.
morality.
Different views of "abnormal" behaviour - the
(iv) Adolescence - physical changes, cognitive statistical stand - the biological/medical
development, socio-emotional development; approach - the psychodynamic perspective -
some major concerns. the sociocultural dimension; why
Physical changes at puberty; Cognitive classification of disorders is necessary - an
understanding of the Diagnostic and
development – Piaget’s Formal Operations
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – IV
Stage; Socio-emotional development - forming (brief explanation of each Axis).
an identity, dealing with sexuality and gender
identity; some major concerns – delinquency, (ii) Characteristics of some psychological
substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) – disorders: Anxiety - generalised, phobic,
obsessive-compulsive; Mood - bi-polar,
meaning of substance abuse, symptoms and
depression; personality - anti-social, histrionic,
treatment; eating disorders - bulimia,
avoidant, dependent, passive-aggressive.
anorexia.
76
 What is meant by anxiety - different forms of behaviour; how attitudes are formed and
anxiety disorders: phobias, obsession - changed.
compulsive disorders; Mood disorders- What are attitudes - the components of
characteristics of severe depression, manic- attitude; how far attitudes determine
depressive or bipolar disorder; personality - behaviours: the process of forming attitudes -
anti-social, histrionic, avoidant, dependent, how attitudes change: persuasion and
passive-aggressive (causes and symptoms). cognitive dissonance.
(iii) Schizophrenia - meaning; main types; (ii) Prejudice – meaning of “prejudice” and
characteristics. discrimination; the origins of prejudice; how
Basic nature of Schizophrenia - to combat prejudice. The Indian context.
characteristics of Disorganized Catatonic and An understanding of the meaning of prejudice
Paranoid Schizophrenia (symptoms). and how it works in the form of discrimination
(iv) Psychotherapy - Psychoanalysis; Client- - causes of prejudice: social learning, realistic
centred; Behavioural. Rehabilitation. competition, social categorization and
stereotyping; ways in which prejudice can be
What is meant by Psychotherapy - central resisted. Caste, community and gender
features of psychodynamic therapies - free stereotypes in the Indian context.
association, dream analysis, transference and
counter transference; the principles on which 8. Applications of Psychology
client centred therapy has been developed.
Behavioural therapies based on classical and with reference to:
operant conditioning or modelling. (i) Clinical and Counselling Psychology.
Rehabilitation. Role of a counsellor and a clinical psychologist
in dealing with individuals, couples, families
6. Social Thought and Social Behaviour and groups.
(i) Social Perception - attribution or the process (ii) Educational (School) Psychology.
through which people try to understand the
reasons for others’ behaviour. How Psychology helps to facilitate learning in
school - students and teachers; individual
How people determine whether others' problems: learning differences, teaching and
behaviour is a result of internal causes or evaluation techniques, school environment.
external factors - biases in forming judgments Career counselling - how Psychology helps in
(attribution). Explain with examples each the choice of a career - requirements of a field
of the following biases - the person or job, testing individuals, matching
positivity bias, motivational biases, individual and field/job.
self serving bias, the false consensus effect,
automatic vigilance, motivated scepticism, (iii) Organisational Psychology.
counterfactual thinking. How Psychology helps to promote efficiency,
(ii) Social Influence- how people try to change well-being and profitability - study of factors
others’ behaviour; social norms; conformity involved. Recruitment, motivation, team
and obedience - factors affecting them. building and leadership skills, marketing and
consumer behaviour.
What is meant by social norms - why people
conform to social norms and why they digress; (iv) Crime
factors affecting Conformity and Obedience. How Psychology helps towards:
Asch's study on conformity; why and when understanding criminals, rehabilitating them,
people obey others - Milgram's experiment. preventing crime.
PAPER II (PRACTICAL WORK) – 30 Marks

7. Attitudes Candidates will be expected to have completed two

studies from those given below. Assessment will be
(i) Meaning of “Attitude” - the relationship
between attitude, perception, belief and based on a written report which should cover –
77
(I) Aim Gender differences (boys and girls) of the same age-
(II) Basic concept: Definition of concepts used and group (preferably from Class XI or XII).
related theory. Identification of variables –independent Tools: to construct a simple 5-point scale (10-15
and dependent. items) with positively and negatively worded
(III) Method - (i) Sample of the Study statements.
(ii) Procedure followed (data-collection, Raw Data: Summated scores on all the statements for
nature of raw data) each respondent.
(iii) Statistical Treatment of Data Analysis: (i) Calculate mean attitudinal scores for each
(iv) Results & Discussion group and make inter-group comparisons.
(v) Conclusion (ii) Short, structured interview schedule constructed
The practical work will be assessed by the teacher and administered to 8-10 students in each group. The
and a Visiting Examiner appointed locally and responses elicited can be used to draw inferences to
approved by the Council. explain the inter-group differences, if any.
Mark allocation per study [15 marks]:
C. Stress
Basic Concept 3 marks
To study the causes and effects of stress among school
Method (correctness of procedure) 4 marks
students.
Results and discussion 4 marks
Group: Class X or Class XI students
Viva 4 marks Tools: To construct two checklists - one indicating
A. Statistics the potential stressors along with a 5-point rating scale
indicating their frequency of occurrence (very often,
To study group differences in Examination results. often, sometimes, rarely, very rarely). The stressors
Groups: Any two classes or two sections of the same should include dispositional/internal variables
class with same subjects. (personality attributes, cognitive appraisal) and
Raw Data: Summated scores on all subjects in the situational/external variables (life events,
annual examination for each student. environmental pressures – physical, social, cultural
Analysis: (i) Group analysis – Calculate mean scores and academic stressors).
(central tendency) and standard deviations (variability) The second checklist should indicate the effects of
for each group and make inter-group comparisons. stress (strain) – physical, psychological and
(ii) Individual analysis – Calculate Z (standard) scores behavioural along with their frequency of occurrence
(on a 5-point rating scale).
for any two students from each class – one whose
Analysis: To determine the stressors and the effects
examination score is above the class mean and one
that occur with the most to the least frequency and
whose examination score is below the class mean. understand/explain each.
Interpret the Z score in standard deviation units
and indicate the percentage of scores that lie
above/below the subject’s score (use a table that gives NOTE: No question paper for Practical work will be
the areas under the Normal curve corresponding to set by the Council.
given values of Z).
(iii) Graphic Representation – bar diagram to depict
the mean scores of both groups.
B. Attitudes
To study attitudinal differences regarding any one of
the following – Fashion, Work/Lifestyle, Marriage.
Groups: Two generations (parents and children)
Or
78