Important Topics in Psychology for UPSC MAINS Optional Paper 1

Important Topics in Psychology for UPSC MAINS Optional Paper 1
Paper I Section A

Introduction

• Psychology as a science
• Psychology & its relation to other fields
• Perspectives In Psychology (Just 6 headings – Details
• elsewhere)
• Contribution of Gestalt School to development of Psychology
• (SN)
• Humanistic Perspective as the third force (Short Note)
• Historical Antecedents
• Trends in 21st Century

2. Methods of
Psychology

• Experimental Methods & Non Experimental Methods
• Control Groups & Within Subject Design of Experiment
• Methodological Problems in Psychology
• Types of Research – Diagnostic, Prognostic, Descriptive,
• Evaluative
• Focussed Group Discussions
• Brain Storming
• Grounded Theory Approach

3. Research Methods & Quant Analaysis

• Major Steps in Psychological Research
• Fundamental Vs. Applied Research
• Methods of Data Collection (Interv, Observ, Questionnr, Case Study)
• Experimentor’s effect’s influence on Findings of a study
• Factor Analysis
• Item Response Theory

Development of Human Behaviour

• Socialization & Cultural Factors
• Role of Environment & Genetics on development of Human
• Behaviour
• Life Span Development – Developmental Tasks
• Critical Period
• Maturation
• Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
• Culture & Personality (Optional – Can be left if shortage of time)
• Concept of Self – Shortnote (Optional)

5 Attention & Perception

• Perception & its characteristics.
• Perceptual Organization
• Perceptual Defence (Short Note).
• Signal Detection Theory & Classical Psychophysics (Short Note).
• General Concepts in Attention.
• Sublimial Perception (Short Note)
• Threshold – Absolute & Differential Threshold (Part of
• Psychophysics)
• Vigilance & Factors Influencing it
• Plasticity of Perception
• Figure After Affects

Learning Classical Conditioning.

• Operant Conditioning
• Forms of Learning (including observational learning/Modelling).
• Programmed Learning & its application in teaching.
• Discrimination & Generalization (wrt to both CC & Operant
• Conditioning)
• Process of Extinction (wrt to both CC & Operant Conditioning)
• Theories of Learning – Gestaltist & Information Processing Approach
• Escape, Avoidance & Punishment
• Attainment of Concepts & Concept Learning

7. Memory

•  Information Processing Models of Memory
• Two process theories of memory (short Note)
• Forgetting (Short Note)
• Theories of Forgetting (Repression, Decay & Interference theories)
• Ways of Memory Enhancement
• Basic Processes of Remembering
• Stage Vs. Process Models of Memory
• Concept of working memory
• Metamemory
• Amnesia – Anteretrograde & Retrograde
• Iconic & Echoic Memory

Paper I Section B

Thinking & Problem

• Solving Concept Formation
• Convergent & Divergent thinking (Short Note)
• Creativity & Fostering Creativity (Short Note).
• Creativity & its link with Intelligence (Short Note)
• Problem Solving & the steps involved
• Mental Set & Problem Solving (short note)
• Facilitatory & Hindering factors in problem solving
• Methods of Problem Solving
• Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
• Concept of Problem Space

9 Motivation & Emotion

• Emotion – Characteristics, Components & Functions
• James Lange theory of Emotion
• Emergency Theory of Canon Bard
• Schachter Singer Theory & Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Lazarus
• Motivation – Its characteristics & the steps involved
• Theories of Motivation (Hull, Lewin, Freud, Maslow, Deci & Ryan)
• Field Theory or Vector Valence Theory of Kurt Lewin (Short Note)
• Need Hierarchy Theory of Motivation (Maslow)
• Psychoanalytical theory of Motivation
• Drive Theory or Push theory of Hull
• Extrinsic & Intrinsic Motivation
• Emotional Competence
• Homeostasis
• Social & Economic Motives
• Cognitive Evalutaion theory of Intrinsic Motivation
• Cognitive Approach to Motivation & Emotion
• Instinct, Drive, Arousal & Incentive Theories of Motivation

Intelligence & Aptitude Spearmans

• Thurstone’s Theory of Intelligence
• Concept of Intelligence – nature & development
• Concept of Aptitude (Short Note).
• Creativity & its link with Intelligence (Short Note)
• Emotional Intelligence & how to measure it (Full Length)
• Social Intelligence (Short Note).
• Multiple Intelligence & its measurement (Short Note)
• Theories of Intelligence – J.P Guilford, Eysenck-Vernon Model
• Sternberg Theory of Intelligence
• Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
• Bruner’s Theory of Cognitive Development (Short Note)
• J.P. Das – PASS Model
• Concept of IQ, Deviation IQ, Constancy of IQ
• Fluid Intelligence & Crystallized Intelligence (Cattell’s Theory)

11 Personality Theories of Personality (Psychoanalytical)

• Humanistic Approach to Personality
• Rogers Concept of fully functional person.
• Behaviouristic Approach to Personality
• Trait & Type approaches to Personality (V. Important)
• Projective techniques of perosnality assessment.
• Projective Techniques Vs. Psychometric Tests in Personality
• assesmt.
• Personality – Concept & Individuality
• Socio-Cultural Approach to Personality
• Piagets theory of Cognitive Development
• Indian Approach to Personality (Esp Guna Theory, Vedantic theory)
• Self
• Big 5 Theory

12 Attitudes, Values &
Interests

• Attitude – its Components & Formation
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• Other theories of attitude

Attribution Theory

• Attitude Change
• Values – Concept, Components & Measurement (Short Note).
• Strategies for fostering Values
• Interest – Concept, Components & Measurement (Short Note)
• How Values Motivate Individual
• Measuring Attitude (Thurstone & Likert Attitude Scale)
• Attribution Theories

13 Language &
Communication

• Communication & its process, Importance & Barriers
• Persuasive & Effective Communication
• Skinner & Chomsky’s theory of language development.
• Human Language – Properties, Structure & Linguistic Hierarchy
• Role of Language in Communication
• Language Acquisition – Predisposition, Critical Period Hypothesis

14 Issues & Perspectives
in Modern Extrasensory Perception

• Intersensory Perceiption.
• Contemporary
• Psychology Altered State of Consciousness & Meditation (short note)
• Hypnosis (short note)
• drug use (short note)
• Sensory deprivation
• Dreams
• Sleep & Its Stages
• Artificial Intelligence (Short Note).
• Psychocybernetics
• Use of Computers in Pyschological Experiments & Tests.