Syllabus Psychology Mains

PAPER-I

 
 

FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY

 
 

1. Introduction: Definition of Psychology; Historical antecedents of Psychology and trends in the 21st century; Psychology and scientific methods; Psychology in relation to other social and natural sciences; Application of Psychology to societal problems.

 
 

Note: The topics "Psychology as a Science : Definitions and perspective" and "Use of interdisciplinary approach" seem to have been omitted.

 
 

2. Methods of Psychology: Types of research: Descriptive, evaluative, diagnostic and prognostic; Methods of Research: Survey, observation, case-study and experiments; Characteristics of experimental and non-experimental design, Quasi-experimental designs; Focused group discussions, brain storming, grounded theory approach..

 
 

Note: The words and headings have changed a lot but the chapter is pretty much the same except the new topics "focussed group discussions, brain storming, grounded theory approach.

 
 

3. Research methods and quantitative analysis: 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, regression and factor analysis); Item response theory.

 
 

Note: The topic "one-way ANOVA" has been replaced by "two-way ANOVA"; the topic "Chi-square tests" has been replaced by "factor analysis."

 
 

4. 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 socialisation. Life span development-Characteristics, Developmental tasks, promoting psychological well-being across major stages of the life span.

 
 

Note: The topic "nature, origin and development" has been replaced by "growth and development" and "principles of development." The topics "Influence of child rearing practices and its impact on the growth and development of the individual, concept of national character" seems to have been omitted.

 
 

5. Sensation, Attention and perception: Sensation-concepts of threshold, absolute and difference thresholds, signal detection and vigilance. Attention - factors influencing attention including set and characteristics of stimulus. Definition and concept of perception, biological factors in perception. Perceptual organisation-influence of past experiences, Perceptual defence-factors influencing space and depth perception, size estimation and perceptual readiness; the Plasticity of Perception; Extrasensory Perception; Culture and perception; Subliminal perception.

 
 

6. Learning: Concepts and theories of learning (Behaviorists, Gestaltists and Information Processing Models.) The processes of extinction, discrimination and generalisation. Programmed learning, probability learning, self instructional learning, concepts, types and the schedules of reinforcement; Escape, avoidance and punishment; Modelling and social learning.

 
 

Note: In the previous syllabus, concepts and theories of learning were referred (in the brackets) as Pavlov, Skinner and Piaget. This time, they refer to schools of thought (Behaviorists, Gestaltists and Information Processing Models.)

 
 

7. Memory: Encoding and remembering; Short 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: Retrograde and Anterograde.

 
 

Note: Though the words have changed, there is not much actual change in this chapter. There is nothing in this syllabus that you wouldnt have studied in the previous syllabus except the new topics "Metamemory" and "Amnesia: Retrograde and Anterograde."

 
 

8. 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.

 
 

9. 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 related issues.

 
 

Note: "Emotional competence and related issues" is the new topic. The rest is the same subjected to some semantic rearrangement.

 
 

10. Intelligence and Aptitude: Concept of Intelligence and Aptitude, Nature and theories of intelligence -
Spearman, Thurstone, Gullford Vernon; Sternberg and J. P. Das; Emotional intelligence; Social intelligence; Measurement of Intelligence and Aptitude;
Concept of IQ, deviation IQ, constancy IQ; Measurement of multiple intelligence; Fluid intelligence and Crystallized intelligence.

 
 

Note: Theories of intelligence have been specified this time. Lots of new topics added to an already large chapter.

 
 

11. Personality: Concept and definition of personality. Theories of personality (psychoanalytical, socio-cultural, interpersonal and 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.

 
 

12. 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 change; strategies for fostering values; Formation of stereotypes and prejudices; Changing others' behaviour, Theories of attribution; Recent trends.

 
 

13. Language and Communication: Human language-properties, structure and linguistic hierarchy; Language acquisition-predisposition, critical period hypothesis; Theories of language development - Skinner and Chomsky; Process and types of communication - effective communication and training.

 
 

14. Recent Trends: Computer application in the Psychological laboratory and psychological testing; Artificial Intelligence; Psychocybernetics; Study of consciousness-sleep-wake schedules; dreams, stimulus deprivation, meditation, hypnotic/drug induced states; Extrasensory perception; Intersensory perception; Simulation studies.