- Instructions for UPSC Mains Psychology Optional Paper
- Psychology Paper 1: SECTION-A
- Psychology Paper 1: SECTION-B
- Psychology Paper 2: SECTION-A
- Psychology Paper 2: SECTION-B
- Original PDF Scan for Hindi Medium
Instructions for UPSC Mains Psychology Optional Paper
- For each paper: Time Allowed : Three Hours Maximum Marks : 250
- There are EIGHT questions divided in two Sections and printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH.
- Candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.
- Question Nos. 1 and 5 are compulsory and out of the remaining, THREE are to be attempted choosing at least ONE question from each Section.
- The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it.
- Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet in the space provided. No marks will be given for answers written in medium other than the authorized one.
- Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to.
- Attempts of questions shall be counted in chronological order. Unless struck off, attempt of a question shall be counted even if attempted partly. Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck off.
Psychology Paper 1: SECTION-A
Q1. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each :10×5=50
- Distinguish between ‘social learning’ and ‘conditioning’.
- Explain the concept of ‘sensory adaptation’ and discuss its uses in day-to-day life.
- Present an outline of the ecological perspective as an innovative approach to facilitate developmental outcomes.
- Describe the uses of factor analysis in psychological research and indicate different types of rotations used in it.
- In what ways ‘within factorial design’ differs from ‘between factorial design’?
Q2.Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- Distinguish between single-process theory and dual-process theory of short-term memory. 20 marks
- What psychological techniques can be used to enhance cleanliness in public places? 15 marks
- What are the multivariate techniques used in psychological research? Indicate their uses. 15 marks
Q.3. Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- What are the various kinds of threats to the validity of experimental research? Illustrate your answer with the help of examples. 20 marks
- What are the distinctive features of probability learning? How useful is it in real life? 15 marks
- Is perception a constructive process? Explain in the light of studies on illusions and constancies. 15 marks
Q4. Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- Do you think that natural sciences provide a good model for psychological studies? Give arguments in favour of your answer. 20 marks
- Discuss the main aspects of cognitive and moral development during adolescence. 15 marks
- What is the role of constructive and reconstructive processes in human memory? Explain. 15 marks
Psychology Paper 1: SECTION-B
Answer the following questions in about 150 words each : 10×5=50
- What are the main types of meditation? Describe their effects on cognitive functioning.
- Describe the problems in the assessment of intelligence of children with special needs.
- Discuss the role of various neural and physiological processes in emotional experiences.
- What has been learned through experiments about the strategies and knowledge base of experts? Discuss.
- Is self-serving bias universal in attribution process? Comment.
Q6. Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- How is self related to culture? Discuss in the light of studies on self-construal and individualism-collectivism. 20 marks
- Commenting on bilingualism and multilingualism in the Indian context, outline a language policy relevant to schooling. 15 marks
- Compare the limits of artificial intelligence and human information processing system. Discuss their implications for human performance. 15 marks
Q7. Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- Briefly discuss the evolution of psychoanalytic theory as reflected in the works of Fromm, Erikson and Sudhir Kakar. 20 marks
- What is meant by rule learning? Describe some important rules along with description of the concepts related to each rule. 15 marks
- What is the role of cognitive factors in determining emotional functioning? Discuss. 15 marks
Q8. Answer the following: (20+15+15 marks)
- What are the key components of emotional intelligence? How can parents and teachers help facilitate its development in school-going children? 20 marks
- Discuss the roots of gender-related prejudice in the Indian society. Why is it so resistant? 15 marks
- Considering some successful advertisements witnessed by you, describe the key factors that enhance the effectiveness of communication. 15 marks
Psychology Paper 2: SECTION-A
Q1. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10 x5=50
- What factors can impede fair assessment of individual differences? Examine in the light of research evidence.
- What is meant by unconditional positive regard?
- Which rehabilitative strategies can be employed by the organisations to handle the workplace violence?
- Explain how the creation of superordinate goals can help in resolving social conflicts.
- What social and psychological factors come in the way of population control in India?
Q2. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- What different types of norms will a psychologist need to develop a test of general mental ability for use in India?
- Discuss the implications of employing group decision-making in issues involving development in the Indian cultural context.
- Explain psychological characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.
Q3. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- Discuss how happiness may influence psychological well-being and health.
- What psychological conditions keep the poor in a socially disadvantaged state?
- What psychological motives have retarded economic development in India, according to some psychologists? Discuss.
Q4. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- What psychological factors keep the group of terrorists cohesive?
- What psychological knowledge will you put to use for social inclusion of the stigmatized?
- Can leaders be trained? What will be the essential components of a leadership training programme for the civil servants?
Psychology Paper 2: SECTION-B
Q5.Answer the following questions in about 150 words each:
- How will you distinguish between anxiety and mood disorders?
- To what extent, do you think that the principles of management derived from the study of industrial organisations can be applied to improve the functioning of bureaucratic organisations in India?
- Enumerate the factors that can impact upon the teaching-learning process in rural India.
- As a psychologist, develop a programme to bring about attitudinal change in favour of small family norm.
- What role can mental imagery play in enhancing the performance of sportspersons? Discuss.
Q6. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- What therapy will be most efficacious in case of someone who is suffering from depression? Give reasons in support of your answer.
- State the challenges the psychologists are likely to face in the rehabilitation of criminals.
- What psychological knowledge can be used to develop a programme for women entrepreneurs?
Q7. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- How can teachers help in meeting the educational needs of a child suffering from ADHD?
- How can the adverse consequences of social disadvantage be alleviated?
- What is the purpose of item analysis? How would you carry it out for a test of aptitude?
Q8. Answer the following: (15+15+20 marks)
- Discuss the theoretical bases of behaviouristic approaches of psychotherapy.
- What are gender stereotypes in India? How do they feed into gender discrimination?
- What are the psychological disadvantages of learning in the distant mode through IT compared to classroom learning?
Original PDF Scan for Hindi Medium
Click me to download originally scanned paper- containing both Hindi and English questions.
visit Mrunal.org/download for more questions papers of UPSC Civil services Mains examination.
Sir please upload Electrical engineering paper asap !!
Divyansh, it’s given here: https://files.secureserver.net/0fiTObWTXNUtV4
Thanks…………. for Psychology optional sir , if u possible please give analysis of that.
I have do graduation with psychology can you help me my mo9712630084
please give some tips related to united ao exam for mains and what is cut of last year
There used to be a discussion forum thread on this site..Where is it?Is it deleted Mrunal sir?..I was thinking for bringing together on a common thread 2015 psychology optional aspirants.
Hi sir I’m vikash Kumar from darbhanga, village kabirchk darbhanga Bihar it UPSC drim plz sir sports pot :(spending time in nature is healing energy)
Comment:me sir plz
Thank you sir.
paper 1 is ok, but paper 2 seems too general. would it lead to arbitrariness in checking and hence marks? I plan to take psycho as my optional for 2015. But I don’t know what to make of such question paper. Is too general paper2 a good thing or bad? people with psychology, kindly reply.
How did u all do the paper psychology ppl?
I found ppr 1 really tough….
I ALSO FOUND PAPER 1 VERY DIFFICULT.
I found paper 1 easy except for 2 questions of 10 markers.
Hi friends!
I have the following brand new materials of psychology at discounted price
Mukul Pathak sir’s notes
Atkinson and Hilgard’s pyschology
Morgan and King pyschology
Baron ‘s Social Psychology
NCERT class XI and XII
anybody interested,kindly reply asap
i wish to have mukul phatak sirs notes
plz send me a message at div.intent@outlook.com
Please tell me how i can get this material i need this if u
possible please replay.
dineshpatil99@gmail.com
Can u provide me at my mail aabidsofi786@gmail.cim
Hii guyzz…
M quite new to the psychology subject..and preparing fr first tym . cld nyone pllzzz guide regarding books, notes and how to approach this optional . Thanx..
For the basics just go through the ncerts. Once you have the understanding you can take a higher level book – baron, morgan & king etc for Paper 1 and Smarak swain for Paper 2. And if you could get Pathak Sir’s notes on psychology that would help you a lot in understanding psychology from the exam’s perspectve. Do remember to supplement your basic knowledge of psycho wth xamples from the newspapers. They become quite helpful while writing answers of the open ended questions we are getting dese days(e.g- Paper 2 this year).
Relevant material –
Paper I : Ceccarelli or Baron + Pathak notes + internet for topic specific search and conceptual clarity
Paper II : Samarak Swain + Pathak notes + internet for topic specific topics
Old papers. Test series if needed.
I need them please tell me how I will get them…. my mail id is rohitpandey.pandey727@gmail.com
Pick up Robert Baron. (Plz do not read NCERT when u start prep. You will get confused as they are not comprehensive). Read Baron thoroughly (keeping syllabus in mind). Have atleast 3-4 readings of Baron till mains starts. Stick to one book and master it. For topics not covered in Baron, u can refer to NCERTs/Pathak sir notes.
I wrote this year’s mains. Believe me, barring statistics and topics not given in Baron, entire paper1 and paper2 can be done smoothly if you master Baron. Infact, you will find paper2 a cake walk if u have good understanding of this book. Ideas will flow..regarding which principle to apply where.
hi, Would it be possible for engg grads to follow Baron? Or any prestudy is required?
Thanks
I wrote mains this yr with psychology as my optional. Read Robert Baron multiple times so that everything is on my finger tips. Barring 2 statistics Q (stats i did not read) and Probability Learning (which again i did not read, but guessed rightly !), i was able to comfortably write all other Qs in both papers.
Advise u to pick up this book and master it. Do not go for too many books/materials. For those topics of the syllabus which are not covered in Baron, u can refer to NCERTs (But plz do not read NCERTs in the beginning; u’ll get confused as they are not comprehensive) or Pathak Sir’s notes or Internet.
Mastery of this book will help u directly in paper1 and also u’ll be able to use various psychological principles/concepts in paper2 smoothly.
hi Chinmay, are you from psychology background? I am from engg background. Would it be possible for engg grads to follow Baron?
Thanks
conceptual clarity is the key here this time around…hope it stays this way..interesting paper
i think . Psychology as an optional , is. A good. Choice , but. We need to remind that , when we prepare for. Psychology , then. Our complet focus should be on , clearing the examination.,nd. Crystal clearing. The. Every concept…. nd what we all need to escape,is. Dont start to learn psychology… cauze if. Wr do that then its of no use .. just. Focus. On. A clear understanding of , the concepts…
. One of. My. Friends get selected , who appeared in the. Exam with this subject , but her rank was not. So good…. ND. This. Year she. Again sit in the main ,,nd. I. Hope. This. Time. She will. Succeed…
(( as i am an Urdu. Medium. Girl..so pleazz. Forgive me for my , incorrect. English…))
being a postgraduate in psychology i think its difficult to get materials for paper 2… ther r so many specializations…each chapter deals with 1 specialization which v wud hav studied for 1 year.. so its better to opt for any othr subct…
Sir can u pls upload management optional paper 2014 … If possible i’d be thankful to you…pls reply
hello sir
i m thinking to opt psychology as my new optional …. i wrote 2014 mains with pub add optional …. n it s very difficult to mange this subject for me .and i really wish to change my optional….my problem is i m from hindi midum and there r always issues fr gud and standered material for optinals …so…. is this (psy.) cn better for me …. if ys plz suggest me some books and matter in hindi
Please give me information which book i read for ias prilim exam? Please
Sir.what are the subjects are needed for preparation of civil services ….
It’s a good subject to opt for one who had already studied it or else have some information regarding it.Whereas marks should not kept in mind but what really matters is your interest in the subject.If you are interested in the sub and study well you will definitely do well.
i m from biotechnology background . i want to know which subject will be more scoring either anthropology or psychology ? i have some interest in psychology as well in anthro .material and syllabus of which subject is more confined for preparation ?
I need uppsc mechanical engineering mains question papers. Plz provide if possible…
Hello
I need to start with psychology as an optional but Please suggest me some tips like what to do what not to do, and which sight to follow for psychology, please Sir Please help me..