Optional
Psychology
UPSC Civil Services Mains, optional subject
Syllabus
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
- Focussed 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 defence-factor influencing space and depth perception, size estimation and perceptual readiness
- The plasticity of perception
- Extrasensory perception
- Culture and perception, Subliminal perception.
- Learning
- Concepts and theories of learning (Behaviourists, Gestaltalist 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.
- 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 I Q deviation I Q, 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 commu-nication training.
- Issues and Perspectives in Modern Contemporary Psychology
- Computer application in the psychological laboratory and psychological testing
- Artificial intelligence
- Psychocybernetics
- Study of consciousnessleep-wak schedules
- dreams, stimulus deprivation, meditation, hypnotic/drug induced states
- Extrasensory perception
- Intersensory perception
- Simulation studies.
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 entreprenures.
- 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.
Syllabus as published by UPSC in the Civil Services Examination 2026 notification.