PSYCHOLOGY-324

Syllabus for Class 12

Note: There will be one Question Paper which will have 50 questions out of which 40 questions need to be attempted.

Unit I: Variations in Psychological Attributes

The unit aims at studying how people differ with respect to their various psychological attributes. Individual differences in human functioning; Assessment of psychological attributes; Intelligence: Individual differences in intelligence; Theories of intelligence; Culture and intelligence; Special abilities: Aptitude — nature, and measurement; Creativity; Emotional intelligence.

Unit II: Self and Personality

This unit focuses on the study of self and personality in the context of different approaches in an effort to appraise the person. The assessment of personality will also be discussed. self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-regulation; Culture and self; Concept of personality; Major approaches — Type and Trait, Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Behavioral, Cultural; Assessment of personality: Self- report measures, behavioral analysis, and projective measures.

Unit III: Meeting Life Challenges

This unit deals with the nature of stress and how responses to stress depend on an individual’s appraisal of stressors. Strategies to cope with stress will also be dealt with.

Nature, types and sources of stress; Effects on psychological functioning and health; Coping with stress; Promoting positive health and well-being.

Unit IV: Psychological Disorders

This unit discusses the concepts of normality and abnormality and the major psychological disorders. Concepts of abnormality and psychological disorders; Classification of disorders; Factors underlying abnormal behavior; Major psychological disorders – Anxiety, Somatic, Dissociative, Mood, Schizophrenic, Developmental and Behavioural-Substance use related.

Unit V: Therapeutic Approaches

The unit discusses the goals, techniques, and effectiveness of different approaches to treating psychological disorders.

Nature and process of therapy: Therapeutic relationship; Types of therapies: Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Cognitive, Behavior and Bio-medical; Alternative therapies — Yoga, Meditation; Rehabilitation of mentally ill.

Unit VI: Attitude and Social Cognition

This unit focuses on the formation and change of attitudes, cultural influences on attributional tendencies, and conditions influencing pro-social behavior.

Explaining social behavior: Impression formation and explaining behavior of others through

attributions; Social cognition; Schemas and stereotypes; Nature and components of attitudes; Attitude formation and change; Behavior in the presence of others; Pro-social behavior; Prejudice and discrimination; Strategies for handling prejudice.

 Unit VII: Social Influence and Group Processes

The unit deals with the concept of the group, its functions, and the dynamics of social influence on conformity, obedience, and compliance. Different conflict resolution strategies will also   be discussed.

Conformity, Obedience, and Compliance; Cooperation and Competition; Nature and formation

of groups; Types of groups; Social identity; Influence of the group on individual behaviour; Inter- group conflicts; Conflict resolution strategies.

Unit VIII: Psychology and Life

The unit focuses on the application of psychological understanding to some important social issues. Human-environment relationship; Environmental effects on human behaviour: Noise, pollution, crowding, natural disasters; Promoting pro-environmental behaviour; Psychology and social concerns: Aggression, Violence, and Peace, Discrimination and Poverty, health, the impact of television on behavior.

Unit IX: Developing Psychological Skills

The unit deals with some effective psychological and interpersonal skills for facilitating personal- social development.

Effective psychological skills: Observational skills, interviewing skills, testing skills, Counselling skills — empathy, authenticity, positive regard, and Communication skills — listening.