Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

Important Topics for Psychology Mains

Paper I Section A
S. Chapter Topic
1 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

Methods of
2 Experimental Methods & Non Experimental Methods
Psychology
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 & Major Steps in Psychological Research

Quant Analaysis 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

4 Socialization & Cultural Factors

Development of
Human Behaviour 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.

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

Sublimial Perception (Short Note)

Threshold - Absolute & Differential Threshold (Part of
Psychophysics)
Vigilance & Factors Influencing it
Plasticity of Perception
Figure After Affects

6 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
S. Chapter Topic
Thinking & Problem
8 Concept Formation
Solving
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

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

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

10 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

Attitudes, Values &

12 Attitude - its Components & Formation
Interests
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
Other theories of attitude

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

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

Language &
13 Communication & its process, Importance & Barriers
Communication
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

Issues & Perspectives

14 Extrasensory Perception
in Modern
Intersensory Perceiption.
Contemporary
Altered State of Consciousness & Meditation (short note)
Psychology
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.

Paper II Section A
S.N. Chapter Topics
Psychological
1 Psychological Tests - Types, Uses & Limitations.
Measurement
of Indl Difference Ethical Issues (Short Note)
Examine the methods of reliability & validity of psychological tests.
Construction of Psychological tests
Nature of Individual Difference (Short Note)
Present Status of Psychological Testing in India (Short Note)

Well Being & Mental

2 Stress - it consequences & Stess Management
Disorders
Psychopathic Personality
Schizophrenia
Mental Disorders (Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Schizphernia

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

& delusional disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse

disorders)
Happiness Disposition
Concept of Positive Health & Factors affecting it
Concept of Mental Health & Factors affectiing it
Indian Techniques of Stess Management (Short Note)

Therapeutic
3 Psychodynamic therapy
Approaches
Behaviour Therapy
Client Centred Therapy (Humanistic Approach)
Congnitive Therapy
Indigenous Therapy (Yoga, Meditation, Reiki).
Biofeedback (Short Note).
Prevention & Rehabilitation of the Mentally ill
Concept of Mental Health & Factors affectiing it
Caplan's Threefold Model of Prevention (short note)

Work Psychology &

4 Maslow's Theory & its application to industry
Organizational
Behaviour Herzberg theory of work motivation (Short Note)
Techniques of personnel selection (Short Note)
Participatory Management System.
Work Motivation (Definition & Concept).
Leadership & its form (Short Note).
Indian Industry illustrations for each of the cases above
Advertising & Marketing - Role of Psychology in it (Short Note)
Equity Theory, Porter & Lawler, Vroom
Ergonomics
Transformational Leadership
Consumer Psychology
Power & Politics in Organization
Use of Psychological tests in the industry
Human Resource Development to achieve personal & organiz.
goals.

Application of
5 Teaching Learning Process
Psychology
to Education Field Learning Styles & its Uses in teaching-learning process (Full Length)
Retarded Child (Short Note).
Training of Gifted Children
Learning Disabled & their training

Community
6 Community Psychologist & his role esp in social change.
Psychology.
Social Change & resistance to change & how to tackle it.
Group - its characterisitics, group behaviour, cohesion.
Use of Small Groups in Social Action
Indian Society: Its resistance to change & remedy for it.

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

Rehabilitation
7 Drug Addiction - Causes & remedy
Psychology
Juvenile Delinquency
Rehabilitation of Terrorists
Rehabilitation of Physically, Mentally & Socially challenged persons
Rehabilitation of Old Persons (Full Length)
Rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS Victims
Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence

Paper II Section B
S.N. Chapter Topics

Application of
8 psycholgoy to Concepts of disadvantaged, deprivation and social deprivation.
disadvantaged groups
Remedies for the problems mentioned above.
Examples from India of each categories (Eg. Tribals etc).
Educating & Motivating the disadvantaged towards development
Prolonged & relative deprivation (Short Note).

Psychological &
9 problem of social Concept of social integration & how to achieve it.
integration
Prejeudice - its origin, effect & methods to reduce it.
Examples in indian context of prejudice & social integration (Very
Important)
Conflicts (Caste, Class, Religion & Language conflicts) & how to
tackle them

Application of
10 Psychology in IT & Psychological effect of IT
Mass Media
Role of Psychologist in IT & Mass Media
Role Played by TV in spreading awareness & bringing social
change
Distance learning through IT & Mass Media & its benefits (Short
Note)
Multi-level marketing (Short Note)
E-commerce (Short Note)

Psychology &
11 Economic McClelland's achievement motivation theory
Development.
Entrepreneur - characteristics, entrepreneur syndrome.
Women Entrepreneurs (Egs from Indian Context)
Missing Portion (Women Entrepreneur & Achievement Motivation)

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

 Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology

Consumer Rights & Consumer Courts - Psychological Perspective

(short note)

Application of
12 psychology to Env. & Environment Degradation (noise, pollution and crowding)
related fields
How to motivate people to adopt small family norm.
Population Explosion - Causes & Psychological Consequences

Other applications of Role of psychology in the recruitment & training of defence

13
psychology personnel.
Human Engineering in Defence (Short Note)
Psychological Interventions in improving perrformance of athletes
Psychology of Terrorism - How to deal

14 Psychology of Gender Glass Ceiling Effect

Issues of Discrimination
Women & Indian Society
Self Fulfillinig Prophesy
Management of Diversity

Ghanshyam Thori Chapterwise Important Topics in Psychology