Practicing the CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 Psychology with Solutions Set 1 allows you to get rid of exam fear and be confident to appear for the exam.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 Psychology Set 1 with Solutions
Time: 3 Hours.
Max. Marks: 70
General Instructions:
- All questions are compulsory except where internal choice has been given.
- Question Nos. 1-18 in Section A carry 1 mark each.
- Question Nos. 19-23 in Section B are Very Short Answer Type-I questions carrying 2 marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 30 words.
- Question Nos. 24-27 in Section C are Short Answer Questions Type-II carrying 3 marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60 words.
- Question Nos. 28-31 in Section D are Long Answer Type-I questions carrying 4 marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 120 words.
- Question No. 32 in Section E is a Long Answer Type-II question carrying 6 marks. Answer to this question should not exceed 200 words.
- Question Nos. 33-36 in Section F are based on two cases given. Each case has two questions carrying two marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 30 words.
Section A (18 Marks)
Question 1.
Jasleen is high on critical thinking and can manipulate symbols to solve numerical problems. She is also high on the ability to understand one’s own feelings, motives and desires. Which of the following intelligences are displayed by Jasleen? [1]
(i) Spatial
(ii) Logical-mathematical
(iii) Interpersonal
(iv) Intrapersonal
(A) (i) and (ii)
(B) (ii) and (iii)
(C) (i) and (iii)
(D) (ii) and (iv)
Answer:
(D) (ii) and (iv)
Explanation: According to Multiple intelligence theory given by Howard Gardner, intrapersonal intelligence is one’s ability to understand their own emotions, desires, feelings and motives.
Furthermore, the individual’s ability to manipulate symbols, analyze and solve mathematical problems is known as logicalmathematical intelligence. Therefore, Jasleen is high in intrapersonal as well as logical mathematical intelligence.
Question 2.
Ryan believes that he is very good at football. Therefore, he has a high ____________ as far as sports is concerned. [1]
(A) Self-esteem
(B) Self-efficacy
(C) Self-motivation
(D) Self-control
Answer:
(A) Self-esteem
Explanation: Self-esteem is an individual’s confidence in their own capabilities to attain certain goals. It is how we value and perceive ourselves. Since Ryan believes that he is confident in his abilities as far as football is concerned, it shows that he has a high self-esteem, at least in sports.
Question 3.
According to the behaviourists, personality of an individual is the result of____________. [1]
(A) Unconscious motives and conflicts
(B) Response of an individual to the environment
(C) Early childhood experiences
(D) A relationship of the individual to her/his environment
Answer:
(A) Unconscious motives and conflicts
Explanation: According to behaviourists, people learn through the interaction with their environment. An individual’s behavioural and personality development is rooted at how they respond to their environment.
We learn patterns of behaviour either directly, through rewards in the form of positive reinforcements or punishments in the form of negative reinforcements or indirectly, that is, through observational learning or modelling
Question 4.
Which of the following would a humanistic psychologist not use to explain an individual’s behaviour? [1]
(A) Innately good
(B) Goal-directed and adaptive
(C) Self-actualised
(D) Balance among three competing forces
Answer:
(D) Balance among three competing forces
Explanation: According to the humanistic school of thought proposed by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, human beings are innately good and have an intrinsic drive to do better, accomplish their goals, reach their maximum potential and self-actualize. Humanistic psychologists take into consideration the uniqueness of each individual.
Question 5.
Which of the following are the dimensions of stress? [1]
(i) Intensity
(ii) Duration
(iii) Predictability
(iv) Vulnerability
(A) (i), (ii) and (iv)
(B) (i), (iii) and (iv)
(C) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(D) (i), (ii) and (iii)
Answer:
(D) (i), (ii) and (iii)
Explanation: The types of stressful stimuli experienced by individuals varies in terms of three dimensions:
(i) Intensity: Low intensity stressor vs. High intensity stressor
(ii) Predictability: Expected or predictable stressor vs. Unexpected
(iii) Duration: Short term vs. long term stress
Question 6.
Imran feels disappointed when he is not able to do everything perfectly, leading him to push himself to achieve unrealistically high standards. Identify the cause of his stress. [1]
(A) Social Pressure
(B) Conflict
(C) Frustration
(D) Internal Pressure
Answer:
(D) Internal Pressure
Explanation: Stressors may be internal and external. Internal stressors such as stress inducing thoughts or behaviours, stem from unrealistically high expectations from oneself such as pushing oneself to strive for perfection and setting unrealistically high standards which when not accomplished result in psychological problems and even more distress.
Question 7.
Sonali was questioned by her senior when her performance started to decline. She admitted that she was not eating regularly and her sleep was disturbed. Moreover, she could not concentrate on work and felt overburdened. Identify the effects of stress being indicated here. [1]
(i) Emotional
(ii) Behavioural
(iii) Cognitive
(iv) Physiological
(A) (i) and (ii)
(B) (ii) and (iii)
(C) (iii) and (iv)
(D) (i) and (iv)
Answer:
(B) (ii) and (iii)
Explanation: Behavioural effects of stress are marked by an abrupt change in daily routines or habits. In this case, Sonali is experiencing a decline in her appetite and sleep disturbances which cause her performance to worsen even more.
Furthermore, tire stress she is experiencing are also impacting her abilities to focus or concentrate causing her to feel overburdened. These are the cognitive effect of stress.
Question 8.
Which of the following is/are true about psychological disorders in the middle ages? [1]
(i) Demonology and superstition were used as explanations of psychological disorders.
(ii) Mental anguish and conflict were considered as reasons for psychological disorders.
(iii) Disturbed interpersonal relationships were emphasised to explain mental disorders.
(iv) There was emphasis on de institutionalisation for people with psychological disorders.
(A) Only (i) is true.
(B) (i) and (ii) are true.
(C) Only (iii) is true.
(D) (ii) and (iv) are true.
Answer:
(B) (i) and (ii) are true.
Explanation: In the Middle Ages, it was believed that mental health disorders are caused as a result of demonic possessions or witchcraft. Trepanning along with painful exorcisms was a gruesome surgical intervention that was used where holes were drilled into the skulls of patients to”free” their minds from the possession of these spirits.
The mentally ill were often referred to as “crazy” or “otherworldly” and there were no proper treatments whatsoever. Furthermore, mental anguish, mania and internal conflicts were also considered causes for psychological disorders.
Question 9.
While paying bills, Sanjana was suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety. Her heart pounded, she felt like she couldn’t breathe, and she became dizzy. This was most likely to be________. [1]
(A) A panic attack
(B) A dissociative episode
(C) A manic episode
(D) A generalised anxiety episode
Answer:
(A) A panic attack
Explanation: Panic attack is defined as a sudden episode of intense emotions that trigger certain physiological reactions when there is no real
or apparent danger or cause. Panic attacks are characterized by symptoms such as heart palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth etc.
Question 10.
Brijesh, an accountant, went on a work trip and never returned home. Years later, he was found by a friend in another city, where he was working as a labourer. He was living with a new identity and had no memory of his past. Brijesh’s symptoms are indicative of __________. [1]
(A) Dissociative fugue
(B) Dissociative identity disorder
(C) Schizophrenia
(D) Depersonalisation
Answer:
(A) Dissociative fugue
Explanation: Dissociative fugue, also known as psychogenic fugue, is a state where an individual experiences temporary memory loss or amnesia and they impulsively wander off from their homes or places of work to a new, unknown place. People with dissociative fugue do not have any memory about their past identities or may even adopt new identities.
Question 11.
In the following question, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice. [1]
Assertion (A): The principle of reciprocal inhibition states that the presence of two mutually opposing forces at the same time will lead to the stronger force inhibiting the weaker one.
Reason (R): The principle of reciprocal inhibition is a procedure wherein the client learns to behave in a certain way by observing the behaviour of the therapist.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Answer:
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
Explanation: According to the principle of reciprocalinhibition, the presence of two mutually opposing forces, acting at the same time will lead to the stronger force inhibiting the weaker force. This principle forms the basis for Wolpe’s theory of systematic desensitization.
Example: A person cannot be relaxed and anxious at the same time, therefore, the state of relaxation dominates the anxious state caused due to imagination of anxiety provoking stimulus in the process of systematic desensitization.
At the end, the client becomes capable of coping up with their anxiety because of the state of relaxation. The reason (R) is incorrect because observing and learning from another person’s behaviour is called modelling.
Question 12.
Amit throws temper tantrums every time he goes to the market with his parents. He insists that they buy him a new toy every time. Identify the most suitable behavioural technique to modify this unwanted behaviour. [1]
(A) Token economy
(B) Aversive conditioning
(C) Differential reinforcement
(D) Systematic desensitisation
Answer:
(C) Differential reinforcement
Explanation: Differential reinforcement is a technique used in applied behavior analysis (ABA) in order to address undesirable behavior, specifically in children.
The goal of differential reinforcement is to encourage appropriate behavior by giving or withholding reinforcement. Behavior is reinforced when it is desirable or appropriate and reinforcements are withheld when behaviour is inappropriate.
For Amit, his parents should use techniques of differential reinforcement and avoid buying him toys whenever he throws temper tantrums. They may also reward him/ reinforce his behaviour with a new toy whenever he behaves appropriately/ does not throw temper tantrums.
Question 13.
What is the chief benefit to the client in cognitive therapy? [1]
(A) Emotional insight is gained and the client is able to change his emotions towards the conflict.
(B) The client is able to change maladaptive behaviour to adaptive ones.
(C) The client is able to replace irrational thoughts with rational ones.
(D) The client is able to achieve personal growth which leads to understanding oneself.
Answer:
(C) The client is able to replace irrational thoughts with rational ones.
Explanation: The core principle of cognitive therapy is that mental health disorders are caused due to irrational beliefsystems or unhelpful ways of thinking.
CBT treatments aim to change these irrational belief systems and thought patterns adopted by the client and convert them into more rational or reasonable ones so that the client is able to come up with problem solving strategies to cope with difficult situations and gain confidence.
Question 14.
In the following question, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice. [1]
Assertion (A): We assign causes to the behaviour shown in specific social situations. This process is called attribution.
Reason (R): We are also interested in why people behave in ways they do. Therefore, we assign a cause to a behaviour.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true
Answer:
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Explanation: In social psychology, attribution is the process by which we perceive the causes for certain events and behaviours. They are the judgements we make about the cause of other people’s behaviour.
The attribution theory explains that we are interested to know why people behave the way they do which is why we use these attribution processes to explain the causes or the occurrences of behaviour or an event.
Question 15.
Anna, the head girl of a school, gives more opportunities to the members of Red House than those of Blue or Green House. This is because she feels they are less capable. She even ignores the advice of her teachers to give equal opportunities to all the Houses. Which strategy will help in handling this prejudice? [1]
(A) Highlighting group identity rather than individual identity.
(B) Increasing her interaction with the members of all the Houses.
(C) Keeping the Red House members higher in power or status.
(D) Creating an environment for all the Houses to meet in a competitive rather than cooperative context.
Answer:
(B) Increasing her interaction with the members of all the Houses.
Explanation: Prejudice is the existence of negative attitudes towards other people. According to the contact hypothesis of prejudice, one of the most important ways to handle and minimize prejudice is by increasing interpersonal interaction between members of different social groups or persons under appropriate conditions (such as when there are common goals).
Contact between two different groups can promote acceptance and tolerance amongst those groups. Therefore, Anna needs to communicate equally with members of all the houses to reduce her bias towards the red house.
Question 16.
Which one of the following is a feature of an attitude? [1]
(A) Centrality
(C) Cognitive
(B) Behavioural
(D) Affective
Answer:
(A) Centrality
Explanation: Attitude is defined as a set of emotions, beliefs, ideas and behaviours towards a particular object, idea or a person. Attitude comprises of three features or components:
Affective component: How we ‘feel” towards a particular object, person or an idea.
Cognitive component: Our beliefs, thoughts or attributions towards a particular object, idea or a person.
Behavioural component: How we “act” towards a particular object or a person.
Question 17.
A working group was formed to organise the annual sports competition in a school. At a particular stage, there was a lot of conflict in the group. Identify this stage and the stage that is likely to follow it. [1]
(A) The group was at the storming stage followed by the norming stage.
(B) The group was at the norming stage followed by the forming stage.
(C) The group was at the storming stage followed by the performing stage.
(D) The group was at the forming stage followed by the norming stage.
Answer:
(A) The group was at the storming stage followed by the norming stage.
Explanation: In the five stages of team development, the second stage, that is, the storming stage is one of the most critical stages where individuals engage in conflict and competition.
To move on from this stage, group members are required to accept their individual differences and work through those conflicts and obstacles. Followed by the storming stage, is the norming stage.
At this stage, the individuals have solved their conflicts to some degree and are at mutual consensus as to who will be the leader. This stage is marked by the feelings of unity and cooperation amongst group members. Disagreements may occur, but the group members have the ability to go back to the storming stage to overcome them.
Question 18.
In the following question, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice. [1]
Assertion (A): Situation and circumstances in which one is placed influence one’s behaviour.
Reason (R): The situational influences are so powerful that individuals with similar personality traits respond to them in almost the same ways.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Answer:
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
Explanation: Situation and circumstances play a huge role in influencing one’s behaviour. Every individual’s behaviour varies differently from situation to situation. This view is known as situationism. Situations are powerful enough to override and dominate our personality traits and principles that we have built up over our lives.
Section- B (10 Marks)
Question 19.
Ivaan experiences distress and is constantly complaining of snakes crawling inside his stomach. Identify the disorder and the symptom that Ivaan is experiencing. Explain any one negative symptom of this disorder. [2]
Answer:
- Schizophrenia – Positive symptom, Somatic hallucination
- Negative symptom – anyone
The psychological disorder Ivaan is suffering from is known as Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious and psychotic mental health disorder which results in disordered thinking, hallucinations, delusions and behaviours that negatively affect daily functioning.
Presence of somatic hallucinations, that is, the feeling of snakes crawling inside Ivaan’s stomach mark a positive symptom which means the “presence” of a symptom that may not ne usually present. Negative symptom refers to the loss of proper mental functions,
for example, flat effect: absence of emotions.
Question 20.
Fatima communicates her feelings and views clearly with confidence. She could say ‘no’ to a request or state an opinion without being self-conscious. Which life skill is she using? Suggest two more life skills that can help Fatima meet the challenges of life successfully. [2]
OR
Resham has been overwhelmed by the quantum of work in her office. She has been advised some stress management techniques by her counsellor. What are the two techniques that you think would be helpful for her to manage stress?
Answer:
Fatima was using assertiveness:
Any two life skills (Time management, Selfcare, improving relationships, overcoming unhelpful habit etc.)
- A brief description of any two of the following stress management techniques:
- Relaxation Techniques
- Meditation Procedures
- Biofeedback
- Creative Visualisation
- Cognitive Behavioural Techniques
- Exercise
Fatima exhibits an important life skill known as assertiveness. Being assertive means to stand your own ground, communicate confidently, say no to a request without any hesitance and state your opinions without feeling self-conscious. Assertive people stand up for their own rights as well as others.
Two more life skills that can help Fatima meet the challenges of life successfully are:
Self-care: That is paying proper attention to one’s own physical and psychological needs and wellness.
Time management: Time management is the process of dividing one’s time in between different activities to increase efficiency and productivity.
OR
Stress management techniques are used to help patients to develop adequate coping mechanisms and stress relief techniques in cases of extreme stress. Two techniques that can be used by Resham to cope with the stress and burden from work are:
(a) Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation,Tai chi, yoga etc can help a person manage stress and gain composure.
(b) Creative visualization: Creative visualization is the cognitive process of using your own imagination to create vivid visual images. This technique is used for physiological healing and to create a state of calm. It aims to improve selfconfidence and increase self-esteem.
Question 21.
State any two ethical standards that need to be practiced by professional psychotherapists. [2]
Answer:
- Two ethical standards that need to be practiced by professional psychotherapists are:
- Informed consent needs to be taken
- Confidentiality of the client should be maintained
- Alleviating personal distress and suffering should be the goal of all attempts of the therapist
- Integrity of the practitioner -client relationship is important
- Respect for human rights and dignity
- Professional competence and skills are essential
The American Psychological Association(APA) publishes the Ethical Principles which outlines key principles as well as enforceable ethical standards that psychologists should use when making decisions and carrying out research.
These principles act as a guide to minimize risks associated with research, protect participants and preserve the ethics of psychological research. Two important ethical standards that need to be practiced by professional psychotherapists are:
(a) Confidentiality: Psychologists are obligated to take adequate measures and precautions to ensure the privacy of their patients and confidentiality of their case.
(b) Debriefing: Debriefing is the act of informing participants about the intentions or goals of the study that they just took part in. The participant is informed about practice of deception by the researcher. Debriefing ensures that the participant feels well informed and secure after they leave the premises of the study.
Question 22.
Vinita holds a negative attitude towards individuals of a particular community. She avoids interacting or helping them in college. Identify and explain the behaviour being exhibited by Vinita. [2]
Answer:
- Discrimination
- Prejudice may also get translated into discrimination, the behavioural component, whereby people behave in a less positive way towards a particular target group compared to another group which they favour.
The discrimination behaviour Discrimination exhibited by isVinitathe practiceis called or an act of unjust or prejudicial treatment against a particular group or a community. It is the act of making distinctions between people based on their groups, communities, cultures etc.
For example: In this case, Vineeta is seeing holding a particularly negative attitude towards a community for no reason which ultimately progresses and causes her to avoid interacting or helping the members of that community. This means that Vineeta is discriminating against that community.
Question 23.
Explain any two elements of a group structure. [2]
Answer:
The four elements of a group structure are:
1. Roles are socially defined expectations that individuals in a given situation are expected to fulfil.
2. Norms are expected standards of behaviour and beliefs established, agreed upon, and enforced by group members.
3. Status refers to the relative social position given to group members by others.
4. Cohesiveness refers to togetherness, binding, or mutual attraction among group members. As the group becomes more cohesive, group members start to think, feel and act as a social unit.
Two elements of group structure are:
(a) Roles: Each individual in a group are assigned certain roles that come with certain responsibilities. They are the set of behaviors that individuals are expected to perform within the group. They are definitive expectations that the individual needs to fulfill in a given situation.
(b) Status: Status refers to the social position or rank within the group. Different types of positions or ranks are associated with different roles, responsibilities and status. Members of the group who are given a high status are viewed in a more socially favorable light. Example: The manager of the company has a higher status than the employees.
Section – C (12 Marks)
Question 24.
Kirti is of average intelligence but is high on ability to appraise, express and regulate her emotions. Identify the intelligence that she exhibits and why it is receiving so much attention these days. Suggest some ways to enhance this kind of intelligence of students in schools. [3]
Answer:
(1) Emotional Intelligence
(2) Receiving attention at it helps students to deal with the stresses and challenges of the outside world; benefits their academic achievements. Reduces anti-social activities.
(3) Ways: Programmes that involve cooperative behaviour in school.
A period of depressed mood/ or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, change in body weight, constant sleep problems, tiredness, inability to think clearly, agitation, greatly slowed behaviour, thoughts of suicide and death.
(4) Emotional Intelligence
(5) Receiving attention at it helps students to deal with the stresses and challenges of the outside world; benefits their academic achievements. Reduces anti-social activities.
(6) Ways: Programmes that involve cooperative behaviour in school. A period of depressed mood/ or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, change in body weight, constant sleep problems, tiredness, inability to think clearly, agitation, greatly slowed behaviour, thoughts of suicide and death.
(6) Genetic make-up, or heredity
(7) Age: women are particularly at risk during young adulthood, while for men the risk is highest in early middle age.
(8) Gender also plays a great role in this differential risk addition. For example, women in comparison to men are more likely to report a depressive disorder.
(9) Negative life events and lack of social support Kirti, although averagely intelligent, seems to be high of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to regulate one’s own emotions as well as understand other people’s emotions and behaviors.
The four main skills of emotional intelligence are empathy, motivation, relationship management, self-management. Emotional intelligence is gaining a lot of attention these days because it provides a sense of internal equilibrium which enables us to maintain our composure, effectively communicate with other people, make good decisions and maintain effective leadership even under stressful situations.
These skills ensure personal and professional success. There are several ways to enhance this kind of intelligence amongst students in schools:
(i) Teach students ways to regulate their emotions and work on various strategies to control their emotions.
For example: role play can provide an opportunity to students to practice their responses.
(ii) Allow students to participate in activities and programmes that teach and encourage cooperative behaviours.
(iii) Allow students a safe space to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.
Question 25.
Explain major depressive disorder. State the factors which predispose an individual to depression. [3]
Answer:
A period of depressed mood/ or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, change in body weight, constant sleep problems, tiredness, inability to think clearly, agitation, greatly slowed behaviour, thoughts of suicide and death.
- Genetic make-up, or heredity
- Age: women are particularly at risk during young adulthood, while for men the risk is highest in early middle age.
- Gender also plays a great role in this differential risk addition. For example, women in comparison to men are more likely to report a depressive disorder.
- Negative life events and lack of social support
Major depressive disorder is a type of mood disorder that is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, depressed mood and loss of interest in activities along with other symptoms that remain for more than 2 weeks, resulting in significant impairment in daily functioning. Major symptoms of depression include:
(i) Anhedonia, that is loss of interest in activities or hobbies
(ii) Loss of appetite
(iii) Depressed mood and hopelessness
(iv) Sleep disturbances
(v) Frequent thoughts of suicide and self harm
There are several factors that predispose an individual to depression:
(i) Genetics/ Heredity: Individuals who have a family history of depressed family members are more vulnerable to depression themselves.
(ii) Traumatic life events: Traumatic life events such as abuse, sexual assault, death, loss of a loved one can put an individual at a high risk for developing depression.
(iii) Age: Women are at a higher risk for developing depression along with other psychological issues at the young age. Similarly, men are more likely to develop depression in their middle age.
(iv) Gender: There are gender differences in the development of depression as well. Compared with men, women account for a larger proportion of patients with depression and are twice as likely to be diagnosed with it.
(v) Lack of social support: Deprivation of social support from friends, loved ones can lead to emotional isolation and ultimately put a person at risk for developing depression.
Question 26.
An attitude towards recycling and reuse needs to be encouraged to conserve the environment. Examine the factors that will influence attitude change towards this. [3]
OR
An individual’s attitude may not always be exhibited through behaviour. When would there be consistency between attitude and behaviour? Explain.
Answer:
Factors that influence Attitude Change (explanation of any 3 points) :
- Characteristics of the existing attitude
- Source Characteristics
- Message Characteristics
- Target characteristics
Psychologists have found that there would be consistency between attitudes and behaviour when : (Any three of the following points)
- The attitude is strong, and occupies a central place in the attitude system
- There is very little or no external pressure for the person to behave in a particular way. For example, when there is no group pressure to follow a particular norm
- The person’s behaviour is not being watched or evaluated by others
- The person thinks that the behaviour would have a positive consequence, and therefore, intends to engage in that behaviour. There are several
factors that influence the change of attitude towards a particular subject, in this case, the practice of recycling and reuse to conserve the environment:
(A) Characteristics of existing attitude:
(i) Positive attitudes are can be more easily altered or transformed than negative attitudes.
(ii) Attitudes that are more central or extreme are more difficult to change than the ones which are more peripheral and not that extreme.
(iv) Simpler attitudes are more susceptible to change than multiple attitudes.
(iv) The direction and extent of the attitude change should also be taken into consideration.
Attitude change may be congruent, that is the change occurs in the same direction of the existing attitude or they may be incongruent, that is, the change in attitude is opposite to the direction of existing attitude. Congruent changes in attitude can easily bring about modifications in the existing attitude than the incongruent changes.
(B) Source characteristics: The characteristics of the source of attitude change also plays a major role in bringing about the modifications in attitude. The credibility of the source and the attractiveness of the source are two important features that influence attitude change. If the source is highly credible and attractive, attitude change is more likely.
(C) Target characteristics: Certain qualities of the target such as their personalities, specific prejudices, self-esteem, confidence and intelligence also play a huge role in determining whether an attitude change will occur or not.
(a) Individuals who exhibit high prejudice are less likely to undergo attitude change.
(b) Individuals who are more open minded and have a more flexible personality easily go through with attitude change.
(c) Individuals with a lowself-esteem may not have enough confidence to go through any kind of attitude change. On the contrary, people with
high self-esteem undergo attitude change more easily.
(d) It is more difficult for highly intelligent people to go through an attitude change than individuals who have low intelligence.
OR
An individual’s behaviour may not always be an accurate reflection of their actual attitude or belief. However, there may be congruency between attitudes and behaviours in certain cases:
Strength and centrality of an attitude: When the attitude is very strong, it occupies a central position in the attitude system and manifests
itself in behavior.
In this case, where the attitude is so strong, there is congruency between attitude and behavior. Strong attitudes are more likely to remain stable and resistant to change.
When the person’s behaviour is not being watched or evaluated by other people: There have been strong indications that being watched or evaluated closely has strong psychological effects and is a powerful tool in changed behaviour.
Our awareness of being seen or watched by someone changes the way we behave, even without a consdous effort. However, when we are being watched, our behaviour is more congruent with our beliefs or attitudes.
When the person thinks that the behaviour would have a positive consequence, and therefore, intends to engage in that behaviour: If a behaviour results in a positive consequence such as a praise or reward, it is more likely that the person will engage in that same behaviour again and experience more congruency between their belief systems or attitudes and behaviours.
When there is very little or no external pressure for the person to behave in a particular way: When a person is not under any pressure or expectations to act or behave a certain way, their behaviour is more congruent with their attitude systems.
Question 27.
Ananya had been trying to learn a new form of dance to win a competition. She decided to join a dance group which was also practicing the same dance form. Identify the reason for Ananya wanting to join the dance group. Explain some of the other reasons that make people join groups. [3]
Answer:
Ananya’s reason for joining the group – Goal achievement
Any 2 reasons other than the above with explanation The reason Ananya joined a dance group which also practice the same dance form she is trying to learn is because of goal achievement.
Goal achievement is an important reason for joining a group because some tasks require efforts from more than one person. There is a need for collaborative talents, knowledge or power to complete the job. Other reasons that make people join groups are:
Status and security: Being part of a group which recognized by other people gives an individual, who is a member of that group, a sense of status and recognition from outside the group.
Furthermore, there are even different ranks and statuses assigned to members within the group which comes with power, certain merits, material benefits and respect. Being a part of the group also gives a sense of comfort and security to the person. They feel supported, important and secure as they don’t feel alone or isolated anymore.
Self-esteem: When people identify with certain groups, their self-esteem and selfworth increases. A member of the group knows their value and contributions to the group which gives them a sense of self-worth. This encourages the individual to develop positive social identities.
Section – D (16 Marks)
Question 28.
Explain the role of assessment in understanding psychological attributes. Describe the key features of any two methods used for psychological assessment. [4]
OR
Explain the term intelligence. Describe the PASS model of intelligence
Answer:
Assessment is the measurement of psychological attributes of an individual which often uses methods in terms of certain comparisons. An attribute of an individual will be said to exist if it can be measured by using scientific procedures. There are various methods of assessment.
Psychological Test: It is an objective and standardized measure of an individual’s mental and/or behavioral characteristics. It is commonly used for the purposes of clinical diagnosis, guidance, personnel selection, placement, and training.
Self-Report: It is a method in which a person provides factual information about themselves. Such information may be obtained by using an interview schedule or a questionnaire, a psychological test, or a personal diary.
Interview o Case Study o Observation
OR
Intelligence is a psychological attribute that involves the usage of cognitive elements to perceive the environment and solve problems.
PASS model-J.P Das, Jack Naglieri, and Kirby, intellectual activity involves the interdependent functioning of three neurological systems, called the functional 10 units of the brain. These units are responsible for arousal/attention, coding or processing, and planning respectively.
Arousal/Attention- State of arousal is basic to any behavior as it helps us in attending to stimuli.
Simultaneous/Successive Processing Simultaneous processing takes place when you perceive the relations among various concepts and integrate them into a meaningful pattern for comprehension. Successive processing takes place when you remember all the information in a serial order.
Planning- Planning comes after the information is attended to and processed allows us to think of the possible courses of action, implement them to reach a target, and evaluate their effectiveness. Psychological assessments are an important tool for understanding and evaluating a person’s traits, characteristics and personality.
These assessments use systematic testing procedures and standards of comparison to evaluate abilities, qualities and personal traits of an individual. There are various types of traits that can be measured through psychological assessments such as intelligence, aptitude, personality, interests, values etc. Two methods used for psychological evaluations are:
(a) Case studies: Case studies are an indepth, long-term study or examination of a particular individual. This involves studying their psychological history, psychological characteristics, their psychosocial environment, surroundings and so on.
Nearly every aspect of that individual’s life is studied. Case studies are developed with the help of several methods such as interviews, questionnaires etc.
Example: One of the most important case studies in psychology is of a guy named Phineas Gage, who was a construction worker and is remembered for his survival in an accident in which an iron rod went through his head, damaging and destroying most of his frontal lobe.
(b) Interviews: Interviews are one of the most important and easy methods used for psychological evaluations. Interviews involve, an interviewer, that is, a person who asks the questions and an interviewee, that is, an individual who answers those questions. It is a one-on-one conversation where the interviewer seeks information from the interviewee.
Example: a journalist who conducts an interview of a prominent personality on national television.
OR
Intelligence is defined as the global ability to think, solve problems, to learn and to adapt to new situations. It is the ability of an individual to meet the demands of the environment effectively and adapt to the changes.
It is an individual’s ability to learn from their experiences, recognize their problems, come up with problem solving strategies and solve their problems in an adequate manner.
The PASS, Planning, Attention-Arousal, Simultaneous and Successive theory of intelligence, proposed by Das, Naglieri & Kirby in the year 1994. The PASS model of intelligence describes three important components of intellectual functioning:
(i) Attention-Arousal: This process involves ability to attend to important stimuli while ignoring other unimportant stimuli, all
while maintaining vigilance. In order to attend to these stimuli, optimal level of arousal is required. Individuals suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) exhibit problems in this area.
(ii) Simultaneous Processing: This involves the ability to integrate separate stimuli/information to our knowledge system as an integrated whole and then observing the relationships between them. The occipital and parietal lobes play an important role for these functions. This stage involves associations between different abstract concepts.
(iii) Successive Processing: This involves the ability to integrate stimuli/information into a sequential or serial order. Learning of digits, alphabets, multiplication tables, etc. are examples of successive processing. Temporal lobes are involved in this process.
(iv) Planning: Planning involves the ability to come up with appropriate problem solving strategies. Frontal lobes are said to be associated with this function of intellectual processing. The planning processes involve problem solving, decision making and acting on those decisions to attain certain goals.
Question 29.
Mother Teresa believed that she had a mission to fulfil and did what came natural to her, loving others and serving them. Identify the trait being referred to here by Gordon Allport and how it affects a person’s behaviour. Distinguish it from other traits given by him. [4]
Answer:
Traits being referred to here are Cardinal traits.
They are highly generalised dispositions. They indicate the goal around which a person’s entire life seems to revolve. In this case Mother Teresa’s helping and loving nature could be seen in her work and all other areas. Other traits proposed by Allport are Central traits (explain)
Secondary traits (explain) According to Allport’s trait theory, the type of traits exhibited by Mother Teresa are known as cardinal traits. Cardinal traits are the kind of traits that are rare and which dominate the personality of an individual to a point where that individual is known by those traits. The individual becomes synonymous with those qualities.
In this case, Mother Teresa became known for her kindness and altruism and her name became synonymous with these qualities. These traits involve the goals around which a person’s life revolves, for example, in this case, it is mother Teresa’s helping and loving nature that is expressed in all of her life’s work.
Allport characterized traits that made up an individual’s personality into three categories: Central traits, Cardinal traits and Secondary traits.
(i) Central traits: Central traits are the kind of traits that from the basic foundation of an individual’s personality. These are not the most dominating traits or a person may not be known by these traits but these can be used to describe a person. For example: shy, funny, smart etc.
(ii) Secondary traits: These traits are less relevant and less generalized. They are highly contextual or dependent on the situation a person is in. They only appear under certain circumstances. For example: Anxiety that is experienced during public speaking.
Question 30.
Individuals differ in the coping strategies that they use to deal with stressful situations. Justify this statement highlighting various coping strategies. [4]
Answer:
Individuals differ in the coping strategies they use to cope with the same stressful situation as they use different coping strategies as given by Endler & Parker. outcome; it also involves deciding priorities and acting so as to deal directly with the stressful situation.
Emotion-oriented Strategy: This can involve efforts to maintain hope and to control one’s emotions; it can also involve venting feelings of anger and frustration
Avoidance-oriented Strategy: This involves denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation; it also involves conscious suppression of stressful thoughts and their replacement by self-protective thoughts. Examples of this are watching TV, phoning a friend, or trying to be with other people.
Examples (carry weightage)
- Coping Strategies by Lazarus and Folkman
- Problem Focused Strategies with example
Emotion Focused Strategies with example Each individual differs in the way they deal with stressful situations because each individual uses different coping strategies to deal with that same stressful situation.
Coping strategies are behavioral and cognitive techniques that are used to manage crisis and deal with stressful situations. According to Endler and Parker, there are different coping techniques a person may use to deal with a stressful situation:
Task oriented/problem focused coping strategy: In this type of coping strategy, the individual confronts the stress and takes action to eradicate or remove the cause of that stress in their life. The person aims to change the situation they are in. For example: A person might quit the job that causes them a lot of stress.
Emotion focused coping strategy: This type of coping strategy primarily aims to decrease the negative emotions associated with a stressful situation. This coping strategy is helpful when an individual’s feelings/emotions are needed to be taken care of. Example: Journaling/Practicing meditation to cope with negative emotions associated with a stressful life event.
Avoidance-oriented coping strategy: Avoidance coping involves cognitive and behavioral efforts focusing towards denying, minimizing, or otherwise avoiding dealing directly with demands of a stressful situation.
It is when a person protects themselves from not confronting or completely avoiding the stressor directly. Example: Staying busy at work to cope with family problems.
Question 31.
Shahid showed a reduction in symptoms after he received treatment for schizophrenia. He was sent to the rehabilitation centre to improve his quality of life. What steps would be taken in the rehabilitation centre to help him become a productive member of the community? Explain. [4]
OR
Mukesh was given therapy that encouraged him to seek personal growth and actualise his potential. Based on these principles, explain the therapy that is being applied here.
Answer:
In occupational therapy, the patients are taught skills such as candle making,paper bag making and weaving to help them to form a work discipline.
(1) Social skills training helps the patients to develop interpersonal skills through role play, imitation and instruction. The objective is to teach the patient to function in a social group.
(2) Cognitive retraining is given to improve the basic cognitive functions of attention, memory and executive functions After the patient improves sufficiently, vocational training is given wherein the patient is helped to gain skills necessary to undertake productive employment.
(3) The humanistic-existential therapies postulate that psychological distress arises from feelings of loneliness, alienation, and an inability to find meaning and genuine fulfillment in life.
(4) Human beings are motivated by the desire for personal growth and self-actualisation, and an innate need to grow emotionally.
(5) Healing occurs when the client is able to perceive the obstacles to self-actualization in her/his life and is able to remove them. Self-actualization requires free emotional expression.
(6) The therapy creates a permissive, nonjudgmental and accepting atmosphere in which the client’s emotions can be freely expressed and the complexity, balance and integration could be achieved.
(7) Healing takes place by a process of understanding the unique personal experience of the client by herself/himself. The client initiates the process of self growth through which healing takes place. Rehabilitation centres help to minimize or slow down the disabling effects of chronic health conditions and psychological disorders and encourage the individual to become a productive and a fully functioning member of the community. There are
various methods and treatments used by rehab centres for this purpose:
(i) Occupational therapy: Occupational therapy aims to teach patients how to perform certain tasks, take care of themselves and adapt to their environment in order to help the patients gain autonomy. Patients are also taught specific skills such as candle making, weaving etc., to help them in gaining discipline.
(ii) Social skill training: It is a form of behaviour training for people with psychological disorders which aims to teach them certain social skills and gain confidence. Various techniques such as role playing, positive reinforcement, corrective feedback, etc are used for this purpose.
(iii) Cognitive retraining: This form is training aims to re-establish important cognitive abilities or functions such as attention, memory etc. To help the patient function properly in their environment.
(iv) Vocational training: After the patient shows sufficient progress in their recovery, they are given vocational training which prepares the patients to develop specialized skills to undertake employment, earn financial autonomy, become a fully functioning member of the community and contribute to the society.
OR
The type of therapy given to Mukesh is known as Humanistic therapy.
(i) Humanistic psychologists propose that psychological disorders are caused due to a distorted self-concept. According to them, human beings are innately good, have free will and want to be better and reach their maximum potential by exploring their individuality or uniqueness. Human beings are motivated by their innate capacity to be good and self-actualize.
(ii) Humanistic therapy is also known as client centered therapy because this type of therapy focuses primarily on the client, allowing the client to lead the conversations. There are two approaches adopted by humanistic psychologists to carry out therapy:
(iii) Empathy: The therapist offers empathy to the client, seeking to understand their problems and allows them to discover their true authentic selves and find solutions for their concerns and problems.
(iv) Unconditional positive regard: The therapist offers unconditional positive regard to the client by showing them warmth, being receptive, actively listening and being nonjudgmental.
- Humanistic therapies provide a free, non-judgmental, supportive and a safe environment to help the client understand their true potential.
- Healing takes place by a process of understanding the unique personal experience of the client by themself. This allows the client to get in touch with who they really are which further facilitates healing and recovery.
Section – E (6 Marks)
Question 32.
Describe Freud’s psychosexual stages of personality development. [6]
OR
Explain the characteristics of indirect techniques that are used to assess personality. Describe any two such tests.
Answer:
Freud proposed five stages of personality development(also called psychosexual stages of development)
- Oral- Seen in a new bom where the mouth is the primary pleasure seeking centre.
- Anal- anal area of the body becomes the focus of certain pleasurable feelings.
- Phallic- focus on genitals. Children realise the difference between males and females. Oedipus and Electra complex.
- Latency-child grows physically and energy is channelized into various activities.
- Genital – maturity attained in psychosexual development. (Explanation of each stage)
- Concepts of fixation and regression to be explained.
The psychoanalytic approach to explain personality was put forth by Sigmund Freud. According to this approach, our behaviors and actions are highly driven by unconscious motives.
The unconscious part of our mind is the primary source of our behavior and it comprises of mental components that are inaccessible to us and comprise of our hidden desires, thoughts and emotions. The psychodynamic theory also puts a strong emphasis on the influence of childhood experiences on our current behavior.
Events that took place during childhood shape who we. are as adults and contribute in shaping our personality. Freud proposed five stages of personality development (also called psychosexual stages of development).
According to him, during each stage, the sexual energy or the libido manifests itself in different ways and through different parts of the body. Each stage in the Freud’s psychosexual stage of development represents a fixation towards this sexual energy or libido on certain parts of the body.
Oral- (birth to 1 year old): Observed in newborns where the mouth is the primary pleasure-seeking centre or the libido is centered in the baby’s mouth. During this stage the baby gets pleasure and satisfaction from putting things in its mouth.
It satisfies its own libido by sucking on things, swallowing, biting, breast feeding etc. Oral stimulation can often result in oral fixation in later stages of life. For example: in nail biters, chain-smokers, thumb suckers etc.
Anal- (1-3 years old) During this stage, the anal area of the body becomes the focus of certain pleasurable feelings and libido. The child experiences great pleasure from defecating. Potty training and its impact on the child are very crucial at this stage.
Early or strict potty training can result in the child developing into an anal-retentive personality who hates clutter and disorganization and is obsessively clean, punctual and respectful of authority.
They can be stubborn and close-fisted with their cash and possessions. However, in contrast, the child may also develop into an anal-expulsive personality is messy, disorganized and rebellious. Anal expulsive personality types like to share things and are not very tight fisted.
Phallic- (3-6 years old): At this stage, the focus is on primarily on genitals. Children realize the anatomical differences between male and female genitals as a result of which various conflicts develop such as jealousy, rivalry, fear, sexual attraction etc.
Oedipus complex develops in young boys where the boys develop sexual feelings towards their mother and desire to get rid of their father. At the same time, the boys realize that if their feelings about their mother were to be known by their father, they would be punished and their father will rid the them of their penis. This is known as castration anxiety.
Young girls at this stage also develop Electra complex and penis envy. Girls at this stage experiences attraction towards their father for a brief period of time only to realize that they don’t have a penis because of which they experience penis envy towards their father. The girls also blame their own mother for their castrated state.
Latency- (6 years to puberty): During this stage, the libido is not active and no psychosexual changes or development take place. The sexual instincts are inhibited at this stage and the child grows physically and energy is channelized into various activities, such as towards school, acquiring new skills, towards friendships and hobbies.
Genital (puberty to adulthood): This is the last stage of psychosexual stages of development. The libido, once again is centered around the genitals. This is the stage of sexual experimentation, intimacy, etc. Adults engage in heterosexual intercourse and form meaningful relationships.
Section – F (8 Marks)
Read the case and answer the questions that follow.
Malay, a student of class IX, was referred to a mental health clinic with complaints of stealing money, excessive lying, setting fire to household items, teasing young girls of the locality, and passing lewd remarks and making obscene gestures.
The onset was about three years ago and has increased over the past eight months. Of late, he has started using alcohol and spending more time outdoors with friends of similar interest. School reports suggested gradual development of inappropriate behaviours such as openly defying rules in school, playing truant, instigating fellow students to pass silly remarks in class, disrespectful attitude towards elders ultimately resulting in frequent school absenteeism, mixing with local goons and excessive aggression.
Further investigation revealed that family history is disturbed, relationship with father was extremely hostile and there were frequent conflicts amongst the family members. Birth and developmental milestones are normal.
Question 33.
Identify the disorder Malay is exhibiting. Distinguish it from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). [2]
Answer:
Indirect techniques/ projective techniques are methods of assessment based on the psychoanalytic theory. These were developed to assess the unconscious motives and feelings. A less structured stimulus material is used onto which the subject projects his feelings and desires. These projections are interpreted by trained experts. The person being assessed is usually not told about the purpose of the test.
Scoring and interpretation may sometimes be subjective, (explanation of above) Description of any two tests – Ink blot, TAT, Sentence completion test, Draw a Person Test, PF Test. Conduct Disorder 33 Age inappropriate actions, violate family expectations and social norms, any other relevant point ADHD-Neurodevelopmental disorder, Hyperactivity, inattentiveness, impulsiveness, any other relevant point.
- Conduct Disorder- Age inappropriate actions, violate family expectations and social norms, any other relevant point
- ODD- Age inappropriate stubbornness, irritable, disobedience, justify their behaviour as reaction to circumstances or any relevant point.
Malay is exhibiting a serious type of behavioural disorder known as conduct disorder that occurs in children and teens. A child with this behavior may display disruptive, disorderly and rowdy behavior. Children with this disorder have problems in complying to the rules and regulations. They exhibit violation to the rules, violent, aggressive and destructive behaviours.
| Conduct disorder | ADHD | ||
| (a) | Conduct disorder is a behavioral disorder. | (i) | ADHD is a neuro developmental disorder |
| (b) | Characterized by symptoms such as disruptive, violent or aggressive behaviour. | (ii) | Characterized by symptoms such as inability to focus and follow instructions. |
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a type of behavior disorder which is mostly diagnosed in childhood. Children with ODD are uncooperative, disobedient, and hostile towards their peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures. These children are easily annoyed by others, are argumentative and have frequent temper tantrums.
Malay’s symptoms include being violent, harassing his peers, abusing alcohol, defying the rules, etc. which are more characteristic of a conduct disorder.
Question 34.
‘The symptoms that Malay is exhibiting are different from the symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Justify this statement. How would the sodo-cultural model help us to understand Malay’s disorder? [2]
Read the case and answer the questions that follow.
Alfred Binet, in 1905, was requested by the French government to devise a method by which students who experienced difficulty in school could be identified. Binet and his colleague, Theodore Simon, began developing questions that focused on areas not explicitly taught in schools those days, such as memory, attention skills related to problem solving.
Using these questions, Binet determined which were the ones that served as the best predictors of school success. Binet quickly realised that some children were able to answer more advanced questions than older children were generally able to answer and vice versa.
Based on this observation, Binet suggested the concept of mental age or a measure of intelligence based on the average abilities of children of a certain age group. This first intelligence test is referred to as the Binet-Simon Scale. He insisted that intelligence is influenced by many factors, it changes over time, and it can only be compared in children with similar backgrounds.
Answer:
Social and cultural forces, family structure and communication, family system, lack of support and fulfilling relationships (elaborate on these) Any two points.
The socio-cultural model, given by Lev Vygotsky will explain Malay’s disorder in terms of his relationship with his family, caregivers and cultural environment.
Since further investigations revealed that Malay’s family history was disturbed where there were many conflicts amongst family members along with Malay’s abusive relationship with his own father, according to socio-cultural model, these make up the primary causes of development of Malay’s conduct disorder.
Question 35.
Identify the approach on which the Binet – Simon Intelligence Scale is based. Discuss its features. [2]
Answer:
- It is based on the psychometric approach.
- It considers intelligence as an aggregate of abilities or on the structure of intelligence. It expresses an individual’s performance in terms of a single index of cognitive abilities.
The socio-cultural model, given by Lev Vygotsky will explain Malay’s disorder in terms of his relationship with his family, caregivers and cultural environment.
Since further investigations revealed that Malay’s family history was disturbed where there were many conflicts amongst family members along with Malay’s abusive relationship with his own father, according to socio cultural model, these make up the primary causes of development of Malay’s conduct disorder
Question 36.
‘Binet quickly realised that some children were able to answer more advanced questions than older children were generally able to answer and vice versa’. Why do individuals differ in intelligence? Using examples, give reasons for your answer. [2]
Answer:
- Interplay of nature and nurture- Intelligence is a product of both nature and nurture.
- A brief description of both with examples Individuals differ in intelligence due to
many reasons: Nature/Genetics and Nurture/Environment.
Nature vs nurture: Intelligence is a result of both nature and nurture. This means that intelligence is affected by, heritable factors and family genetics as well as the environment an individual grows up in.
For example Studies on twins show that monozygotic twins share strong similarities in IQ. Similarly, intelligence is also affects by the nurture/ environment that the person grows up in. For example: home environment, nutrition, exposure to toxic substances, and formal schooling influence intelligence.