Psychology Syllabus of MPPCS Main Examination 2010

The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission has published syllabus for the State Services Main Examination 2010 of the MPPSC. The Syllabus of the exam is as follows:

PSYCHOLOGY

PAPER-I

Foundations of psychology

1. Introduction and methods of Psychology

(1) Psychology as a Science:
(2) Definitions, relation to other social and natural sciences.
(3) Methods, Observation, Experiment, Clinical and Case Study, Interview, Questionnaire, Survey and Content analysis.

2. Physiological bases of behaviour

(1) Receptor, affecter and adjustor system. Genetic bases of behaviour, hormones - their role in physical growth, emotional activity and personality make-up.
(2) Structure and functions of C.N.S. Autonomic nervous system.
(3) Sensation - visual, auditory and skin senses: Structure and function.

3. Development of human behaviour

Nature and principles of development. Critical periods of life span development. Socialization - role of family, peers, school, culture and media in socialization.
Gender role and self-development. Moral and social development.

4. Attention and perception

Attention - selective attention (models); signal detection and vigilance. Psychophysics - Concept of threshold, method : average error, limits, constant stimuli. Psychometric methods - Ranking, rating & paired comparison. Perception - Definition & concept of perception. Laws of perceptual organization. Perceptual defense. Distance perception - monocular & binocular perception. Factors affecting perception.

5. Learning
Concept and theories of learning (Pavlov, Skinner, Hull, Tolman). The processes of aequisition, extinction, discrimination and generalization. Programmed learning,
schedules of reinforcement. Learning through models. Verbal learning - methods & materials, determinants.

6. Memory

Encoding, storage and retrieval. Factors influencing retention and forgetting. Theories of forgetting. STM and LTM, retroactive and proactive inhibition Reminiscence.

7. Thinking and problem solving

Concept formation processes. Problem solving - approaches : factors affecting creative thinking.

8. Intelligence and creativity

Concept and definition of intelligence. Theories of intelligence (Spearman, Thurstone, Guilford) Measurement of intelligence and aptitude, Concept of I.Q. and
multiple intelligence. Measurement of creativity and relationship between creativity and intelligence.

9. Motivation & Emotion

Nature and kinds of motives. Physiological basis of motivation - Hunger & Thurst. Theories of motivation - drive reduction and need hierarchy modal.

Emotion - Types & theories of emotions, physiological correlates and their measurement.

10. Personality

Concept and definition of personality. Theories of personality Freud, Adler, Jung, Sullivan, Allport, Lewin, Erickson. Determinants of personality. Personality assessment - projective tests, personality inventories, situational tests.

11. Social behaviour

Attitudes - Theories of attitude-change and measurement of attitudes. Social perception, impression formation, attribution theory and interpersonal attraction.
Group dynamics - conformity, group cohesiveness and leadership.

PSYCHOLOGY

PAPER - II

Applications of Psychology

1. Psychological Measurement and Individual Differences

Characteristics & construction of Psychological test. Types of Psychological test (Intelligence, Personality, Inte rest, Aptitude), uses & limitation of psychological test.

2. Educational Psychology
Learning processes in class room. Teacher effectiveness. Motivation for scholastic achievement. Classroom management. Achievement test. Problems of Exceptional children.

3. Organizational and Industrial Psychology

Personnel selection & Training. Job attitudes and job satisfaction. Industrial safety and accidents. Organizational climate. Organizational leadership.

Organizational development. Communication & Decision making.

4. Psychopathology & Clinical Psychology

Mental disorders - Symptoms & causal factors. Diagnostic procedures. Therapeutic Approaches: Psychodynamic Therapies, Behaviour Therapies, Client Centered Therapy, Cognitive therapies, Biofeedback therapy.

5. Counselling & Community Psychology

Need & principles of guidance & counselling. Counselling approaches (Directive, Non-directive, Rational - Emotive, Behaviour Counselling) Organizing guidance
programmes in schools and colleges, Types of intervention in community psychology, primary, secondary & teritary prevention programmes.

6. Health Psychology

Models of health

Health damaging and health promoting life styles & behavior. Cardio - vascular disease & diabetes.Nature, types, causes and consequences of stress. Coping behaviour and stress management relaxation technique.

7. Other Applications of Psychology

Sports psychology - improving performance of sports, Exercising & physical fitness, Environmental psychology - Effects of noise and pollution, effects of crowding
& population density, effect of sensory deprivation.