Psychology for UPSC Mains, An Analysis of 2013s Paper

Psychology for UPSC Mains, An Analysis of 2013s Paper
By Swagata Tarafdar
Paper 1
Similar structure of the question paper like last year. Question no. 1 and 5 compulsory, 5 questions in Question no. 1 and 5 each, each will have to be answered in not more than 150 words. Three are to be attempted choosing at least one from each section. Here also, each question will have to be answered either in not more than 2503=750 words, or in not more than 4002=800 words, just like previous years Question paper.
One question is of similar nature compared to the question paper of 2012:
In 2012, UPSC asked: Evaluate various factors which influence intrinsic motivation.
In 2013, UPSC asked: What is intrinsic motivation? Why it gets reduced if the person gets external rewind for undertaking a task that he or she loves?
Now, a topic-wise comparison of the question paper with the previous years question paper:

20132012

Few questions from the topics Methods of Psychology and Research Methods:Ethnocentrism, effect size and statistical power, observation and dimensions of participation in observational research.Too many questions from these seemingly difficult topics:Question writing in survey research, sampling error and error in sampling, t-test, IRT, McCrary Hunter invariance hypothesis.

Few straight questions from the topic Development of Human Behaviour. How do genes affect development?developmental challenges faced by adolescents in the cognitive and social domains, which is very much similar to the question asked in 2011, role of parenting style, peer group and media in identity formation during adolescence.Bowlby and Anisworth researches, which requires in-depth study of the topic.Vygotsky asked for the first time in UPSC.Epigenetic model only in short questions.

From the topic Learning, Reinforcement schedulesReinforcement topic was asked in 2012 too:Primary and secondary reinforcements.

From the topic Memory, Factor that contribute to the encoding of information into LTM, like the question asked in 2011, How the principles of encoding help enhancing the use of mnemonic devices?Modal model of STM.Comparison of Sterlings and Neissers experiments in sensory memory.

From the topic Emotion,Role of left and right hemispheres in emotion asked for the first time in UPSC.Direct questions from the same topic,Measurement of emotion, effect of emotion on behavior, facial expression of emotion.


Now, the lists of books, materials and websites that will help in Psychology Paper-1:

1. NCERT Psychology Textbooks of classes XI and XII.

2. Introduction to Psychology: Morgan & King

3. Psychology: Robert A. Baron

4. Introduction to Psychology: Hilgard, Atkinson, Atkinson

5. General Psychology: S K Mangal

6. Psychology: The Study of Human Behaviour: B K Mishra

7. E-gyankosh

8. www.numerons.in

9. List of important topics in Psychology by Ghamshyam Thori, IAS: http://www.scribd.com/doc/181922844/Chapterwise-Important-Topics-in-Psychology-pdf
Next, I have done a detailed question-wise analysis of the question paper and the relevant references that need to be followed to answer the questions.
Question 1: Answer the following, each in not more than 150 words. 105=50 marks

1. Critically evaluate the cognitive approach to the study of psychological phenomena.
Can be answered from NCERTs class XI textbook of Psychology. The first chapter What is Psychology? discusses this topic under the headings of The Cognitive Revolution and Cognitive Approach. Sufficient content to write 150 words. Present in Morgan & Kings book also in the first chapter What Psychology is Like.

1. What is ethnocentrism? How is it reflected in psychological research?
Havent found satisfactory answer to this question in any standard book of psychology. However, you can follow the following link to get an answer to this question:
www.cambridge.org/us/download_file/158730
jocelynwells.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/ethnocentrism-worksheet.doc

1. What factors contribute to the encoding of information into LTM?
Can be answered by a thorough reading of Morgan & Kings chapter on Memory.

1. How do genes affect development?
Can be answered from S K Mangals book. This topic is present in the chapter on Heredity and Environment under the heading The role of genes in sufficient detail to write 150 words on the topic.

1. Describe different reinforcement schedules and indicate their effects on the strength of learning.
Discussed in Barons Psychology in detail with diagrams.
Question 2: Answer each in not more than 250 words :15+20+15

1. What do you understand by effect size and statistical power? Explain their significance.
Havent found in standard book on psychology. You can listen to the lecture on this topic by clicking the following link:
http://www.nyu.edu/academics/open-education/coursesnew/stats-behavior-science/Stats-Behav-Science-lecture10.html
This link is also very useful:
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=ShmNdm0bwJsC&pg=PT215&lpg=PT215&dq=effect+size+and+statistical+power+in+psychology+statistics&source=bl&ots=erxGptLFld&sig=8Ty8TyivhfUXVIAEhRG16ihSG20&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Ku-2UqHDH8bMrQex5oCQBg&ved=0CFIQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=effect%20size%20and%20statistical%20power%20in%20psychology%20statistics&f=false

1. Discuss the importance of early relationship for developmental outcomes in the light of researches by Bowlby and Anisworth.
Topic mentioned in Morgan & Kings book in the chapter Development During Infancy and Childhood under the heading Social Development, sub-heading Attachment. Although it talks of researches by Bowlby and his colleagues. Barons book also mentions research by Bowlby. Ainsworths name is mentioned for just one time under Attachment in the chapter Social and Emotional Development: Forming Relationships with Others.

1. Compare template matching and feature detection accounts of pattern recognition.
Pattern detection is there in Barons book in the chapter on perception.
Question 3: Answer the following, each in not more than 400 words. 25+25

1. The discipline of psychology has grown and developed through debate between those who held that it should be modelled on natural science and those who subscribed to the view that it has to follow the model of social science. What arguments you envision for or against these views? What position you would like to endorse and why?
Topic directly from NCERTs Psychology textbook of class XI. Sufficient content to write 400 words.

1. Bring out the key developmental challenges faced by adolescents in the cognitive and social domains.
Present in standard Psychology book. Can be answered following NCERT, Morgan & King or Baron.
Question 4: Answer the following, each in not more than 250 words: 15+20+15

1. Why our representations of the external world are not entirely accurate?
Can be found in any standard book on psychology, the chapter is perception.

1. Describe and evaluate the modal model of short-term memory.
Atkinson and Shiffrin is called the modal model. Though Atkinson and Shiffrin model is elaborately discussed in Morgan & Kings book, it is nowhere mentioned that it is called the modal model.

1. Describe the basic elements of observation and bring out the implications of the dimension of participation in observational research.
There is an entire chapter devoted to Observation Method in e-gyankosh. It has sufficient content on Participant observation to write 250 words on the topic.
Question 5: Answer each in 150 words. 10 x 5 =50

1. What is the situational critique of trait psychology?
Can be answered from Mishras book on Psychology. Copy-pasting from the chapter on Personality
Our situations are dynamic in nature, and, therefore, if the situation varies the consistency of behavioural characteristics may also change. Such variations make the behavioural traits unstable or inconsistent.

1. Explain Sternbergs view of intelligence and bring out its implication for schooling.
Discussed in NCERTs textbook of Class XII.

1. Every function in the childs development appears twice : first on social level and later. on the individual level. Vygotsky. Discuss the above statement and indicate your own position on this proposition.
Have been discussed in NCERTs textbook of Class XI.

1. What are the process of language production?
Discussed in NCERTs textbook of Class XI.

1. How do novices differ from experts?
The difference with respect to language production can be answered from NCERTs textbook of Class XI.
Question 6: Answer the following, each in not more than 250 words :15+20+15

1. Bring out the role of left and right hemispheres in emotional experience.
Discussed in detail in Barons book on psychology. The topic is directly from syllabus: Physiological basis of emotion.

1. What is intrinsic motivation? Why it gets reduced if the person gets external rewind for undertaking a task that he or she loves?
Discussed in detail in Mishras book on psychology in the chapter on Motivation under the heading of Intrinsic and Extrinsic framework of Motivation.

1. Explain correspondence bias. Is it universal or culturally variable?
Directly from Barons book on psychology. The topic is mentioned explicitly in the syllabus: Theories of Attribution.
Question 7: Answer the following each in more than 400 words :25+25

1. What is the role of social categorization in the formation of prejudice? Suggest some strategies to reduce prejudice.
Social categorization in the origin of prejudice have been discussed in Barons book on psychology. The strategies to reduce prejudice is also there in the same chapter Social Thought and Social Behaviour.

1. How the psychoanalytic view differs from physiological or cognitive view of dream?
Psychoanalytic, physiological and cognitive views on sleep are discussed in Barons book on psychology in the chapter States of Consciousness.
Question 8: Answer the following. each in not more than 250 words: 15+20+15

1. What are the requirements to be met by psychological assessment tools for offering accurate and useful measure of psychological constructs?

2. What makes a persuasive attempt effective? Discuss.
From Barons book, the chapter is Social Thought and Social Behaviour.

1. Describe the Indian approach to personality as reflected in the principle of three Gunas.
Trigunas discussed in NCERTs textbook on psychology of class XII, in the chapter Self and Personality, under type approaches. The Indian approach to personality is explicitly mentioned in the syllabus.
PAPER-II
Again, similar structure like last year.
Now, the lists of books, materials and websites that will help in Psychology Paper-1:

1. NCERT Psychology Textbooks of classes XII.

2. Abnormal Psychology: Coleman

3. Educational Psychology: Mangal

4. Applied Psychology: Smarak Swain

5. E-gyankosh

6. www.numerons.in

7. List of important topics in Psychology by Ghamshyam Thori, IAS: http://www.scribd.com/doc/181922844/Chapterwise-Important-Topics-in-Psychology-pdf
Applied Psychology by Smarak Swain is the best book for Paper-II. All the topics are covered in sufficient detail. You can consult other books and materials as and when needed. Though personally I think this one book will suffice.
All the questions asked in this years question can be answered from this one book. So I am not doing a question-wise analysis here.
Wish you all the best for your endeavour!
-Swagata Tarafdar

Tips and strategy for English Literature (Optional) for UPSC-Civil Services

Tips and strategy for English Literature (Optional) for UPSC-Civil Services Exam:
Article pertains to four sections that covers the entire syllabus:

1. Novels & Drama (English-origin+Indian)

2. Poetry

3. History of English Literature

4. Unforeseen poetry and prose

NOVELS & DRAMA

Books: For English-origin novels and drama, either Worldview edition or Norton Critical edition is recommended. One should supplement the analysis/criticism provided in these books with content available on websites such as Sparknotes , Cliffnotes, Wikipedia etc. But most importantly, text of a novel should be read at least once. But while reading, one must not be too fixated on the meaning of each and every sentence, rather should see a chapter in its entirety and in relation to the overall plot. Critical essays and analysis of a work should be read thoroughly and important points memorized, especially vital themes, symbols and motifs.
For Indian-origin novels (where Worldview and Norton are not available), one should read the text well and search the net for essays, criticisms and analysis.

POETRY

Books: Here, no specific book will give all dimensions of a poem. One should extensively dig the internet to gather as much in-depth knowledge about a poem as possible. Memorizing important lines of a poem is a good idea as its usage in an answer gives a very good impression. Ones own analysis during reading of a poem is equally important*~.

HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE

(Covers important literary periods like Renaissance, Elizabethan era etc. refer syllabus)
Books: Many books are available for this section. However, one can pick that which covers all (or most) periods mentioned in UPSC syllabus. Some books are given below:
Introduction to English Literature by W.H Hudson, The Routledge History of Literature in English, A short History of English Literature (Pramod K. Nayar). Internet, esp. Wikipedia is also a good source.

UNFORESEEN POETRY AND PROSE

In paper-I, one has to answer questions based on unforeseen poem and in paper-II, there is similarly a passage from which questions are based. Both combined constitute 100 marks (50 each) and are compulsory. Although one can answer questions from these sections by using ones common sense without any intensive prior preparation, a book Practical Criticism (Oxford University Press) can be useful in this regard.
(*~Ones analysis of a poem can be refined by reading the above book, and would help in analyzing the poems prescribed in syllabus).


SOME GENERAL TIPS


1. If one is fairly interested in literature, one can go for this optional very safely notwithstanding his/her graduation stream.

2. Coverage of complete syllabus should be a priority. Questions asked, especially in the recent years are so based as to test this aspect. Generally, 3 months is sufficient for a person having background in English to complete the syllabus. For one with a different background, around 6 months is sufficient depending on ones familiarity with the texts.

3. Read the historical portion after completion of the literary works. In most novels, the plot and characters depict clearly the traits of a particular literary period. That way, one would get a fair idea of various periods without any extra effort.

4. One should use simple language while answering questions. Deliberate and unnecessary use of complex lexicon isnt going to fetch any extra marks. Remember that it is a test of ones knowledge of literature and not English. The latter is only a medium for the former.

5. Answer-writing practice is of utmost importance. One should do it on a regular basis using the previous year questions (questions from past 10 year paper are relevant).

6. Since professional guidance (as per UPSC requirement) for this optional is virtually non-existent, one can approach any good university professor for evaluation of ones answers. If not, even self-evaluation is sufficient.

7. Do not refer such books which are often used by university students for securing a mere passing grade in exams (one such example is Ramji Lall). Their use, if necessitated, should only be restricted to summary of the plot/play. They cannot serve as a basic book for ones preparation in CS exams.

8. A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H Abrams is useful for familiarizing oneself with various literary terms.
Prepared by Kumar Ujjwal
With inputs taken from:
Ajay Prakash (AIR 9, CSE 2010)
Shuchita Kishore (AIR 39, CSE 2010)