UGC NET Syllabus for Psychology 2020

FOR UGC NET EXAM PREPARATION

UGC NET
Syllabus · Psychology
EXAM YEAR TYPE SUBJECT

UGC NET — Syllabus Psychology

Notes · Sample Papers · Previous Year Papers · Mock Tests

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UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

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NET BUREAU

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Subject: PSYCHOLOGY Code No. 04

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SYLLABUS

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1. Emergence of Psychology

Psychological thought in some major Eastern Systems: Bhagavad Gita,
Buddhism, Sufism and Integral Yoga. Academic psychology in India: Pre-
independence era; post-independence era; 1970s: The move to addressing social
issues; 1980s: Indigenization; 1990s: Paradigmatic concerns, disciplinary identity
crisis; 2000s: Emergence of Indian psychology in academia. Issues: The colonial

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encounter; Post colonialism and psychology; Lack of distinct disciplinary identity.

m . and modern period. Structuralism,
s e Gestalt, Behaviorism, Humanistic-
Western: Greek heritage, medieval period

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Existential, Transpersonal, lCognitive revolution, Multiculturalism. Four
Functionalism, Psychoanalytical,

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founding paths of academic g psychology - Wundt, Freud, James, Dilthey.
Issues: Crisis in psychology due to strict adherence to experimental-
analytical paradigm (logical empiricism). Indic influences on modern
psychology.

Essential aspects of knowledge paradigms: Ontology, epistemology, and
methodology. Paradigms of Western Psychology: Positivism, Post-Positivism,

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Critical perspective, Social Constructionism, Existential Phenomenology, and

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Co-operative Enquiry. Paradigmatic Controversies. Significant Indian
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paradigms on psychological knowledge: Yoga, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism,

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Sufism, and Integral Yoga. Science and spirituality (avidya and vidya). The

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primacy of self-knowledge in Indian psychology.

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a 2. Research Methodology and Statistics

Research: Meaning, Purpose, and Dimensions.
Research problems, Variables and Operational Definitions, Hypothesis,
Sampling.
Ethics in conducting and reporting research

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Paradigms of research: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed methods approach
Methods of research: Observation, Survey [Interview, Questionnaires],
Experimental, Quasi-experimental, Field studies, Cross-Cultural Studies,
Phenomenology, Grounded theory, Focus groups, Narratives, Case studies,
Ethnography

Statistics in Psychology: Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion.
Normal Probability Curve. Parametric [t-test] and Non-parametric tests [Sign
Test, Wilcoxon Signed rank test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test,
Friedman]. Power analysis. Effect size.

Correlational Analysis: Correlation [Product Moment, Rank Order], Partial
correlation, multiple correlation.
Special Correlation Methods: Biserial, Point biserial, tetrachoric, phi
coefficient.
Regression: Simple linear regression, Multiple regression.
Factor analysis: Assumptions, Methods, Rotation and Interpretation.

Experimental Designs: ANOVA [One-way, Factorial], Randomized Block
Designs, Repeated Measures Design, Latin Square, Cohort studies, Time
series, MANOVA, ANCOVA. Single-subject designs.

3. Psychological testing

Types of tests
Test construction: Item writing, item analysis

Test standardization: Reliability, validity and Norms

Areas of testing: Intelligence, creativity, neuropsychological tests, aptitude,
Personality assessment, interest inventories

Attitude scales – Semantic differential, Staples, Likert scale.
Computer-based psychological testing

Applications of psychological testing in various settings: Clinical,
Organizational and business, Education, Counseling, Military. Career
guidance.

4. Biological basis of behavior

Sensory systems: General and specific sensations, receptors and processes

Neurons: Structure, functions, types, neural impulse, synaptic transmission.
Neurotransmitters.

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The Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems – Structure and functions.
Neuroplasticity.

Methods of Physiological Psychology: Invasive methods – Anatomical
methods, degeneration techniques, lesion techniques, chemical methods,

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microelectrode studies. Non-invasive methods – EEG, Scanning methods.

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Muscular and Glandular system: Types and functions

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Biological basis of Motivation: Hunger, Thirst, Sleep and Sex.

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Biological basis of emotion: The Limbic system, Hormonal regulation of
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behavior.
Genetics and behavior: Chromosomal anomalies; Nature-Nurture
controversy [Twin studies and adoption studies]

5. Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting

Attention: Forms of attention, Models of attention

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Perception:

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Approaches to the Study of Perception: Gestalt and physiological approaches

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Perceptual Organization: Gestalt, Figure and Ground, Law of Organization

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Perceptual Constancy: Size, Shape, and Color; Illusions

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Perception of Form, Depth and Movement

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Role of motivation and learning in perception

Signal detection theory: Assumptions and applications
Subliminal perception and related factors, information processing approach
to perception, culture and perception, perceptual styles, Pattern recognition,
Ecological perspective on perception.

Learning Process:

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Fundamental theories: Thorndike, Guthrie, Hull

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Classical Conditioning: Procedure, phenomena and related issues

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Instrumental learning: Phenomena, Paradigms and theoretical issues;

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Reinforcement: Basic variables and schedules; Behaviour modification and

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its applications

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Cognitive approaches in learning: Latent learning, observational learning.

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Verbal learning and Discrimination learning
Recent trends in learning: Neurophysiology of learning

Memory and Forgetting
Memory processes: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval
Stages of memory: Sensory memory, Short-term memory (Working
memory), Long-term Memory (Declarative – Episodic and Semantic;
Procedural)

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Theories of Forgetting: Interference, Retrieval Failure, Decay, Motivated
forgetting

6. Thinking, Intelligence and Creativity

Theoretical perspectives on thought processes: Associationism, Gestalt,
Information processing, Feature integration model
Concept formation: Rules, Types, and Strategies; Role of concepts in thinking
Types of Reasoning
Language and thought

Problem solving: Type, Strategies, and Obstacles
Decision-making: Types and models

Metacognition: Metacognitive knowledge and Metacognitive regulation

Intelligence: Spearman; Thurstone; Jensen; Cattell; Gardner; Stenberg;
Goleman; Das, Kar & Parrila

Creativity: Torrance, Getzels & Jackson, Guilford, Wallach & Kogan
Relationship between Intelligence and Creativity

7. Personality, Motivation, emotion, stress and coping

Determinants of personality: Biological and socio-cultural
Approaches to the study of personality: Psychoanalytical, Neo-Freudian,
Social learning, Trait and Type, Cognitive, Humanistic, Existential,
Transpersonal psychology.
Other theories: Rotter's Locus of Control, Seligman's Explanatory styles,
Kohlberg’s theory of Moral development.

Basic motivational concepts: Instincts, Needs, Drives, Arousal, Incentives,
Motivational Cycle.
Approaches to the study of motivation: Psychoanalytical, Ethological, S-R
Cognitive, Humanistic

Exploratory behavior and curiosity
Zuckerman's Sensation seeking
Achievement, Affiliation and Power
Motivational Competence
Self-regulation
Flow

Emotions: Physiological correlates
Theories of emotions: James-Lange, Canon-Bard, Schachter and Singer,
Lazarus, Lindsley.

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Emotion regulation

Conflicts: Sources and types
Stress and Coping: Concept, Models, Type A, B, C, D behaviors, Stress

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management strategies [Biofeedback, Music therapy, Breathing exercises,

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Progressive Muscular Relaxation, Guided Imagery, Mindfulness, Meditation,

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Yogasana, Stress Inoculation Training].

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8. Social Psychology

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l scope and history of social psychology a
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Nature,

Traditional theoretical perspectives: Field theory, Cognitive Dissonance,
Sociobiology, Psychodynamic Approaches, Social Cognition.

Social perception [Communication, Attributions]; attitude and its change
within cultural context; prosocial behavior

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Group and Social influence [Social Facilitation; Social loafing]; Social

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influence [Conformity, Peer Pressure, Persuasion, Compliance, Obedience,

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Social Power, Reactance]. Aggression. Group dynamics, leadership style and

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effectiveness. Theories of intergroup relations [Minimal Group Experiment

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and Social Identity Theory, Relative Deprivation Theory, Realistic Conflict

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Theory, Balance Theories, Equity Theory, Social Exchange Theory]

Applied social psychology: Health, Environment and Law; Personal space,
crowding, and territoriality.

9. Human Development and Interventions

Developmental processes: Nature, Principles, Factors in development, Stages

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of Development. Successful aging.

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Theories of development: Psychoanalytical, Behavioristic, and Cognitive

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Various aspects of development: Sensory-motor, cognitive, language,

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emotional, social and moral.

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Psychopathology: Concept, Mental Status Examination, Classification, Causes

a Psychotherapies: Psychoanalysis, Person-centered, Gestalt, Existential,
Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Behavior therapy, REBT, CBT, MBCT, Play
therapy, Positive psychotherapy, Transactional Analysis, Dialectic behavior
therapy, Art therapy, Performing Art Therapy, Family therapy.

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Applications of theories of motivation and learning in School
Factors in educational achievement
Teacher effectiveness
Guidance in schools: Needs, organizational set up and techniques

Counselling: Process, skills, and techniques

10. Emerging Areas

Issues of Gender, Poverty, Disability, and Migration: Cultural bias and
discrimination. Stigma, Marginalization, and Social Suffering; Child Abuse
and Domestic violence.

Peace psychology: Violence, non-violence, conflict resolution at macro level,
role of media in conflict resolution.

Wellbeing and self-growth: Types of wellbeing [Hedonic and Eudemonic],
Character strengths, Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth.

Health: Health promoting and health compromising behaviors, Life style and
Chronic diseases [Diabetes, Hypertension, Coronary Heart Disease],
Psychoneuroimmunology [Cancer, HIV/AIDS]

Psychology and technology interface: Digital learning; Digital etiquette:
Cyber bullying; Cyber pornography: Consumption, implications; Parental
mediation of Digital Usage.
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