WBCHSE Class 11 Syllabus for Psychology

PSYCHOLOGY (PSYC)

Class - XI

Full Marks – 100

THEORETICAL: 70 Marks

[1] INTRODUCTION

“ Subject Matter – what is Psychology? (Definition)
“ Development of Psychology – from old concept to modern concept with Special
Reference to Psychological schools.
“ Modern Approaches to Psychology – (Behavioural, Psychodynamic / Analytic,
Cognitive, Humanistic)
“ Why is Psychology an Objective Science?
“ Branches of Psychology – Pure and Applied
“ Development of Psychology in India – Contribution of Girindra Shekhar Bose and
N. N. Sengupta and others.

[2] METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Goals of Psychological Enquiry with special emphasis on definition and utility of
methods and tools.
“ Methods -
a) Introspection - Brief outline
b) Experimental method – Merits & Demerits
c) Observation – Merits & Demerits
d) Cross sectional / Longitudinal method
e) Case study

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“ Psychological tools –
a) Tests – Definition, Characteristics and Types, any two examples
b) Interview – Definition, characteristics, Types, Merits and Demerits
c) Questionnaires – Definition, Characteristics and Types, Merits and Demerits,
any two examples

[3] BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR

“ Introduction for relation between body and mind with special Reference to human
behaviour

“ Neuron – Structure, Types and Functions with diagrams, Concept of Synapse

“ Nervous System –
a) Definition and Types of Nervous System(C.N.S., A.N.S., P.N.S.)
b) Brain – Structure, Parts and Area Localization of brain with special reference
to Cerebral Cortex, Diagram of Brain
c) Spinal Cord – Structure of Spinal Cord (mention different segments), Functions
(mention Reflex Action)

“ Endocrine System – Role of Endocrine System in human behaviour, Hyper and
Hypo Secretion of endocrine glands

[4] DEVELOPMENT

“ What is development – Relation between Growth, Maturation, Development and
Evolution

“ Critical Periods of Development – Short discussion of different stages (Physical
and mental changes ), special reference to Adolescence Period

“ Factors influencing development – Heredity and Environment

[5] SENSORY PROCESSES

“ What is sensation? – Definition

“ Human senses –
a) Special senses – Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue

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b) Organic senses – Visceral / Motor
c) Other – Kinaesthetic / Vestibular
d) Attributes of sensation
e) Relation between sensation and Perception

[6] PERCEPTUAL PROCESS

“ What is Perception? – Definition

“ Natural / Characteristics of Perception

“ Form Perception – Laws of organization, Concept of Figure – Ground Relationship

“ Depth and Distance Perception – Binocular cues and Monocular cues

“ Movement Perception – Concept of Real and Apparent motion

“ Illusion – What is illusion? – Definition, Types - with special notes on Mullerlyer
illusion

“ Attention – Definition, characteristics, types (voluntary, involuntary, non-voluntary),
factors that determine attention or conditions of attention subjective and objective

[7] LEARNING

“ Definition and characteristics of learning

“ Theories-
a) Trial and Error (Thorndike) – Experiment, laws (Primary and Secondary),
Importance of the theory and criticism.
b) Classical conditioning (Pavlov) – Experiment, principles, importance of the
theory with criticism.
c) Operant conditioning (Skinner) - Experiment, principles, importance of the
theory with criticism.
d) Insight (Kohler) - Experiment, Importance of the theory with criticism.

“ Difference between classical and operant conditioning

“ Concept of learning by Indian Philosopher – Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath
Tagore

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[8] MEMORY PROCESSES

“ Definition

“ Factors involved in Memory – Learning, Retention, Recall and Recognition

“ Process involved in memory – Encoding, Storage, Retrieval

“ Interaction Processing theory (Attkinson and Shiffrin Model) - Sensory Memory,
Short-term memory, long-term memory

“ Concept of Immediate memory span and capacity of memorization.

“ Forgetting – Definition, Causes, Improvement / Training of Memory

[9] MOTIVATION

“ Definition

“ Motivation cycle

“ Human Needs – Definition, Types – Primary and Secondary

“ Maslow’s theory of Need Hierarchy

“ Physiological mechanisms of motivation with special reference to Hypothalamus.

[10] EMOTION

“ Definition and characteristics

“ Relation between feeling, emotion and instinct

“ Basic emotion – Fear, Anger, Love (Nature and Bodily Expressions)

“ Theories of Emotion (Concept and criticism )
a) James and Sauge
b) Canaon and Bard
c) Schachter and Singer

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EXPERIMENTAL AND PRACTICAL WORK

PRACTICAL 30 MARKS
Problem – 10 Marks
Lab. Notebook – 05 Marks
Viva voce – 05 Marks
Project – 10 Marks

[1] SENSORY PROCESS (EXPERIMENT)

“ Negative After Image using Red and Blue colour stimulus

[2] LEARNING AND MEMORY (EXPERIMENT)

a) Experiment on Immediate Memory span using digits as stimulus. Use both visual
and auditory methods.
b) Compare the rate of learning of two subjects and interpret the results (use non-
sense syllabus by visual or auditory presentation)
c) Determine the effect of meaning on memorizing capacity.

[3] BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOUR (PROJECT)

Fill work on brain or spinal cord (Structure, Functions and Diagram)

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