ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2024 Psychology

ISC
Syllabus

2024

Revised

Syllabus

PSYCHOLOGY (855)
CLASS XII

There will be two papers in the subject: Aptitude Test Battery); meaning and
usefulness of Achievement tests; Why Interest
Paper I - Theory: 3 hours …70 marks
is measured.
Paper II- Practical Work: …30 marks
2. Personality
PAPER - I (THEORY) – 70 Marks
(i) What is meant by Personality.
1. Intelligence and Ability
(i) Intelligence: what is meant by intelligence - Definition of personality – Allport.
theories regarding the nature of intelligence; Personality related terms: Temperament,
how intelligence is measured - the concept of Trait, Disposition, Character, Habit, Values,
IQ, intelligence tests – Individual Tests, Concept of self (definitions only).
Group Tests. Levels of intelligence and
associated characteristics. Emotional (ii) Theories of Personality: Type Theories,
Intelligence and Emotional Quotient (EQ). Psychoanalytic Theory - Freud’s structure of
Creativity. personality; psycho-sexual stages of
development; Post Freudians (in brief);
Intelligence: definition of intelligence (David Humanistic - Rogers and Maslow; Traits -
Wechsler); what is meant by intelligence - Allport, Cattell; Social/Behavioural Learning
theories regarding the nature of intelligence; - Bandura .
Theories of Intelligence: Two Factor Theory
– Charles Spearman; Primary Mental Type Theory: Sheldon, Hippocrates,
Abilities – L.L.Thurstone (seven factors); Friedman, Psychoanalytic Theory of
Raymond Cattell – Fluid and Crystallised Personality: Freud's levels of consciousness,
Intelligence; Guilford’s Structure of Intellect structure of personality - Id, Ego and
Model. Information Processing; Triarchic Superego; principles on which they function;
Theory – Sternberg; Theory of Multiple Psychosexual stages of development and
Intelligence – Howard Gardner(eight fixation; Post Freudians: Erik Erikson,
intelligences). How intelligence is measured - Horney; Humanistic theories of Rogers
the concept of IQ; Intelligence Tests – (concept of fully functioning persons) and
Individual Tests – only definitions of mental Maslow (self actualization). Traits: Allport
age, chronological age, intelligence quotient (central, secondary and cardinal traits),
and formula of IQ. Wechsler-III, Group Test Cattell (source and surface traits). The five-
– Raven’s Progressive Matrices. Test details factor model of Costa and McCrae. Social
(Aim, history, description and scoring) should Cognitive Theory of A.Bandura
be included; Levels of intelligence and (Identification and explanation of concepts in
associated characteristics (from gifted to each theoretical framework).
below average). Emotional Intelligence and
Emotional Quotient (EQ) - Characteristics of (iii) How personality is assessed: reports,
Emotionally Intelligent Persons (in brief). inventories (MMPI), projective techniques -
Creativity and Intelligence. Rorschach Inkblot Test and Thematic
Apperception Test, Behavioural Analysis.
(ii) Aptitude, Achievement and Interest: meaning
of these terms. Reason for their assessment The use of Self Reports - inventories/
and means of assessment (different tools/ questionnaires in assessing Personality - an
tests) used. understanding of the MMPI (Minnesota
Multiphasic Personality Inventory); what is
What is meant by Aptitude - when aptitude meant by Projective Techniques - how the
needs to be assessed - the GATB (General Rorschach Inkblot and TAT (Thematic

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Apperception Test) are used (Test details with sexuality and gender identity; some
should include procedure, scoring and major concerns – delinquency, substance
results). abuse (drugs and alcohol) – meaning of
substance abuse, symptoms and treatment;
Behavioural Analysis: Interview,
eating disorders - bulimia, anorexia-
Observation, Nomination, Behavioural
(meaning and symptoms).
ratings, Situational tests (in brief).
4. Stress and Stress Management
3. Lifespan Development
(i) Meaning of stress - its basic nature.
(i) Meaning of Development, growth and
maturation. Strain and Eustress; Types of stress-
psychological, physical and environmental;
Why is the study of lifespan development
Stress as a process - stressors (negative and
important? Determinants – interaction of
positive events); results of overload; the
heredity and environment, context of
stages of GAS or the General Adaptation
development – Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological
Syndrome (Selye's model). Cognitive
System Theory.
appraisal of stress – primary and secondary.
(ii) Infancy- motor, cognitive development, socio-
(ii) Common causes of stress.
emotional development.
External/situational: major life events, minor
Motor development- definition of Motor
hassles of everyday life, work-related causes,
milestone; reflexes- rooting, moro, grasping,
the physical environment.
babinski (only definitions).
Internal/dispositional: Personality variables-
Cognitive development – Piaget’s Sensory
traits and types.
Motor Stage; socio-emotional development –
emergence of attachment: definition; Mary (iii) Effects of stress on health and performance.
Ainsworth’s strange situation test- four
Upsets the internal mechanism and balance -
patterns of attachment.
immune system affected, hypertension, heart
(iii) Childhood - motor, cognitive development, problems, ulcers, diabetes, asthma (each
socio-emotional development. effect to be briefly explained). Relation
between stress and performance - burnout.
Motor development- Gross motor and fine
motor skills (definitions only); cognitive (iv) Stress management - ineffective and effective
development – Piaget’s Theory strategies of handling stress.
(Preoperational and Concrete).
Coping with stress: Ineffective strategies -
Emergence of self – gender awareness, defence mechanisms - rationalization,
gender identity, stability, consistency, projection, reaction formation, regression,
stereotype role, sex-category, constancy; repression displacement, sublimation (each to
Emergence of peer relationship. Moral be briefly explained); Effective strategies -
development – Kohlberg’s perspective relaxation training and yoga.
Experiment on Moral Dilemma – pre-
Promoting positive health and well-being:
conventional, conventional and post
Exercise, Diet, Self-Care, Life Skills,
conventional morality.
Assertiveness, Rational thinking, improving
(iv) Adolescence - physical changes, cognitive relationships, overcoming unhelpful habits,
development, socio-emotional development; Social support, Stress Resistant Personality,
some major concerns. Positive thinking and positive attitude.
Physical changes at puberty (in brief);
Cognitive development – Piaget’s Formal
Operational Stage; Socio-emotional
development - forming an identity, dealing

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5. Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy transference and counter transference
(explain briefly). The principles on which
(i) Meaning of “Abnormal behaviour” -
client centred therapy has been developed.
biological, psychological and socio - cultural
Behavioural therapies based on classical
perspectives. Principles of classification of
conditioning (flooding and systematic
psychological disorders with reference to
desensitization) and operant conditioning
DSM IV.
(shaping and token economy) and modelling
Common features of abnormal behaviour- (explain briefly), Psychosocial rehabilitation.
deviance, distress, dysfunction, danger. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, A.Ellis’
Different views of "abnormal" behaviour - the Rational Emotive Therapy (explain briefly).
statistical stand - the biological/medical
6. Social Thought and Social Behaviour
approach - the psychodynamic perspective -
the sociocultural dimension; why (i) Social Perception - attribution or the process
classification of disorders is necessary - an through which people try to understand the
understanding of the Diagnostic and reasons for others’ behaviour.
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – IV
How people determine whether others'
(brief explanation of each Axis).
behaviour is a result of internal causes or
(ii) Characteristics of some psychological, external factors - H. Kelley’s Attribution
behavioural and developmental disorders: Theory (attribution); biases in forming
Anxiety - generalised, phobic, obsessive- judgments. Explain with examples each of the
compulsive; Mood - bi-polar, depression; following biases - self-serving bias, the false
Personality - anti-social, histrionic, avoidant, consensus effect, automatic
dependent, passive-aggressive (causes and vigilance, motivated scepticism,
symptoms of all). counterfactual thinking.
What is meant by anxiety - different forms of (ii) Social Influence- how people try to change
anxiety disorders: generalised (GAD), others’ behaviour; social norms; conformity
phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders; and obedience - factors affecting them.
Mood disorders- characteristics of severe
Social Influence- Meaning and
depression, manic-depressive or bipolar
characteristics of a group; types of groups-
disorder; personality disorders - anti-social,
formal and informal, primary and secondary
histrionic, avoidant, dependent, passive-
and in-group and out-group, formation of a
aggressive (causes and symptoms).
group, influence of group on individuals;
Behavioural and Developmental Disorders- Meaning of social norms - why people
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder conform to social norms and why they
(ADHD), Conduct Disorder, Autism, digress; factors affecting Conformity and
Separation Anxiety Disorder (definitions and Obedience. Asch's study on conformity; why
symptoms only). and when people obey others - Milgram's
experiment.
(iii) Schizophrenia - meaning; main types;
characteristics.
7. Attitudes
Basic nature of Schizophrenia: symptoms-
(i) Meaning of “Attitude” - the relationship
positive and negative. Main types -
between attitude, perception, belief and
characteristics of Disorganized, Catatonic
behaviour; how attitudes are formed and
and Paranoid Schizophrenia (symptoms).
changed.
(iv) Psychotherapy - Psychoanalysis; Client-
What are attitudes - the components of
centred; Behavioural, Social Rehabilitation.
attitude; how far attitudes determine
What is meant by Psychotherapy - central behaviours: the process of forming attitudes -
features of psychodynamic therapies - free how attitudes change: persuasion and
association, dream analysis, resistance, cognitive dissonance.

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(ii) Prejudice – meaning of “prejudice” and (I) Aim
discrimination; the origins of prejudice; how (II) Basic concept: Definition of concepts used and
to combat prejudice. related theory. Identification of variables –
An understanding of the meaning of prejudice independent and dependent.
and how it works in the form of (III) Method - (i) Sample of the Study
discrimination - causes of prejudice: social
learning, realistic competition, social (ii) Procedure followed (data-
categorization and stereotyping; ways in collection, nature of raw data)
which prejudice can be resisted. (iii) Statistical Treatment of Data
8. Psychology in relation to the Environment and (iv) Results & Discussion
Social concerns (v) Conclusion
Meaning and nature of counselling; The practical work will be assessed by the teacher
characteristics of a good counsellor, and a Visiting Examiner appointed locally and
communication skills; Environmental effect on approved by the Council.
human behaviour; Promoting Pro-environmental Mark allocation per study [15 marks]:
behaviour; Adverse effects of poverty and
deprivation. Measures to reduce poverty. Basic Concept 3 marks
(i) Meaning and nature of counselling- Method (correctness of procedure) 4 marks
elements of counselling, characteristics of a Results and discussion 4 marks
good counsellor- authenticity, positive Viva 4 marks
regard, empathy, communication skills-
paraphrasing, attention, listening, A. Statistics
speaking, body language, role of culture in
listening; counsellor’s psychological To study group differences in Examination results.
testing skills. Groups: Any two classes or two sections of the same
(ii) Environmental effect on human behaviour- class with same subjects.
influences on perception, emotion, Raw Data: Summated scores on all subjects in the
occupation, living style and attitude. annual examination for each student.
Human influence on the environment-
influences of noise, pollution, crowding and Analysis:
natural disasters. (i) Group analysis – Calculate mean scores (central
(iii) Promoting Pro-environmental behaviour- tendency) and standard deviations (variability) for
reduction of -pollution, noise, non- each group and make inter-group comparisons.
biodegradable consumer goods, plastics; (ii) Individual analysis – Calculate Z (standard)
garbage management, laws relating to scores for any two students from each class – one
construction that violates environmental whose examination score is above the class mean
design, planting trees. and one whose examination score is below the
(iv) Adverse effects of poverty and deprivation class mean. Interpret the Z score in standard
on personality, motivation, social deviation units and indicate the percentage of
behaviour, cognitive processes, and mental scores that lie above/below the subject’s
health. Major causes of poverty. Measures score (use a table that gives the areas under the
to reduce poverty. Normal curve corresponding to given values of
Z).
PAPER II (PRACTICAL WORK) – 30 Marks (iii) Graphic Representation – bar diagram to depict
Candidates will be expected to have completed two the mean scores of both groups.
studies from those given below. Assessment will be
based on a written report which should cover –

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B. Attitudes Tools: To construct two checklists - one indicating
the potential stressors along with a 5-point rating
To study attitudinal differences regarding any one of
scale indicating their frequency of occurrence (very
the following – Fashion, Work/Lifestyle, Marriage.
often, often, sometimes, rarely, very rarely). The
Groups: Two generations (parents and children) stressors should include dispositional/internal
variables (personality attributes, cognitive appraisal)
Or
and situational/external variables (life events,
Gender differences (boys and girls) of the same age- environmental pressures – physical, social, cultural
group (preferably from Class XI or XII). and academic stressors).
Tools: to construct a simple 5-point scale (10-15 The second checklist should indicate the effects of
items) with positively and negatively worded stress (strain) – physical, psychological and
statements. behavioural along with their frequency of occurrence
Raw Data: Summated scores on all the statements for (on a 5-point rating scale).
each respondent. Analysis: To determine the stressors and the effects
Analysis: that occur with the most to the least frequency and
understand/explain each.
(i) Calculate mean attitudinal scores for each group
and make inter-group comparisons.
(ii) Short, structured interview schedule constructed NOTE: No question paper for Practical Work will be
and administered to 8-10 students in each group. set by CISCE.
The responses elicited can be used to draw
inferences to explain the inter-group differences,
if any.
C. Stress
To study the causes and effects of stress among
school students.
Group: Class X or Class XI students

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