
For a UPSC CSE aspirant, the optional subject is also an important subject. In the UPSC mains exam, optional marks have two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2. Each paper is of 250 marks which makes a total of 500 marks. The UPSC optional subject list contains 48 subjects in total, one of which is Psychology.
GET UPSC CSE SYLLABUS HERE: https://www.naukripakad.com/upsc-cse-syllabus/
KNOW ABOUT UPSC HERE: https://www.naukripakad.com/know-everything-about-upsc/
CHECK MORE OPTIONAL SUBJECT SYLLABUS AT https://www.naukripakad.com/upsc-cse-optional-subjects-and-syllabus/
SYLLABUS FOR PAPER I

Foundations of Psychology
1. Introduction:
- Definition of Psychology
- Psychology and scientific methods
- Historical antecedents of Psychology and trends in the 21st century
- Application of Psychology to societal problems
- Psychology in relation to other social sciences and natural sciences
2. Methods of Psychology:
- Types of research: Descriptive, diagnostic, evaluative, and prognostic
- Methods of Research: Survey, case-study, observation, and experiments
- Focussed group discussions, brain storming, grounded theory approach
- Characteristics of Quasi-experimental designs, experimental design, and non-experimental design
3. Research Methods:
- Major steps in Psychological research (problem statement, hypothesis formulation, sampling, research designs, analysis and interpretation, tools of data collection, and report writing)
- Methods of data collection ( interview, observation, questionnaire)
- Research designs (ex-post facto and experimental)
- Fundamental versus applied research
- Item response theory
- Application of statistical technique (t-test, two-way ANOVAcorrelation, regression, and factor analysis)
4. Development of Human Behavior:
- Principles of development
- Growth and development
- Influence of cultural factors in socialization
- Role of genetic and environmental factors in determining human behaviour
- Life span development- development tasks, characteristics, promoting psychological well-being across major stages of the lifespan
5. Sensation, Attention and Perception:
- Sensation: concepts of the threshold, absolute and difference thresholds, signal-detection and vigilance
- Definition and concept of perception, biological factors in perception
- Factors influencing attention including the set and characteristics of the stimulus
- Perceptual organization-influence of past experiences, perceptual defense-factors influencing space and depth perception, size estimation, and perceptual readiness
- Extrasensory perception
- The plasticity of perception
- Subliminal perception
- Culture and perception
6. Learning:
- Concept and theories of learning (Behaviourists, Gestaltalist and Information processing models)
- Programmed learning, self-instructional learning, probability learning, concepts
- The processes of discrimination, extinction, and generalization
- Types and the schedules of escape avoidance, reinforcement, and punishment, modeling, and social learning.
7. Memory:
- Encoding and remembering
- Organization and Mnemonic techniques to improve memory
- Long term memory, Short term memory, Sensory memory, Iconic memory, Echoic memory: The Multistore model, levels of processing
- Amnesia: Anterograde and retrograde
- Theories of forgetting: decay, interference and retrieval failure: Metamemory
8. Thinking and Problem Solving:
- Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
- Concept formation processes
- Recent trends
- Information processing, Reasoning, and problem-solving, Facilitating and hindering factors in problem-solving
- Factors influencing decision making and judgment
- Methods of problem-solving: Creative thinking and fostering creativity
9. Motivation and Emotion:
- Psychological and physiological basis of motivation and emotion
- Effects of motivation and emotion on behaviour
- Measurement of motivation and emotion
- Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation
- Emotional competence and related issues
- Factors influencing intrinsic motivation
10. Intelligence and Aptitude:
- Concept of intelligence and aptitude, Nature and theories of intelligence – Spearman, Guilford Vernon, Thurstone, Sternberg, and J.P
- Social intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, measurement of intelligence and aptitudes, the concept of IQ, deviation IQ, the constancy of IQ
- Measurement of multiple intelligence
- Das
- Fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence
11. Personality:
- Definition and concept of personality
- Theories of personality (psychoanalytical, interpersonal, sociocultural, developmental, behaviouristic, humanistic, trait and type approaches)
- Measurement of personality (projective tests, pencil-paper test)
- Training for personality development
- The Indian approach to personality
- The notion of self in different traditions
- Latest approaches like big 5-factor theory
12. Attitudes, Values and Interests:
- Definition of attitudes, values and interests
- Formation and maintenance of attitudes
- Components of attitudes
- Theories of attitude change
- Measurement of attitudes, values and interests
- Strategies for fostering values
- Changing other behaviour
- Formation of stereotypes and prejudices
- Recent trends
- Theories of attribution
13. Language and Communication:
- Human language – Properties, structure and linguistic hierarchy, Language acquisition-predisposition, critical period hypothesis
- Process and types of communication- effective communication training
- Theories of language development- Chomsky and Skinner
14. Issues and Perspectives in Modern Contemporary Psychology:
- Computer application in the psychological laboratory and psychological testing
- Psychocybernetics
- Artificial intelligence
- Study of consciousness- sleep-wake schedules, dreams, stimulus deprivation, meditation, hypnotic/drug-induced states
- Intersensory perception Simulation studies
- Extrasensory perception
SYLLABUS FOR PAPER – II

Psychology: Issues and Applications
1. Psychological Measurement of Individual Differences:
- The nature of individual differences
- Types of psychological tests
- Characteristics and construction of standardized psychological tests
- Ethical issues in the use of psychological tests
- Use, misuse, and limitation of psychological tests
2. Psychological well being and Mental Disorders:
- Positive health, well being
- Concept of health-ill health
- Causal factors in mental disorders (mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and delusional disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse disorders)
- Happiness disposition
- Factors influencing positive health, lifestyle, well being, and quality of life
3. Therapeutic Approaches:
- Psychodynamic therapies
- Client-centered therapy
- Behaviour therapies
- Cognitive therapies
- Bio-feedback therapy
- Indigenous therapies (Yoga, Meditation)
- Fostering mental health
- Prevention and rehabilitation of the mentally ill
4. Work Psychology and Organizational Behavior:
- Personnel selection and training
- Training and human resource development
- Use of psychological tests in the industry
- Theories of work motivation – Herzberg, Adam Equity theory, Maslow, Porter, and Lawler, Vroom
- Leadership and participatory management
- Advertising and marketing
- Ergonomics
- Stress and its management
- consumer psychology
- Transformational leadership
- Managerial effectiveness
- Power and politics in organizations
- Sensitivity training
5. Application of Psychology to Educational Field:
- Psychological principles underlying effective teaching-learning process
- Gifted, learning disabled, regarded, and their training
- Learning styles
- Training for improving memory and better academic achievement
- Use of psychological tests in educational institutions
- Personality development and value education, Educational, vocational guidance, and career counseling
- Effective strategies n guidance programs
6. Community Psychology:
- Definition and concept of community psychology
- Arousing community consciousness and action for handling social problems
- Use of small groups in social action
- Effective strategies for social change
- Group decision making and leadership for social change
7. Rehabilitation Psychology:
- Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programmes- the role of psychologists
- Organising of services for the rehabilitation of physically, mentally and socially challenged persons including old persons
- Rehabilitation of victims of violence
- Rehabilitation of persons suffering from substance abuse, criminal behaviour, juvenile delinquency
- Rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS victims, the role of social agencies
8. Application of Psychology to disadvantaged groups:
- The concepts of deprivation, and disadvantaged
- Educating and motivating the disadvantaged towards development
- Social, cultural, physical, and economic consequences of disadvantaged and deprived groups
- Relative and prolonged deprivation.
9. Psychological problems of social integration:
- The concept of social integration
- The problem of caste, religion, class, and language conflicts and prejudice
- Causal factors of social conflicts and prejudices
- Nature and manifestation of prejudice between the in-group and out-group
- Measures to achieve social integration
- Psychological strategies for handling the conflicts and prejudices
10. Application of Psychology in Information Technology and Mass Media:
- The present scenario of information technology and the mass media boom and the role of psychologists
- Distance learning through IT and mass media
- Selection and training of psychology professionals to work in the field of IT and mass media
- Entrepreneurship through e-commerce
- Psychological consequences of recent developments in Information Technology
- Multilevel marketing; Impact of TV and fostering value through IT and mass media
11. Psychology and Economic development:
- Achievement motivation and economic development
- Motivating and training people for entrepreneurship and economic development
- Government policies for the promotion of entrepreneurship among youth including women entrepreneurs
- Consumer rights and consumer awareness
- Characteristics of entrepreneurial behaviour
12. Application of psychology to environment and related fields:
- Environmental psychology-effects of noise, pollution, and crowding
- Motivating for small family norm
- Population psychology: psychological consequences of population explosion and high population density
- Impact of rapid scientific and technological growth on degradation of the environment.
13. Application of psychology in other fields:
- Military Psychology Devising psychological tests for defence personnel for use in selection, counselling, training
- Training psychologists to work with defence personnel in promoting positive health
- Persons participating in Individual and Team Games
- Sports Psychology Psychological interventions in improving the performance of athletes and sports
- Human engineering in defence
- Media influences on pro and antisocial behaviour
- Psychology of terrorism
14. Psychology of Gender:
- Issues of discrimination
- Glass ceiling effect, Self-fulfilling prophesy, Women, and Indian society
- Management of diversity