Class 12 Psychology — Tamil Nadu State Board
| Subject Code: Psychology | Total Marks: 100 (Theory 70 + Practical 30) |
|---|
Chapter Overview
| Unit | Chapter | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intelligence and Aptitude | Theories of intelligence, IQ, aptitude tests |
| 2 | Self and Personality | Self-concept, personality theories (Freud, Rogers) |
| 3 | Meeting Life Challenges | Stress, coping, life skills |
| 4 | Psychological Disorders | Types of disorders, DSM classification |
| 5 | Therapeutic Approaches | Psychotherapy, CBT, behaviour therapy |
| 6 | Attitude and Social Cognition | Attitude formation, prejudice, stereotypes |
| 7 | Social Influence and Group Processes | Conformity, obedience, leadership |
| 8 | Psychology and Life | Applied psychology, community, environment |
Unit 1 — Intelligence and Aptitude
Key Concepts
Intelligence: The ability to learn, adapt, solve problems, and apply knowledge.
Theories of Intelligence:
- Spearman's two-factor theory — General factor (g) + Specific factor (s)
- Thurstone's Primary Mental Abilities — 7 independent abilities (verbal, numerical, spatial, etc.)
- Gardner's Multiple Intelligence — 8 types: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalist
- Sternberg's Triarchic Theory — Componential, Experiential, Contextual
IQ Formula: IQ = (Mental Age / Chronological Age) × 100
Aptitude: Potential to learn a specific skill. Aptitude tests: DAT (Differential Aptitude Test).
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is intelligence? Define IQ. Name Gardner's types of intelligence.
3 Mark: Distinguish between intelligence and aptitude. Explain Spearman's two-factor theory.
5 Mark: Describe Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences with examples.
Unit 2 — Self and Personality
Key Concepts
Self-concept: How we view ourselves — physical, psychological, social.
Personality theories:
- Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory — Id, Ego, Superego. Defence mechanisms: repression, projection, denial.
- Carl Rogers' Humanistic Theory — Self, ideal self, congruence, unconditional positive regard.
- Cattell's Trait Theory — 16 personality factors (16PF).
- Eysenck's Type Theory — Extroversion/Introversion, Neuroticism.
Personality Assessment:
- Objective: MMPI, 16PF
- Projective: Rorschach Inkblot, TAT (Thematic Apperception Test)
- Self-report: Self-concept scale
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is self-esteem? Name a projective test.
3 Mark: Explain Freud's structure of personality.
5 Mark: Compare Rogers' Humanistic theory with Freud's Psychoanalytic theory.
Unit 3 — Meeting Life Challenges
Key Concepts
Stress: Demand that exceeds a person's coping resources.
Types of Stressors: Physical, psychological, social.
Coping strategies:
- Problem-focused coping — change the stressor
- Emotion-focused coping — manage emotional response
Life Skills (WHO): Self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, creative thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, interpersonal skills, coping with stress, coping with emotions.
Resilience: Ability to bounce back from adversity.
Important Questions
1 Mark: Define stress. What is resilience?
3 Mark: Explain the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) by Selye.
5 Mark: Discuss coping strategies for managing stress.
Unit 4 — Psychological Disorders
Key Concepts
Mental health: State of well-being — emotional, psychological, social.
Classification:
- Anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety, phobia, OCD, PTSD, panic disorder
- Mood disorders: Major depression, bipolar disorder
- Psychotic disorders: Schizophrenia (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking)
- Dissociative disorders: Dissociative identity disorder (DID)
- Somatic symptom disorders: Conversion disorder, hypochondria
DSM-5 — Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is schizophrenia? Define OCD.
3 Mark: Distinguish between neurosis and psychosis.
5 Mark: Explain the symptoms and types of anxiety disorders.
Unit 5 — Therapeutic Approaches
Key Concepts
| Therapy | Founder | Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Psychoanalysis | Freud | Free association, dream analysis |
| Behaviour Therapy | Wolpe, Skinner | Systematic desensitisation, token economy |
| Cognitive Therapy (CBT) | Beck, Ellis | Cognitive restructuring, REBT |
| Humanistic Therapy | Rogers | Client-centred therapy, unconditional positive regard |
| Biomedical | — | Drugs, ECT, psychosurgery |
ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy): Used in severe depression.
Rehabilitation: Restoring mental health through social reintegration.
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is systematic desensitisation? Who developed CBT?
3 Mark: Explain behaviour therapy techniques.
5 Mark: Compare psychoanalysis and CBT as therapeutic approaches.
Unit 6 — Attitude and Social Cognition
Key Concepts
Attitude: Learned predisposition to respond positively or negatively to an object. Components: ABC (Affect, Behaviour, Cognition).
Attitude formation: Direct experience, classical conditioning, observational learning, group norms.
Attitude change: Elaboration Likelihood Model — Central route (thoughtful) vs Peripheral route (shortcuts).
Prejudice: Negative attitude toward a group. Types: racial, religious, gender.
Stereotypes: Generalised beliefs about groups.
Attribution: Explaining causes of behaviour. Fundamental Attribution Error: over-attributing to personality.
Important Questions
1 Mark: Define attitude. What is prejudice?
3 Mark: Explain the ABC components of attitude.
5 Mark: Discuss methods to reduce prejudice and discrimination.
Unit 7 — Social Influence and Group Processes
Key Concepts
Conformity: Changing behaviour to match the group. Asch's line experiment.
Obedience: Following authority. Milgram's experiment.
Group dynamics: In-group vs out-group, social facilitation, social loafing.
Leadership styles: Autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire.
Cooperation vs Competition: Prisoner's Dilemma.
Bystander Effect: Diffusion of responsibility in groups.
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is social loafing? Define conformity.
3 Mark: Describe Asch's conformity experiment.
5 Mark: Explain the factors affecting obedience with reference to Milgram's study.
Unit 8 — Psychology and Life
Key Concepts
Environmental psychology: Pro-environmental behaviour, noise, crowding, pollution effects.
Health psychology: Lifestyle diseases, Type A and Type B personality.
Community psychology: Prevention (primary, secondary, tertiary).
Positive psychology: Well-being, happiness, flow, resilience, optimism.
Peace psychology: Non-violence, conflict resolution.
Important Questions
1 Mark: What is positive psychology? Define primary prevention.
3 Mark: Explain the role of psychology in promoting health.
5 Mark: Discuss the contribution of psychology to environmental protection.
Exam Strategy
- Part I (1-mark): 20 questions — Learn definitions, names, and terms precisely
- Part II (3-mark): 8 questions — Answer in 6-8 sentences with textbook keywords
- Part III (5-mark): 5 questions — Structured answer with heading + 3 points + conclusion
- Part IV (10-mark): 2 questions — Full essay with introduction, content, example, conclusion
Most-asked topics: Psychological Disorders (Schizophrenia, OCD), Therapeutic approaches (CBT vs Psychoanalysis), Attitude and Prejudice, Social Influence (Milgram, Asch).