analysis of pupil performance - cisce1).pdf · ii . the council has been involved in the...

Research Development and Consultancy Division Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations

New Delhi

Analysis of Pupil Performance

PSYCHOLOGY

ISC

Year 2019 __________________________________________________________________________________

Published by:

Research Development and Consultancy Division (RDCD)

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations Pragati House, 3rd Floor

47-48, Nehru Place

New Delhi-110019

Tel: (011) 26413820/26411706 E-mail: [email protected]

© Copyright, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations

All rights reserved. The copyright to this publication and any part thereof solely vests in the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. This publication and no part thereof may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed or stored in any manner whatsoever, without the prior written approval of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

i

This document of the Analysis of Pupils’ Performance at the ISC Year 12 and ICSE Year 10

Examination is one of its kind. It has grown and evolved over the years to provide feedback to

schools in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates in handling the examinations.

We commend the work of Mrs. Shilpi Gupta (Deputy Head) of the Research Development and

Consultancy Division (RDCD) of the Council and her team, who have painstakingly prepared this

analysis. We are grateful to the examiners who have contributed through their comments on the

performance of the candidates under examination as well as for their suggestions to teachers and

students for the effective transaction of the syllabus.

We hope the schools will find this document useful. We invite comments from schools on its

utility and quality.

Gerry Arathoon October 2019 Chief Executive & Secretary

FOREWORD

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The Council has been involved in the preparation of the ICSE and ISC Analysis of Pupil Performance documents since the year 1994. Over these years, these documents have facilitated the teaching-learning process by providing subject/ paper wise feedback to teachers regarding performance of students at the ICSE and ISC Examinations. With the aim of ensuring wider accessibility to all stakeholders, from the year 2014, the ICSE and the ISC documents have been made available on the Council’s website www.cisce.org.

The documents include a detailed qualitative analysis of the performance of students in different subjects which comprises of examiners’ comments on common errors made by candidates, topics found difficult or confusing, marking scheme for each question and suggestions for teachers/ candidates.

In addition to a detailed qualitative analysis, the Analysis of Pupil Performance documents for the Examination Year 2019 also have a component of a detailed quantitative analysis. For each subject dealt with in the document, both at the ICSE and the ISC levels, a detailed statistical analysis has been done, which has been presented in a simple user-friendly manner.

It is hoped that this document will not only enable teachers to understand how their students have performed with respect to other students who appeared for the ICSE/ISC Year 2019 Examinations, but also provide information on how they have performed within the Region or State, their performance as compared to other Regions or States, etc. It will also help develop a better understanding of the assessment/ evaluation process. This will help teachers in guiding their students more effectively and comprehensively so that students prepare for the ICSE/ ISC Examinations, with a better understanding of what is required from them.

The Analysis of Pupil Performance document for ICSE for the Examination Year 2019 covers the following subjects: English (English Language, Literature in English), Hindi, History, Civics and Geography (History and Civics, Geography), Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Commercial Studies, Economics, Computer Applications, Economic Applications, Commercial Applications.

Subjects covered in the ISC Analysis of Pupil Performance document for the Year 2019 include English (English Language and Literature in English), Hindi, Elective English, Physics (Theory), Chemistry (Theory), Biology (Theory), Mathematics, Computer Science, History, Political Science, Geography, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Commerce, Accounts and Business Studies.

I would like to acknowledge the contribution of all the ICSE and the ISC examiners who have been an integral part of this exercise, whose valuable inputs have helped put this document together.

I would also like to thank the RDCD team of Dr. M.K. Gandhi, Dr. Manika Sharma, Mrs. Roshni George and Mrs. Mansi Guleria who have done a commendable job in preparing this document.

Shilpi Gupta October 2019 Deputy Head - RDCD

PREFACE

http://www.cisce.org/http://www.cisce.org/

Page No.

FOREWORD i

PREFACE ii

INTRODUCTION 1

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS 3

QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS 10

CONTENTS

1

This document aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the performance of candidates in the subject. It comprises of two sections, which provide Quantitative and Qualitative analysis results in terms of performance of candidates in the subject for the ISC Year 2019 Examination. The details of the Quantitative and the Qualitative analysis are given below.

Quantitative Analysis This section provides a detailed statistical analysis of the following:

Overall Performance of candidates in the subject (Statistics at a Glance) State wise Performance of Candidates Gender wise comparison of Overall Performance Region wise comparison of Performance Comparison of Region wise performance on the basis of Gender Comparison of performance in different Mark Ranges and comparison on the basis of Gender for

the top and bottom ranges Comparison of performance in different Grade categories and comparison on the basis of Gender

for the top and bottom grades

The data has been presented in the form of means, frequencies and bar graphs.

Understanding the tables

Each of the comparison tables shows N (Number of candidates), Mean Marks obtained, Standard Errors and t-values with the level of significance. For t-test, mean values compared with their standard errors indicate whether an observed difference is likely to be a true difference or whether it has occurred by chance. The t-test has been applied using a confidence level of 95%, which means that if a difference is marked as ‘statistically significant’ (with * mark, refer to t-value column of the table), the probability of the difference occurring by chance is less than 5%. In other words, we are 95% confident that the difference between the two values is true.

t-test has been used to observe significant differences in the performance of boys and girls, gender wise differences within regions (North, East, South and West), gender wise differences within marks ranges (Top and bottom ranges) and gender wise differences within grades awarded (Grade 1 and Grade 9) at the ISC Year 2019 Examination.

The analysed data has been depicted in a simple and user-friendly manner.

INTRODUCTION

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Given below is an example showing the comparison tables used in this section and the manner in which they should be interpreted.

Qualitative Analysis The purpose of the qualitative analysis is to provide insights into how candidates have performed in individual questions set in the question paper. This section is based on inputs provided by examiners from examination centres across the country. It comprises of question wise feedback on the performance of candidates in the form of Comments of Examiners on the common errors made by candidates along with Suggestions for Teachers to rectify/ reduce these errors. The Marking Scheme for each question has also been provided to help teachers understand the criteria used for marking. Topics in the question paper that were generally found to be difficult or confusing by candidates, have also been listed down, along with general suggestions for candidates on how to prepare for the examination/ perform better in the examination.

Comparison on the basis of Gender

Gender N Mean SE t-value Girls 2,538 66.1 0.29 11.91* Boys 1,051 60.1 0.42

*Significant at 0.05 level

The table shows comparison between the performances of boys and girls in a particular subject. The t-value of 11.91 is significant at 0.05 level (mentioned below the table) with a mean of girls as 66.1 and that of boys as 60.1. It means that there is significant difference between the performance of boys and girls in the subject. The probability of this difference occurring by chance is less than 5%. The mean value of girls is higher than that of boys. It can be interpreted that girls are performing significantly better than boys.

The results have also been depicted pictographically. In this case, the girls performed significantly better than the boys. This is depicted by the girl with a medal.

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Total Number of Candidates: 3,394

Mean Marks:

82.9

Highest Marks: 100

Lowest Marks: 27

STATISTICS AT A GLANCE

4

89.3

89.4

89.7

84.5

78.7

88.4

74.9

68.0

82.2

84.8

89.3

89.4

77.9

67.2

84.5

93.0

83.8

79.3

85.3

85.0

78.8

Foreign

Assam

Chandigarh

Goa

Gujarat

Haryana

Himachal Pradesh

Jharkhand

Karnataka

Kerala

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

Meghalaya

Odisha

Punjab

Rajasthan

Tamil Nadu

Telangana

Uttar Pradesh

Uttarakhand

West Bengal

The States/ UTs of Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Maharashtra secured highest mean marks. Mean marks secured by candidates

studying in schools abroad were 89.3.

PERFORMANCE (STATE-WISE & FOREIGN)

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Comparison on the basis of Gender Gender N Mean SE t-value Girls 2,795 83.7 0.26 7.58* Boys 599 78.7 0.61


GIRLS

Mean Marks: 83.7

Number of Candidates: 2,795

BOYS

Mean Marks: 78.7

Number of Candidates: 599

GENDER-WISE COMPARISON

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REGION-WISE COMPARISON

West

Foreign

Mean Marks: 78.1

Number of Candidates: 1,236

Highest Marks: 100Lowest Marks: 27

Mean Marks: 85.4



Mean Marks: 82.3



Mean Marks: 87.5



East North

South

REGION

Mean Marks: 89.3 Number of Candidates: 61 Highest Marks: 100 Lowest Marks: 50

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Mean Marks obtained by Boys and Girls-Region wise

86.579.0 83.0

88.7 90.981.0

72.479.6 82.0

84.5

North East South West Foreign

Comparison on the basis of Gender within Region Region Gender N Mean SE t-value

North (N) Girls 784 86.5 0.41 5.44* Boys 202 81.0 0.92

East (E) Girls 1,072 79.0 0.46 4.68* Boys 164 72.4 1.33

South (S) Girls 320 83.0 0.72 2.07* Boys 94 79.6 1.49

West (W) Girls 573 88.7 0.46 5.26* Boys 124 82.0 1.19

Foreign (F) Girls 46 90.9 1.43 2.49* Boys 15 84.5 2.14 *Significant at 0.05 level

The performance of girls was significantly better than that of

boys in all the regions.

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36.3

54.0

72.0

91.8

37.5

54.0

72.0

92.0

34.4

53.9

72.1

90.5

0 - 20

21 - 40

41 - 60

61 - 80

81 - 100

Boys Girls All Candidates

Comparison on the basis of gender in top and bottom mark ranges Marks Range Gender N Mean SE t-value Top Range (81-100) Girls 1,846 92.0 0.13 4.27* Boys 309 90.5 0.33 Bottom Range (0-20) Girls 0 0 0 - Boys 0 0 0


MARK RANGES : COMPARISON GENDER-WISE

Marks Range (81-100)

Marks Range (81-100)

9

32.2

40.5

47.5

52.1

57.0

64.6

74.9

84.7

95.2

32.5

40.5

47.6

51.9

56.9

64.7

74.9

84.7

95.3

32.0

40.3

47.2

52.4

57.0

64.4

74.9

84.5

95.0

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Boys Girls All Candidates

Comparison on the basis of gender in Grade 1 and Grade 9 Grades Gender N Mean SE t-value Grade 1 Girls 1,243 95.3 0.09 1.03 Boys 169 95.0 0.25 Grade 9 Girls 2 32.5 1.50 0.22 Boys 4 32.0 1.68

No significant difference was observed between the average performance of girls and boys.

GRADES AWARDED : COMPARISON GENDER-WISE

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PART I (20 Marks)

Answer all questions.

Question 1 Answer briefly all the questions (i) to (xx): [20]

(i) Define personality according to Cattell. (ii) Give one characteristic of people with type A personality. (iii) Who put forward the Two Factor Theory of Intelligence? (iv) Explain the term ego according to Freud. (v) What are stressors? (vi) Explain the term modelling. (vii) What is meant by ambivalent attachment? (viii) Explain the term consumer behaviour. (ix) What is meant by matching an individual with a job? (x) Who coined the concept of IQ? (xi) What is meant by the term social perception? (xii) Explain the term rehabilitation as a technique of Psychotherapy. (xiii) Give the full form of DSM IV. (xiv) Mention any two classifications of personality type accepted by Charak Samhita of

Ayurveda.

(xv) What is meant by substance abuse? (xvi) Explain the term hypertension. (xvii) What is meant by Primary Cognitive Appraisal? (xviii) Mention any one personality type put forward by Sheldon. (xix) What is meant by the term growth, with reference to human beings? (xx) What is displacement according to Freud?

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Comments of Examiners (i) Majority of the candidates answered this question

correctly. A few candidates, however, did not write prediction which was the key word.

(ii) The characteristic of Type A personality was answered correctly by most of the candidates.

(iii) Majority of the candidates answered this question quite well. However, a few candidates, instead of writing the full name of the psychologist, wrote only his last name.

(iv) Most of the candidates were able to answer this question. Some candidates were confused between ego and super ego. A few candidates did not mention the important terms such reality principle/reason of personality etc.

(v) Most of candidates were able to answer this question. However, some candidates did not write the important words like events.

(vi) Most of the candidates answered this question correctly. A few candidates did not use the words observing or imitating as they related modelling to models of the fashion world.

(vii) Many candidates confused ambivalent attachment with disorganized or avoidance attachment style. Some candidates were unable to explain the concept clearly. A few candidates wrote only the first half of the answer, missing out the key terms such as warmth, interest and reject or move away.

(viii) Majority of the candidates were unable to explain this concept and wrote general answers using words like buying market and produce without clarifying their relationship.

(ix) Almost all candidates answered this question satisfactorily.

(x) Most of the candidates were unable to give the correct name. They mentioned names such as Stanford Binet or Terman.

(xi) Most of the candidates did not clearly mention about social perception being a cognitive process to make inferences about the behavior of others. Some candidates gave the definition of social influence.

Suggestions for teachers - Tell students that the definitions

given by Allport, Cattell and Eysenck must be learnt verbatim with the key words.

- Explain the characteristics of Type A personality with examples.

- Teach the students and advise them to write the full name of all the psychologists with the correct spellings.

- While explaining stressors, lay stress on events which provoke or cause stress.

- Teach students to specify the correct terms like initiate, copy, observation in order to bring out the meaning of modelling.

- Teach observational learning in detail so that students are clear that the behavior of the role model is to be followed or initiated.

- Teach all four patterns of attachment given by Mary Ainsworth, clearly bringing out, with the help of examples, the difference amongst them.

- Explain to the students that they must specify the behaviour of the consumer in relation to a product purchased, wherein he/she evaluates the product or service that would satisfy his/her need while purchasing it.

- Clarify to the students that the concept of IQ was coined by William Stern while Binet gave the mental age.

- Highlight the difference between social perception and social influence.

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(xii) Most of the candidates answered this question well. However, a few candidates were unable to explain that rehabilitation as a technique of Psychotherapy is used to bring the life of addicts or mental patients to normal.

(xiii) Most of the candidates were unable to write the full form of DSM IV. A few candidates did not mention mental disorders.

(xiv) Most of the candidates were able to write two classifications of personality type accepted by Charak Samhita of Ayurveda.

(xv) Most of the candidates answered this question very well.

(xvi) Most of the candidates answered this question well.

(xvii) Majority of the candidates answered this question correctly. Some candidates did not explain how, through primary cognitive appraisal, the effect of the event or the interaction on the individual is evaluated.

(xviii) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(xix) Most candidates attempted this question quite well. Some candidates, however, did not mention key words like quantitative changes, physical development, changes in height and weight.

(xx) Majority of candidates answered this question correctly. However, some candidates wrote only the examples without mentioning displacement as a defense mechanism or a key concept in Psychoanalytic theory.

- Teach, with as many examples as possible, the concept of P-E fit which is the degree of match between the person and the environment.

- Explain with examples, how an individual perceives or observes the society.

- Clearly explain rehabilitation technique of psychotherapy.

- Ensure that the students understand that they have to write Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders when expanding DSM.

- Explain clearly how misuse of a substance repeatedly causes harm and addiction.

- Explain to the students that hypertension is caused by tension and causes harm to the body.

- Clearly explain the difference between primary and secondary appraisal with appropriate examples.

- Ensure that the students know the right terms and the correct spelling of the personality types as put forward by Sheldon.

- Clearly explain the difference between growth and development with as many examples as possible.

- Ensure that defence mechanism is taught with examples and train the students to write example in their answers. Highlight the differences among the various defence mechanisms.

- Explain concepts with examples for better retention.

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MARKING SCHEME

Question 1 (i) According to Cattell, personality is that which permits a predication of what a person will do

in a given situation.

(ii) People with type A personality are very precise, ambitious, aggressive, controlling, competitive, impatient, workaholics and hostile, related to important aspects of health, social behaviour and task performance/higher achievement, perfectionism, irritable, chronic heart disease, tense, anxious. (any one)

(iii) Charles Spearman

(iv) Ego: According to Freud, the part of personality that takes account of external reality in the expression of instinctive sexual and aggressive urges.

Balance between Id/Ego/ Reality principle

(v) Stressors:

Events or situations in our environment that cause stress.

(vi) Modelling:

A process of learning in which an individual acquires responses by observing and imitating/copying/ following others.

(vii) Ambivalent attachment: The strange situation test has found that infants differ in the quality or style of their attachment to their care givers.

It is a pattern of attachment in which infants seek contact with their care giver’s children before separation, but then, after she leaves and then returns, at first seeks her but later resist or reject her offers of comfort.

(viii) Consumer behaviour is the behaviour which consumers display in searching while purchasing, using, evaluating of products, services and ideas that they expect will satisfy their needs.

(ix) Matching individuals to their jobs:

After finalizing the components of each job, which is called job analysis, individuals who match to these components of job are selected for that job. While, through job analysis, job characteristics can be known through application of psychological tests, the characteristics of the person is traced. Then, these two are matched. If matching is 100% which is rarely observed in real field, the person is best suited for the job / P-E fit

(x) William Stern/ W. Stern

(xi) Social perception: The way we view other people, based on information obtained about others and attributions we make about the causes of their behaviour.

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(xii) Rehabilitation:

The effort made to help patients with serious mental disorders. (e.g. schizophrenia, major mood disorders) to cope more effectively, with their disorders and to prevent or lessen the crisis that reduce these patients ability to function at the society or restoring an individual to normal, or a satisfactory state as possible, following an illness, criminal episode, etc./ Mainstreaming

(xiii) DSM IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV.

(xiv) Vata / Kapha / Pitta (any two)

(xv) Substance abuse:

The use of any drug or chemical to modify mood or behaviour that results in impairment/ affect overall function/repeat excessive use (addiction)

(xvi) Hypertension means high blood-pressure/ a condition in which the pressure within the blood vessels is abnormally high.

(xvii) Primary Cognitive Appraisal:

The individual assesses the threat to his or her well-being; for example, the individual may use denial to reduce the reality of the event

(xviii) Personality put forward by Sheldon:

Endomorphic, Mesomorphic, Ectomorphic/

Viscerotonia, Somatotonia, Cerebrotonia (any one)

(xix) Growth:

Changes occur in the foetus after fertilisation in the womb. The changes can be divided into two dimensions, i.e. quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative aspect is referred to as growth, which are measurable, e.g. weight, size and shape/ physical change/physical development

(xx) Displacement according to Freud: Redirecting an impulse towards a less threatening or safer target, a key concept in psychoanalytic theory; a defence mechanism.

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PART II (50 Marks) SECTION A

Answer any five questions.

Question 2 (a) Discuss the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test for measuring intelligence. [5] (b) What is meant by Aptitude? Mention four uses of aptitude test. [5]

Comments of Examiners (a) Most candidates were able to answer this question.

Some candidates wrote the incorrect age for matrices, like age for RSPM was written as 6-8 years. Some mentioned the incorrect number in each set. A few candidates did not write key words such as missing patterns, non-verbal test and increasing difficulty.

(b) This question was answered well by most of the candidates. Some candidates, however, did not write the term after training which is an essential part of the definition of Aptitude. A few candidates did not write key words while some others were confused between the uses of aptitude test and intelligence/interest test.

MARKING SCHEME

Question 2 (a) Raven’s progressive matrices as a means of intelligence measurement:

Raven's Progressive Matrices (also Raven Progressive Matrices) are widely used non-verbal intelligence tests. In each test item, one is asked to find the missing pattern in a series. Each set of items gets progressively harder, requiring greater cognitive capacity to encode and analyze. The test consists of 60 matrices or abstract designs from each of which, a part has been

Suggestions for teachers - Teach, in detail, the three forms of

RPM including the type of the test, ages, purpose of the test, best description, scoring and analysis.

- Ensure that the students are made aware about the fact that Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test is a non-verbal culture fair multiple-choice IQ test, that there is no time limit and at each stage the time limit increases.

- Lay stress, that in the definition of Aptitude, it is imperative to include key words like ability, potential, skill and after training.

- Explain, with examples, how aptitude tests are used for guidance, placements, selection, self-exploration, admissions to institutions, etc.

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removed. Subjects has 6 – 8 alternative and there is no time limit. It is a culture fair test. It measures general intelligence, educative ability, reproductive ability. It is a group test. They are offered in three different forms for different ability levels, and for age ranges from five years through adulthood: • Coloured Progressed Matrices (younger children and special groups) • Standard Progressive Matrices (average 6 to 80-year-old) • Advanced Progressive Matrices (above average adolescents & adults)

Standard Progressive Matrices: These were the original form of the matrices, first published in 1938. The booklet comprises five sets (A to E) of 12 items each (e.g. A1 through to A12), with items within a set becoming increasingly difficult, requiring ever greater cognitive capacity to encode and analyse information. All items are presented in black ink on a white background. Coloured Progressive Matrices: Designed for younger children, the elderly, and people with moderate or severe learning difficulties, this test contains sets A and B from the standard matrices, with a further set of 12 items inserted between the two, as set Ab. Most items are presented on a coloured background to make the test visually stimulating for participants. However the very last few items in set B are presented as black-on-white — in this way, if participants exceed the tester's expectations, transition to sets C, D, and E of the standard matrices is eased. Advanced Progressive Matrices: The advanced form of the matrices contains 48 items, presented as one set of 12 (set I), and another of 36 (set II). Items are again presented in black ink on a white background and become increasingly difficult as progress is made through each set. These items are appropriate for adults and adolescents of above average intelligence.

(b) Aptitude: refers to special abilities in a particular field of activity. It is a combination of characteristics that indicates an individual’s capacity to acquire some specific knowledge or skill after training. Uses of aptitude tests: • Learning ability can be measured • Highlight the specific talent • Compare two children’s performance • Career counselling • Selecting individuals for the job (vocational selection) • Admission test / admission selection • Guidance / Vocational guidance • Prediction (any four)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developmental_disabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developmental_disabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-on-whitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-on-white

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Question 3 (a) Describe in detail the Big Five Factor model of Costa and McCrae. [5] (b) Discuss the administration and scoring in Rorschach Inkblot Test. [5]

Comments of Examiners (a) Most candidates were able to answer this question

fairly well. However, some candidates did not write the correct terms, for example, conscious was written for conscientiousness and extroversion for extraversion. A number of candidates did not write both sides of the dimension.

(b) Almost all candidates were able to discuss the administration of the test correctly. However, majority of the candidates were not able to answer the scoring part properly, as the answers lacked details. Many candidates: • did not write the correct total number of cards. • wrote an incomplete scoring part missing out

some of the scoring criteria like location, determinants, originality and content.

• made errors in the symbols of certain scoring criteria.

MARKING SCHEME Question 3 (a) Big Five Factor model of Costa and McCrae.

There are big five key or central dimensions of personality (e.g. Costa and McCrae). These are sometimes labelled as the big five, and they can be described as follows:

• Extraversion: A dimension ranging from energetic, enthusiastic, sociable, and talkative at one end to retiring, sober, reserved, silent, and cautious at the other.

• Agreeableness: A dimension ranging from good-natured, cooperative, trusting and helpful at one end to irritable, suspicious, and uncooperative at the other.

• Conscientiousness: A dimension ranging from well-organized, careful, self-disciplined responsible and precise at one end to disorganized, impulsive careless and undependable at the other.

• Emotional Stability (sometimes labelled neuroticism): A dimension ranging from poised, calm, composed and not hypochondriacal at one end, to nervous, anxious, high strung and hypochondriacal at the other.

Suggestions for teachers - Emphasize to the students that they

should learn the terms with the correct spellings.

- Teach students to write both sides of the dimensions, e.g. extraversion ranging from energetic, sociable, talkative at one end, to retiring, reserved, silent and cautious on the other.

- Clearly explain Rorschach Inkblot Test with the details of the administration of the test.

- Tell students that it is imperative to mention the complete details of the scoring relating to location contents, originality and determinants.

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• Openness to experience: A dimension ranging from imaginative, witty, and having broad interests at one end to down-to-earth, simple, and having narrow interests at the other.

(b) Discuss the description and scoring in Rorschach Inkblot Test.

Rorschach Ink Blot Test: The projective technique projects the subject characteristics through processes, needs, anxieties and conflicts. The subject consciously projects his/her own desires, hopes, fears, repressed which is, etc. This not only reveals his inner or private world but also gives indications on the basis of which his total personality may be assessed.

The Roschach Ink Blot Test was developed by Hermann Rorschach which consists of 10 cards on which there are ink blots. Five are black and grey and two cards are red, in addition to grey and white and the last three are multicoloured. The shapes are completely unstructured – the shape of the blots do not have any specific meaning.

Administration of the Tests: 1. Cards represent with proper instruction asking the subject to say what he sees in it, what it

looks like to him, etc. 2. No time limit: Can give as many responses as possible 3. The position of the response in which the cards are being held, emotional expressions and

other factors are noted. (any two)

Scoring is categorised into four: 1. Location 2. Contents 3. Originality 4. Determinants

(1) Location – is referred to the part of the blot (W) indicates the subject has failed to see the card as a whole. (w) indicates that the subject has failed to see the problem as a whole. (d) indicates minor details involving petty issues or less important matters. (D) indicates major details (S) indicates the subject’s response to the white space within the main outlines

(any one) (2) Contents

Scoring symbols Contents of the response

H Human forms A Animal forms Ad Animal detail Hd Human detail N Natural objects like, rivers, green fields O Inanimate objects like Lampshade, pot, etc.

(any one)

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(3) Originality: for each of the 10 cards, certain responses are scored as popular using the symbol P because of their occurrence while others which contain something new and indicate originality are represented as O.

(4) Determinants take note of the manner of perception.

(F) – Form of the blot. (C) – its colour (M) – its movement (K) – its shading

(any one)

Question 4 (a) Name any two levels of intelligence below borderline with their IQ range. Describe

two characteristics of each of the named levels of intelligence which lie below borderline level of intelligence.

[5]

(b) Describe the Psychosexual stages of development by Freud. [5]

Comments of Examiners (a) Many candidates did not write the levels of

intelligence below borderline as specified in the question. Some candidates wrote all the levels which were not required. A number of candidates wrote the older version of the levels of intelligence, such as moron, imbecile and idiot which are not in practice anymore. Several candidates were able to describe the characteristics of the named levels of intelligence.

(b) Most of the candidates answered this question quite well. However, some candidates did not write all the details such as the correct stage names, age and personality development and fixation point with reference to fixation. A few candidates were confused with stage names especially phallic and genital stages.

Suggestions for teachers - Teach the newer version of the levels

of intelligence based on the IQ level. - Explain, in a tabular form, the

terminology used for each IQ level, range of each level and the characteristics of each level.

- Lay emphasis on the age and significance of each of the five psychosexual stages while teaching the importance of fixation in personality development.

- Emphasis should be laid on the correct sequence of the stages of development, with names and order of stages, age group, fixation of libido and Oedipal and Electra complex.

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MARKING SCHEME Question 4 (a) Levels of intelligence below borderline with their IQ range.

Mild – IQ range (50 – 70) Moderate – IQ range (35 – 49) Severe – IQ range (20 – 34) Profound – IQ range - Below 20 The consideration of deficiency in adaptive behaviour along with the very low scores on an intelligence test resulted in the development of an altogether new classification of sub-normality. The terms moron, imbecile, or idiot are now completely avoided for determining the level of retardation. Mild retardation: A majority of approximately 85 per cent of the retarded belongs to this category. They are found to possess the following main characteristics:

• In adult life, these individuals attain intellectual levels comparable to that of the average ten years old child. Their social adjustment may be compared with that of the adolescent. Here too they lack the innovative and vigorous nature of normal adolescents.

• They show signs of delayed development early in life and learn to walk, talk, feed and toilet themselves an year later than the average. They may be identified in schools as slow learners and are frequently required to repeat early grades. Speech disturbances are common among them.

• In comparison with normal individuals, the mildly the mildly retarded exhibit immature behaviour, have poor control over their impulses, lack judgment and fail to anticipate the consequence of their actions. Their sexual behaviour and adjustment, in spite of the normal sexual development and fertility, is unpredictable and leads to a variety of problems and difficulties.

• The mildly retarded individuals generally do not show any organic pathology and require little supervision.

• They are considered to be educable. With early diagnosis, parental assistance and aid of special classes, they can be expected to reach a reasonable degree of educational achievement and to make an adequate social and economic adjustment in the community. (any two)

Moderate mental retardation: About 10 per cent of the total mentally retarded belong to this category. Their main characteristics may be summarized as below: • In adult life, they attain intellectual level similar to that of the average six-year-old. • Physically they appear clumsy, suffer from lack of motor co-ordination and present an

affable, dull and somewhat dubious personality. • As a result of their inadequate development and deficient capacities and abilities, they are

regarded as trainable instead of being educable, like the mildly retarded.

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• From early infancy or childhood, they show signs of retardation in almost all areas of development, and though they manage to speak, their rate of learning is too slow. They are unable to do any work that requires initiative, originality, abstract thinking, memory or consistent attention and cannot be expected to acquire the basic skills of reading and writing. However, with early diagnosis, parental help and adequate training and support, most of the moderately retarded can achieve considerable independence in all spheres of life. Nevertheless, they require constant supervision and support and need institutionalization depending on their general level of adaptive behaviour.

(any two) Severe mental retardation: Nearly 3·5 percent of the total retarded individuals – mostly children and adolescents – belong to this category. Their main characteristics may be summarised as below:

• They never attain an intellectual level greater than that of the average four year old child.

• The mortality rate due to high susceptibility to disease is quite high among these individuals.

• They are grossly retarded in development from birth or infancy onward and show severe motor and speech retardation. Sensory defects and motor handicaps are common.

• The majority of them display relatively little interest in their surroundings and many of them never master even the necessary skills and functions like feeding and dressing themselves, or bladder and bowel control.

• The severe mental retardates are neither educable, nor trainable and the majority of them remain dependent on others throughout their lives. They need care and supervision of others with a great need for institutionalization.

• They may profit with proper care, timely treatment and specialized training for managing their own physical well-being.

(any two) Profound mental retardation: This group makes 1·5 percent of the total mentally retarded population. It is characterised by the most severe symptoms of mental retardation as given below:

• The individuals belonging to this category never attain in adult life an intellectual level greater than that of an average 2 year old child.

• They are severely deficient both in their intellectual capacities and adaptive behaviour. The symptoms associated with them are retarded growth, physical deformities, pathology of the central nervous system, autism, severe speech disturbances, motor incoordination, deafness and convulsive seizures.

• They are unable to protect themselves from common dangers and are unable to manage their own affairs and satisfy their physical needs.

• Their life span, as a result of their low resistance is too short. • Such individuals are completely dependent on others and need the care and supervision

given to an infant. (any two)

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(b) Psychosexual stages of development by Freud: According to Freud, there is an innate sequence of stages through which all human beings pass. At each stage pleasure is focused on a different region of the body. Oral stage: The stage of psycho sexual development during which pleasure is centred in the region of mouth. (Fixation) Anal stage: The psycho sexual stage of development in which pleasure is focused primarily in the anal zone. (Fixation) Phallic stage: An early stage of psycho sexual development during which pleasure is centred in the genital region. It is during this stage that the Oedipus Complex develops. (Fixation) Oedipus Complex, Electra complex to be mentioned. In Freud’s theory a crisis of psychosexual development in which children must give up the sexual attraction to their opposite sex parents. Latency stage: The psychosexual stage of development that follows resolution of the Oedipus Complex. During this stage sexual desires are relatively weak. (Fixation) Genital stage: The final stage of psycho sexual development - one in which individual acquires the adult capacity to combine lust with affection. (Fixation)

SECTION B Answer any three questions.

Question 5 (a) Discuss two eating disorders as major concerns of adolescence. [5] (b) Describe Piaget’s cognitive development during infancy. [5]

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Comments of Examiners (a) Most of the candidates answered this question

correctly. A few candidates got confused between the concepts of Bulimia Nervosa and Anorexia Nervosa.

(b) Majority of the candidates lacked clarity in this answer. Several candidates did not write the key terms such as accommodation, assimilation and equilibration. Many candidates misspelt sensorimotor as sensory motor. Some candidates wrote only on the reflexes of infants which was inadequate. A few candidates were confused with regard to the age and range of each feature of the sensorimotor stage.

MARKING SCHEME Question 5 (a) Eating disorders as major concern of adolescence:

Anorexia Nervosa: Anorexia involves an intense and excessive fear of gaining weight. In other words, people with this disorder relentlessly pursue the goal of being thin, no matter what this does to their health. They often have distorted perceptions of their own bodies believing that they are much heavier than they really are. As a result of such fears and distorted perceptions, they starve themselves to the point where their weight drops to dangerously low levels. There is an intense fear of becoming fat so it is more common among females than males. This has led researchers to propose far more than for males, adolescents and young women feel tremendous pressure to live up to the images of beauty shown in the mass media to be as thin as the models who are held up as paragons of female desirability. If they are not this thin, they reason, they will be viewed as unattractive.

That intense social pressure does indeed play a role in Anorexia nervosa is suggested by the findings of a study by Paxton. Anorexia Nervosa poses a serious threat to the physical as well as the psychological health of the person who experience it. Bulimia Nervosa: In this disorder, individuals engage in recurrent episodes of binge eating – eating large amount of food within a short period of time, followed by some kind of compensatory behaviour designed to prevent weight gain. This can involve self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, fasting or exercising so excessively that it is potentially harmful to the person’s health.

Suggestions for teachers - Ensure that students know the correct

spellings of Bulimia and Anorexia and are clear about the causes, symptoms, effects and treatment of these two eating disorders.

- Tell students that it is imperative to learn all the terms associated with the sensorimotor stage along with their correct spellings.

- While teaching the sensorimotor stage, explain clearly the age group, object permanence, cause and effect of sensory experiences, reflexes and their cognitive milestones with suitable examples.

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The cause “thin is beautiful”, is seen to play an important role. Anorexics do tend to perceive themselves as much heavier than they really are.

(b) Cognitive Development: Piaget’s Theory:

In Piaget’s view, the development of knowledge is a form of adaptation and as such involves the interplay of two processes, assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation means modifying one’s environment so that it fits into one’s already developed ways of thinking and acting. For example, when a child hoists a banana and runs around in a circle shouting “Look – it is a jet”, the child is assimilating the banana into ways of thinking and behaving that are already in place. Accommodation means modifying oneself so as to fit in with existing characteristics of the environment. The child who, for the first time manages to peel a banana and adjust his mouth so that the banana will fit into it has accommodated his ways of thinking and behaving to the banana as it really is. Of course, most steps in development involves some blend of assimilation and accommodation. The child who accommodates to the banana (adjusting his ways of holding his hand and his mouth) also assimilates the banana (by chewing and swallowing it). Piaget also spoke of equilibration – the tendency of the developing individual to stay in balance intellectually by filling in gaps in knowledge and by restructuring beliefs when they fail to test out against reality.

According to Piaget, the processes of assimilation, accommodation and equilibration operate in different ways at different age levels.

Piaget called the period of infancy the sensorimotor stage. The label reflects the infant’s way of knowing the world are sensory, perceptual and motoric. Piaget called each specific way of knowing a scheme. A scheme is an action sequence guided by throughout. For example, when infants suck, they are exercising a sucking scheme.

When young infants see an object and the object is then hidden, they seem unaware that the object continues to exist.

Hold an object within view of the baby until he or she is clearly interested and is reaching for it; then quickly cover the object with a cloth. Chances are that the baby will stop in mid-reach and will not search for the object at all. Repeat the same experiment with the same youngster 3 or 4 months later, and you are apt to see the baby search for the hidden object. The search suggests that the baby has attained what Piaget called object permanence – the idea that objects continue to exist even when we can no longer see them. To understand the importance of object permanence, remember that the mother and father are also objects in a baby’s world. Evidence suggests that very young infants are not aware of the permanence of people – even their own parents when these people are hidden from view. OR Reflexes Schema (Birth – 1 month) Primary Circular Reactions (1- 4 months) Secondary Circular Reactions (4- 8 months) Coordination of Secondary Circular Reactions (8 – 12 months) Tertiary Circular Reactions (12 - 18 months) Mental combinations/Representation (18 – 24 months) (any five)

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Question 6 (a) Discuss the different stages of the GAS model of stress. [5] (b) Explain the following effective strategies of coping with stress: [5] (i) Relaxation training. (ii) Any three stages of yoga.

Comments of Examiners (a) Most of the candidates answered this question very

well. However, some candidates: • did not write the full form of GAS correctly • misspelt Hans Selye. • drew an incomplete diagram. • did not write any hormonal activities related with

the resistance stage. (b) (i) Most of the candidates wrote a very general

answer. Some candidates did not discuss the different types of relaxation techniques. A few candidates mixed up the concept of relaxation with that of yoga.

(ii) Majority of the candidates, instead of writing the stages of yoga, gave a general description of yoga.

MARKING SCHEME

Question 6 (a) Different stages of the GAS model of stress. (full form, diagram and criticism)

Hans Selye (1956, 1976) termed the body’s response to stressors the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). The general adaptation syndrome consists of three stages. (1) the alarm reaction, (2) the stage of resistance, and (3) the stage of exhaustion. Alarm Reaction: The alarm reaction is essentially the emergency response of the body. Stage of Resistance: If the stressor continues to be present, the stage of resistance begins, wherein the body resists the effects of the continuous stressor. However, resistance to new stressors is impaired during this stage. During this stage, certain hormonal response of the body is an important line of defence in resisting the effects of stressors. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is secreted into the bloodstream by certain cells in the pituitary gland. The rate of ACTH secretion, is in part, controlled by another hormone-like chemical substance – corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) – that is made by certain cells in the brain structure known as the hypothalamus. The corticotrophin-releasing factor flows from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland through a specialised system of blood vessels.

Suggestions for teachers - Explain, in detail, all the three stages

of the GAS model of stress - role of alarm stage in emergency response, role of hormones in resistance and role of hormones along with other bodily activities.

- Show a video clipping to the students covering all effective strategies of managing stress. This will help them retain the different types of relaxation techniques.

- Explain, in detail, all the stages of yoga such as Yamas, Niyamas, Pranayama, Yoga Asanas, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

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Stressors are able to activate the nerve cells of the hypothalamus to that more corticotrophin – releasing factor is sent to the pituitary gland, thus increasing secretion of ACTH into the blood. In this way, brain activity triggered by stressors influences hormone release; thus, this is a major link between environmental events – stressors – and the bodily state of stress. Cortisol and other, similar hormones have many sections which allow the body to deal adaptively with stressors for long periods of time during the stage of resistance. But maintained high levels of these hormones can be harmful. For instance, cortisol promotes the formation of glucose (blood sugar) – a fuel needed for nerve and muscle activity – by breaking down fats and proteins. Stage of Exhaustion: The final stage of the general adaptation syndrome is the stage of exhaustion. In this stage, the body’s capacity to respond to both continuous and new stressors has been seriously compromised. For instance, due to the actions of cortisol, a person may no longer be able to ward off infection and may become sick and perhaps die. Or, because of other stressor-induced hormonal effects, stomach ulcers, diabetes, skin disorders, asthma, high blood pressure, increased susceptibility to cancer (Bammer and Newberry, 1983) or a host of other diseases may occur at this stage or late in the stage of resistance.

(b)(i)

Relaxation Training: Physical exercise, sports and yoga, etc. are found immense value in preparing a person for relaxation. Apart from these well-known methods, there are some more techniques which are scientific and systematic in nature. One such procedure is deep muscle relaxation. This technique is based on the assumption that mental relaxation follows muscular relaxation. Deep Muscle Relaxation: The individual is taught to experience both tension and relaxation alternately in each and every group of muscles in the body. Experience of relaxation and appreciation of difference between tension and relaxation immensely helps the individual in maximising the feeling of calmness. It is also called progressive muscle relaxation because as the individual practices this technique, experience of relaxation increases. Biofeedback: Another procedure which is generally adopted for inducing relaxation through altering bodily reactions is bio-feedback. In this procedure, based on skin response (GSR), feedback on brain waves (EEG) and feedback on any other physiological parameter, the individual is made to study the internal relations to stress and relaxation. By giving the individual, feedback whether he/she is in a state of stress or relaxation, the individual can be made to alter the reaction in favour of relaxation, which he/she will have to maintain as much as possible. Visual or auditory feedback is given. In the visual feedback, when the individual experiences stress red light will be on. The individual, then, will have to relax and the state of relaxation will be indicated by green light. Hence, the goal is always to keep the green light on when individual undergoes treatment for management of stress through bio-feedback. Once the individual masters the art of relaxation through bio-feedback, he/she can easily generalize the same state of relaxation to any other situation. Thus, one can gain perfect control over all the situations. Autogenic training/ Breathing/Meditation/Guided imagery body scan/ mindfulness/ massage/aroma therapy/positive thinking

(any two forms)

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(ii) Yoga: Yoga is a way of life that promotes physical as well as psychological well-being. Yoga has 8 stages. The most important stages which can be ordinarily practised in yoga are given below: 1. Yama: practicing self-regulation. 2. Niyama: Observing behavioural norms. 3. Pranayama: Pranayama is an exercise meant to regulate breathing. It makes the respiratory

system work its optimum thus ensuring proper supply of O2 to the blood and improving blood circulation.

4. Asanas: Asanas are the physical aspect of yoga in which postures are checked and modified as required for setting right the imbalance of inner functions which include both physical and physiological aspects of the human body system. Asanas have preventive, curative and promotive values.

5. Pratyachar: Means withdrawing the senses from the external objects and turn them inward. Yoga helps us to train our sense organs to remain quiet without outer stimulation.

6. Dharna: is focusing of mind on a particular object. 7. Dhyan: study contemplation or meditation. 8. Samadhi: Extreme level of Dhyana when one loose sense of time and place.

(any three)

Question 7 (a) Explain the biological, psychodynamic and sociocultural view of abnormal behaviour. [6] (b) Give two causes and two symptoms of each of the following: [4] (i) Antisocial personality disorder. (ii) Dependent personality disorder.

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Comments of Examiners (a) Most of the candidates, under biological factors, did

not mention the role of the nervous system, malfunctioning of the brain, imbalance of various neurotransmitters and genetic factors. Many candidates did not write the key words of psychodynamic factors like, conflicts and unconscious forces. Some candidates, under sociocultural factors missed out writing key words like poverty, unemployment and inferior education.

(b) (i) Many candidates did not clearly state the causes and symptoms of antisocial personality disorder. Some candidates, instead of writing the symptoms of anti-social personality disorder, wrote those of avoidant personality disorder.

(ii) Most candidates were able to write the correct definition and characteristics of dependent personality disorder.

MARKING SCHEME Question 7 (a) Biological, psychodynamic and sociocultural view of abnormal behaviour:

To understand and deal with the mental disorders, the biological, psychodynamic and socio-cultural perspective need to be viewed complimentarily to one another so that it provides more accurate and complete picture of the disorder and thus help in the treating of the mental disorder. The biological model, emphasizes the role of the nervous system in mental disorders. This approach seeks to understand such disorders in terms of malfunctioning of portions of the brain, imbalances in various neurotransmitters and genetic factors. It is seen that many mental disorders show a high degree of concordance among close relatives. If one family member develops a disorder, then others are at increased risk for developing it too. The biological model has become increasingly influential in recent years as advances in neuroscience have revealed more and more about the role of various portions of the brain in many aspects of behaviour, and as techniques for observing the functioning of the brain (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging, PET scans) have improved. Psychological factors, too can be important. The psychological perspective emphasizes the role of basic psychological processes in the occurrence of mental disorders. For instance,

Suggestions for teachers - While teaching the different views of

abnormal behaviour, ensure that the students are clear of the meaning of the terms like psychodynamic factors, psychological factors, social factors, cultural factors, genetic factors and imbalance of various neurotransmitters.

- Clearly explain the specific symptoms and causes of each personality disorder.

- For better retention, videos on symptoms and causes of each personality disorder can be shown to students.

- Symptoms and causes of each personality disorder can also be taught through case studies.

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many psychologists believe that learning plays a key role in many disorders. An example: phobias, or excessive fears of objects or situations. The psychological perspective also emphasizes the role of cognitive factors in mental disorders. For instance, many theories of depression suggest that long-lasting negative feelings often stem from faulty patterns of thoughts. The psychological perspective also takes account of unconscious forces and conflicts within individuals – the factors also vividly emphasized by Freud and his followers.

Socio cultural factors do play a role in mental disorders. Psychologists and other mental health professionals believe that they do, and point to the important role of such social variables as poverty, unemployment, inferior education and prejudice as potential causes of at least some mental disorders. In other words, the socio-cultural perspective emphasizes the fact that external factors such as negative environment, a disadvantaged position in society, and cultural traditions can play a role in mental disorders.

(b) Causes and symptoms:

(i) Anti-social personality disorder: Symptoms: • Lack of conformity to law and repeatedly committing crimes. • Repeatedly deceitful in relationships • Failure to think or plan ahead • Tendency of irritability, anger and aggression • Disregard for personal safety or safety of others • Persistent lack of taking responsibility • Lack of guilt for any wrong activity. (any two) Causes: • Environmental factor • Genetic factor • Neurochemical factor • Brain areas like temporal lobes and prefrontal cortex. Serotonin responsible for

aggressive behaviour. (any two)

(ii) Dependent personality disorder: Symptoms:

• Chronic and pervasive pattern of dependent, submissive, and needy behaviour. • Seeking out excessive advice, approval and encouragement. • Sensitivity to criticism or rejection. • Low self-confidence and self-esteem. • An inability to make decisions without direction from others. • Feelings of helplessness when alone. • An inability to disagree with others.

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• Extreme devastation when close relationships end and a need to immediately begin a new relationship.

• Difficulty in making everyday decisions.

Causes: • Genetic and personality factors • Behavioural and cognitive factors.

Question 8 (a) What is meant by bias? With the help of two examples each, explain self-serving bias

and counterfactual thinking. [5]

(b) Discuss any three causes of prejudice. Also, suggest two ways of resisting prejudice. [5]

Comments of Examiners (a) Most of the candidates were able to give the

definition of bias from the psychological point of view, with well written explanations of self-serving bias and counterfactual thinking, along with their examples. However, some candidates described the term bias as used in the English language.

(b) This question was answered well by most of the candidates.

MARKING SCHEME Question 8 (a) Bias:

Bias is disproportionate weight in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. Biases can be learned implicitly within cultural contexts. Self-serving bias: This is the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to our own traits or characteristics but negative outcomes to factors beyond our control. e.g. if students score well in an exam they will most likely attribute it to internal causes like talent or hard work but if they score poorly they will attribute it to external factors like difficult paper or strict marking. Thus we have a tendency to take credit for positive behaviour or outcomes by attributing them to internal causes, but to blame negative ones on external causes, especially on factors beyond our control. There are several factors which determine this attribution but the most important is the need to protect and enhance our self-esteem or the desire to look good to others. Attributing our successes to internal causes while failure to external causes permits us to accomplish these ego-protective goals. Self- serving bias is a cause of much interpersonal friction. It often leads persons who work with others on a joint task to perceive that they, not their partners, have made the major contribution. Similarly, it leads individuals to perceive that while their own successes stem from internal causes and are well deserved, the success of others stem from

Suggestions for teachers - Clearly explain the definition of each

bias along with their examples. - Explain the concept of the prejudice in

detail including its definition, causes and ways to resist prejudices.

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external factors and are less appropriate. Also, because of the self-serving bias many persons tend to perceive negative actions on their parts as justified and excusable but identical actions by others as irrational and inexcusable. In these ways the self-serving bias can have important effects on interpersonal relations. Examples: 1. Believing that you are more intelligent than you actually are. 2. Believing that a positive outcome (e.g. writing a best-selling book) is completely due to

your talents when it may be partly explained by chance factors or the effects of others. 3. Blaming a negative outcome in your life on other people or bad luck when it may be partly

due to making bad decisions.

Believing that you can become a famous singer when most people have doubted your singing ability. Counterfactual Thinking: The effects of considering “What might have been”. Suppose that you take an important exam, but when you receive your score, it is a C – much lower than you hoped. What thoughts will enter your mind as you consider your grade? If you are like the people, you may imagine ‘what might have been ‘receiving a higher grade – and reflect on how you could have obtained that better outcome. If only I had studied more, or come to class more often, you may think to yourself. And then, perhaps, you may begin to formulate plans for actually doing better on the next test. Such thoughts about what might have been are known in social psychology as counterfactual thinking and occur in a wide range of situations, not just in ones in which we experience disappointments. For instance, suppose you read an article in the newspaper about a woman who was injured by bricks falling off the front of a large office building. Certainly, you will feel some sympathy for this person. But now imagine that the article goes on to indicate either (1) that she is a stranger in town who had never been on that street before, or (2) that she works in the building next door and passes this way several times a day. Will you feel more sympathy for the injured person under condition (1) or condition (2)? Many studies indicate that you may actually experience more sympathy for the injured woman if she is a stranger in town than if she passes that building every day on the way to work or to lunch. Why? Because, it is somewhat harder to imagine the woman not being injured when she walks past the building every day. And when it is harder to imagine an alternative outcome (such as the woman’s not being injured) we feel less sympathy. Here’s is another example: Will you feel more sympathy for a driver who never picks up hitchhikers but one day breaks his rule and is robbed by the person, or for a driver who frequently picks up hitchhikers and one day is robbed? Probably, you will have less sympathy for the driver who routinely picks up hitchhikers; after all; this person is asking for trouble. Moreover, because this driver takes many risks, it is harder for us to imagine another outcome (his not being robbed). In general terms, research findings indicate that we feel more sympathy for people who experience harm as a result of unusual actions on their part than as a result of more typical behaviour. Counterfactual thinking can also help individuals understand why negative or disappointing outcomes occurred. This, in turn, can often help people plan changes in behaviour or new strategies that can improve their future performance. Recent findings indicate that the

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magnitude of improvements individuals desire. In sum, imagining what might have been in a given situation can yield many effects, ranging from despair and intense regret through hopefulness and increased determination to do better in the future. Our tendency to think not only about what is, but also about what might be, therefore, can have far-reaching effects on many aspects of our social thought and social behaviour.

(b) Causes of prejudice: • Direct inter-group conflict – competition as a source of bias. • Social categorization • Role of social learning • Cognitive source of prejudice – role of stereotypes (any three to be explained) Ways of combating prejudice: • Breaking the cycle of prejudice, learning not to hate. • Direct inter-group contact. The potential benefits of acquaintance. • Recategorization: Resetting the boundary between us and them. • Inter-caste and international marriage. • Good inter-personal relationship. • Mutual exchange of ideas. (any two to be explained)

Question 9 Write short notes on any two of the following: [5 × 2] (a) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. (b) Role of a counsellor in dealing with individuals. (c) Phobia.

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Comments of Examiners (a) Most of the candidates wrote a general answer on OCD.

Some candidates wrote the meaning of obsessive, but the explanation of compulsion given by them was inadequate and the symptoms were not clearly specified.

(b) Many candidates were confused regarding the areas a counsellor could help in. Several candidates explained the qualities of a good counsellor.

(c) Many candidates, instead of explaining the meaning of phobia as intense fear, explained it as fear only. Several candidates were unable to clearly explain the types of phobia and their examples.

MARKING SCHEME Question 9 (a) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder:

A. Either Obsessions or Compulsions Obsessions are defined by the following:

1. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are experienced at some time during the disturbances as intrusive and inappropriate and cause marked anxiety or distress.

2. The thoughts, impulses or images are not simply excessive worries about real life problems.

3. The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses or images or to neutralise them with some other thought or action.

4. The person recognises that the obsessional thoughts, impulses or images are a product of his or her own mind (not imposed from without as in thought insertion)

Compulsions are defined by the following:

1. Repetitive behaviours (e.g. hand-washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g. praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to

Suggestions for teachers - Explain the terms obsessive as

repeated unwanted thoughts and compulsion as resulting in unwanted action or behavior, along with their symptoms, and tell the students that for a comprehensive answer, the explanations should be accompanied with examples.

- Discuss the role of a counsellor in various fields like recruitment, school, colleges, institutes, careers, vocational areas, learning difficulties, retirement and old age issues, psychometric tests, marriage etc.

- Explain in detail, the types of phobias, their symptoms and causes.

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perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.

2. The behaviours or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviours or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.

B. At some point during the course of the disorder, the person has recognized that the obsessions or compulsions are excessive or unreasonable. However, this does not apply to children.

C. The obsessions or compulsions cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than one hour a day) or significantly interfere with the persons normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships.

D. If another Axis I disorder is present, the content of the obsessions or compulsions is not restricted to it (e.g. preoccupation with food in the presence of an eating disorder; hair pulling in the presence of trichotillomania; concern with appearance in the presence of body dysmorphic disorder; preoccupation with drugs in the presence of a substance use disorder; preoccupation with having a serious illness in the presence of hypochondriasis; preoccupation with sexual urges or fantasies in the presence of a paraphilia; or guilty ruminations in the presence of major depressive disorder.)

E. The disturbance is not due to the direct effects of a substance (e.g. drugs of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition.

Symptoms of OCD

• Contamination • Pathological Doubt • Intrusive thoughts • Symmetry • Psychodynamic perspective

Causes

• Neuro chemical factors • Heredity • Behavioural perspective • Cognitive perspective

(General meaning of obsession and compulsion and three points)

(b) Role of a counsellor in dealing with individuals: Individual counselling can be done with the help of the following: • Children with different types of problems like learning difficulty, temper tantrums, conduct

problem, lack of concentration, emotional, social, and perceptual developmental problems along with problems such as child abuse could be taken care of by the counsellor.

• Counsellor also needs to deal with school and college students individually to help them regarding their academic difficulties, individual problems with their peer groups, parents and teachers. The choice of subject is important as they need to choose the correct subject

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which they wish to pursue in future. So, the counsellor could have sessions with the individual as well as the teacher, parent and peer group as required. The suggestions are also given by the counsellor so how they could improve in their academics and concentrate better. The Counsellor also could suggest to parents or the teacher as to how one could tackle the individual who is going through the problem.

• Vocational Counselling. Here too, the Counsellor tries to match the individual to the job by speaking to the individual.

• The interest, aptitude, intelligence of the individual, if required, is also looked into, by the Counsellor. The counsellor could also prepare an individual for an interview.

• The counsellor helps in the organizational set up and is the main human resource personnel in the organization who takes care to attract and retain the best employees and thus help to increases the quality of the workplace.

• A Counsellor can help with the mental health of the workers in the organization. Here the Counsellor finds out the cause of depression, stress and personal problem and guides them individually.

• A Counsellor can help to deal with depression. The counsellor finds out the cause of depression by having sessions with the individual and helps the individual to solve the problem.

(five points in general) (c) Phobia: Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that causes an individual to experience extreme,

irrational fear about a situation, living creature, place, or object. There are three types of Phobia recognised by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). These include: Specific phobia: This is an intense, irrational fear of a specific trigger. Social phobia, or social anxiety: This is a profound fear of public humiliation and being singled out or judged by others in a social situation. The idea of large social gathering is terrifying for someone with social anxiety. It is not the same as shyness. Agoraphobia: This is a fear of situations from which it would be difficult to escape if a person were to experience extreme panic. Symptoms: A person with a phobia will experience the following symptoms. They are common across the majority of phobias: • A sensation of uncontrollable anxiety when exposed to the source of fear. • A feeling that the source of that fear must be avoided at all costs. • Not being able to function properly when exposed to the trigger. • Acknowledgement that the fear is irrational, unreasonable, and exaggerated, combined with

an inability to control the feelings. A person is likely to experience feelings of panic and intense anxiety when exposed to the subject of their phobia. The physical effects of these sensations can include: • sweating • abnormal breathing • accelerated heartbeat • trembling

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• hot flushes or chills • a choking sensation • chest pains or tightness • butterflies in the stomach • pins and needles • dry mouth • confusion and disorientation • nausea • dizziness • headache

Types: • Claustrophobia • Aerophobia • Driving phobia • Emetophobia • Hypochondria • Zoophobia • Aquaphobia Causes: It is unusual for a phobia to start after the age of 30 years, and most begin during early childhood, the teenage years, or early adulthood. They can be caused by a stressful experience, a frightening event, or a parent or household member with a phobia that a child can learn. These usually develop before the age of 4 to 8 years. In some cases, it may be the result of a traumatic early experience. Phobias that start during childhood can also be caused by witnessing the phobia of a family member. Some areas of the brain store and recall dangerous or potentially deadly events. If a person faces a similar event later on in life, those areas of the brain retrieve the stressful memory, sometimes more than once. This causes the body to experience the same reaction. In a phobia, the areas of the brain that deal with fear and stress keep retrieving the frightening event inappropriately. • Genetic or personality factors • Behavioural approach • Psychodynamics approach

Medications: • Beta blockers • Antidepressants • Behavioural therapy • Desensitization, or exposure therapy • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

(Meaning, cause/ type/ effect/ symptom)

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GENERAL COMMENTS

• Question 1 (iv): Ego. • Question 1 (vii): Ambivalent attachment. • Question 1 (xvi): Hypertension. • Question 1 (xvii): Primary Cognitive Appraisal. • Question 2 (a): Raven’s progressive Matrices. • Question 5 (b): Piaget’s cognitive development during infancy • Question 6 (b) (ii): Stages of yoga • Question 9 (a): Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

• Who coined the concept of IQ. • Classification of personality type by Charak Samhita of Ayurveda. • Psychodynamic view of abnormal behaviour. • Cattell’s, Eysenck’s and Allport’s definition of personality. • Levels of intelligence below borderline – confusion between mild and

moderately retarded. • Role of a counsellor and the characteristics of a good counsellor.

Concepts in which

candidates got

confused

• Definitions should be learnt verbatim. • Always give the full name of the psychologists with correct spelling. • Learn the keywords and terms for every concept • Read reference books and gather relevant information from them. • Read articles on psychological issues in journals, magazines and

newspapers. • Watch videos on related topics. • Draw flowcharts to retain concepts. • Adequate written practice of answers. • Underline keywords. • Give examples wherever possible. • Revise the answer paper to rectify any error. • Read the questions properly. Pay attention to the command words like

discuss, describe, explain, mention, give the definition etc. • Learn to answer to the point in Part I. • Present the answers in an organized manner. • Budget your time. • Avoid selective study.

Suggestions for

candidates

Topics found

difficult by candidates

1. Cover PageISCISCCouncil for the Indian School Certificate ExaminationsCouncil for the Indian School Certificate Examinations

2. CopyrightNew Delhi-110019New Delhi-110019Tel: (011) 26413820/26411706Tel: (011) 26413820/26411706

3. FOREWORDGerry ArathoonGerry ArathoonOctober 2019 Chief Executive & SecretaryOctober 2019 Chief Executive & Secretary

4. Preface5. Content6. ISC Introduction7. Quantitative - Psycho8. Qualitative - Psychology(a) Most candidates were able to answer this question fairly well. However, some candidates did not write the correct terms, for example, conscious was written for conscientiousness and extroversion for extraversion. A number of candidates did not wri...(a) Most candidates were able to answer this question fairly well. However, some candidates did not write the correct terms, for example, conscious was written for conscientiousness and extroversion for extraversion. A number of candidates did not wri...(b) Almost all candidates were able to discuss the administration of the test correctly. However, majority of the candidates were not able to answer the scoring part properly, as the answers lacked details.(b) Almost all candidates were able to discuss the administration of the test correctly. However, majority of the candidates were not able to answer the scoring part properly, as the answers lacked details.Many candidates:Many candidates: did not write the correct total number of cards. did not write the correct total number of cards. wrote an incomplete scoring part missing out some of the scoring criteria like location, determinants, originality and content. wrote an incomplete scoring part missing out some of the scoring criteria like location, determinants, originality and content. made errors in the symbols of certain scoring criteria. made errors in the symbols of certain scoring criteria.(a) Many candidates did not write the levels of intelligence below borderline as specified in the question. Some candidates wrote all the levels which were not required. A number of candidates wrote the older version of the levels of intelligence, suc...(a) Many candidates did not write the levels of intelligence below borderline as specified in the question. Some candidates wrote all the levels which were not required. A number of candidates wrote the older version of the levels of intelligence, suc...

analysis of pupil performance - cisce1).pdf · ii . the council has been involved in the...

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