UGC-NET – Paper II: Psychology (Code: 04)
Exam Cycle: June 2026
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COURSE OVERVIEW
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Subject Name: Psychology
Subject Code: 04
Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Paper Type: Paper-II – Psychology
Total Marks: 200
Total Questions: 100 MCQs
Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration: 3 Hours (Paper I + II combined)
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COMPLETE LIST OF UNITS
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Unit I: Emergence of Psychology
Unit II: Research Methodology and Statistics
Unit III: Psychological testing
Unit IV: Biological basis of behavior
Unit V: Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting
Unit VI: Thinking, Intelligence and Creativity
Unit VII: Personality, Motivation, emotion, stress and coping
Unit VIII: Social Psychology
Unit IX: Human Development and Interventions
Unit X: Emerging Areas
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UNIT-WISE DETAILED SYLLABUS
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Unit I: Emergence of Psychology
Topic 1: Psychological thought in some major Eastern Systems:
• Bhagavad Gita
• Buddhism
• Sufism
• Integral Yoga
Topic 2: Academic psychology in India:
• Pre-independence era
• post-independence era
• 1970s: The move to addressing social issues
• 1980s: Indigenization
• 1990s: Paradigmatic concerns, disciplinary identity crisis
• 2000s: Emergence of Indian psychology in academia
• Issues: The colonial encounter; Post colonialism and psychology; Lack of distinct disciplinary identity
Topic 3: Western:
• Greek heritage, medieval period and modern period
• Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalytical, Gestalt, Behaviorism, Humanistic-Existential, Transpersonal, Cognitive revolution, Multiculturalism
• Four founding paths of academic psychology – Wundt, Freud, James, Dilthey
• Issues: Crisis in psychology due to strict adherence to experimental-analytical paradigm (logical empiricism)
• Indic influences on modern psychology
Topic 4: Essential aspects of knowledge paradigms:
• Ontology, epistemology, and methodology
• Paradigms of Western Psychology: Positivism, Post-Positivism, Critical perspective, Social Constructionism, Existential Phenomenology, and Co-operative Enquiry
• Paradigmatic Controversies
• Significant Indian paradigms on psychological knowledge: Yoga, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Sufism, and Integral Yoga
• Science and spirituality (avidya and vidya)
• The primacy of self-knowledge in Indian psychology
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Unit II: Research Methodology and Statistics
Topic 1: Research:
• Meaning, Purpose, and Dimensions
• Research problems, Variables and Operational Definitions, Hypothesis, Sampling
• Ethics in conducting and reporting research
Topic 2: Paradigms of research:
• Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed methods approach
Topic 3: Methods of research:
• Observation, Survey [Interview, Questionnaires], Experimental, Quasi-experimental, Field studies, Cross-Cultural Studies, Phenomenology, Grounded theory, Focus groups, Narratives, Case studies, Ethnography
Topic 4: Statistics in Psychology:
• Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
• Normal Probability Curve
• Parametric [t-test] and Non-parametric tests [Sign Test, Wilcoxon Signed rank test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman]
• Power analysis
• Effect size
Topic 5: Correlational Analysis:
• Correlation [Product Moment, Rank Order]
• Partial correlation, multiple correlation
• Special Correlation Methods: Biserial, Point biserial, tetrachoric, phi coefficient
• Regression: Simple linear regression, Multiple regression
• Factor analysis: Assumptions, Methods, Rotation and Interpretation
Topic 6: Experimental Designs:
• ANOVA [One-way, Factorial]
• Randomized Block Designs, Repeated Measures Design, Latin Square
• Cohort studies, Time series, MANOVA, ANCOVA
• Single-subject designs
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Unit III: Psychological testing
Topic 1: Types of tests
Topic 2: Test construction:
• Item writing
• item analysis
Topic 3: Test standardization:
• Reliability, validity and Norms
Topic 4: Areas of testing:
• Intelligence, creativity, neuropsychological tests, aptitude, Personality assessment, interest inventories
Topic 5: Attitude scales:
• Semantic differential, Staples, Likert scale
Topic 6: Computer-based psychological testing
Topic 7: Applications of psychological testing in various settings:
• Clinical, Organizational and business, Education, Counseling, Military
• Career guidance
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Unit IV: Biological basis of behavior
Topic 1: Sensory systems:
• General and specific sensations, receptors and processes
Topic 2: Neurons:
• Structure, functions, types, neural impulse, synaptic transmission
• Neurotransmitters
Topic 3: The Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems:
• Structure and functions
• Neuroplasticity
Topic 4: Methods of Physiological Psychology:
• Invasive methods – Anatomical methods, degeneration techniques, lesion techniques, chemical methods, microelectrode studies
• Non-invasive methods – EEG, Scanning methods
Topic 5: Muscular and Glandular system:
• Types and functions
Topic 6: Biological basis of Motivation:
• Hunger, Thirst, Sleep and Sex
Topic 7: Biological basis of emotion:
• The Limbic system
• Hormonal regulation of behavior
Topic 8: Genetics and behavior:
• Chromosomal anomalies
• Nature-Nurture controversy [Twin studies and adoption studies]
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Unit V: Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting
Topic 1: Attention:
• Forms of attention
• Models of attention
Topic 2: Perception:
• Approaches to the Study of Perception: Gestalt and physiological approaches
• Perceptual Organization: Gestalt, Figure and Ground, Law of Organization
• Perceptual Constancy: Size, Shape, and Color; Illusions
• Perception of Form, Depth and Movement
• Role of motivation and learning in perception
• Signal detection theory: Assumptions and applications
• Subliminal perception and related factors, information processing approach to perception, culture and perception, perceptual styles, Pattern recognition, Ecological perspective on perception
Topic 3: Learning Process:
• Fundamental theories: Thorndike, Guthrie, Hull
• Classical Conditioning: Procedure, phenomena and related issues
• Instrumental learning: Phenomena, Paradigms and theoretical issues; Reinforcement: Basic variables and schedules; Behaviour modification and its applications
• Cognitive approaches in learning: Latent learning, observational learning
• Verbal learning and Discrimination learning
• Recent trends in learning: Neurophysiology of learning
Topic 4: Memory and Forgetting:
• Memory processes: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval
• Stages of memory: Sensory memory, Short-term memory (Working memory), Long-term Memory (Declarative – Episodic and Semantic; Procedural)
• Theories of Forgetting: Interference, Retrieval Failure, Decay, Motivated forgetting
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Unit VI: Thinking, Intelligence and Creativity
Topic 1: Theoretical perspectives on thought processes:
• Associationism, Gestalt, Information processing, Feature integration model
Topic 2: Concept formation:
• Rules, Types, and Strategies
• Role of concepts in thinking
Topic 3: Types of Reasoning
Topic 4: Language and thought
Topic 5: Problem solving:
• Type, Strategies, and Obstacles
Topic 6: Decision-making:
• Types and models
Topic 7: Metacognition:
• Metacognitive knowledge
• Metacognitive regulation
Topic 8: Intelligence:
• Spearman; Thurstone; Jensen; Cattell; Gardner; Stenberg; Goleman; Das, Kar & Parrila
Topic 9: Creativity:
• Torrance, Getzels & Jackson, Guilford, Wallach & Kogan
Topic 10: Relationship between Intelligence and Creativity
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Unit VII: Personality, Motivation, emotion, stress and coping
Topic 1: Determinants of personality:
• Biological and socio-cultural
Topic 2: Approaches to the study of personality:
• Psychoanalytical, Neo-Freudian, Social learning, Trait and Type, Cognitive, Humanistic, Existential, Transpersonal psychology
• Other theories: Rotter’s Locus of Control, Seligman’s Explanatory styles, Kohlberg’s theory of Moral development
Topic 3: Basic motivational concepts:
• Instincts, Needs, Drives, Arousal, Incentives, Motivational Cycle
Topic 4: Approaches to the study of motivation:
• Psychoanalytical, Ethological, S-R Cognitive, Humanistic
Topic 5: Exploratory behavior and curiosity
Topic 6: Zuckerman’s Sensation seeking
Topic 7: Achievement, Affiliation and Power
Topic 8: Motivational Competence
Topic 9: Self-regulation
Topic 10: Flow
Topic 11: Emotions:
• Physiological correlates
• Theories of emotions: James-Lange, Canon-Bard, Schachter and Singer, Lazarus, Lindsley
• Emotion regulation
Topic 12: Conflicts:
• Sources and types
Topic 13: Stress and Coping:
• Concept, Models, Type A, B, C, D behaviors
• Stress management strategies [Biofeedback, Music therapy, Breathing exercises, Progressive Muscular Relaxation, Guided Imagery, Mindfulness, Meditation, Yogasana, Stress Inoculation Training]
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Unit VIII: Social Psychology
Topic 1: Nature, scope and history of social psychology
Topic 2: Traditional theoretical perspectives:
• Field theory, Cognitive Dissonance, Sociobiology, Psychodynamic Approaches, Social Cognition
Topic 3: Social perception [Communication, Attributions]:
• attitude and its change within cultural context
• prosocial behavior
Topic 4: Group and Social influence [Social Facilitation; Social loafing]:
• Social influence [Conformity, Peer Pressure, Persuasion, Compliance, Obedience, Social Power, Reactance]
• Aggression
• Group dynamics, leadership style and effectiveness
• Theories of intergroup relations [Minimal Group Experiment and Social Identity Theory, Relative Deprivation Theory, Realistic Conflict Theory, Balance Theories, Equity Theory, Social Exchange Theory]
Topic 5: Applied social psychology:
• Health, Environment and Law
• Personal space, crowding, and territoriality
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Unit IX: Human Development and Interventions
Topic 1: Developmental processes:
• Nature, Principles, Factors in development, Stages of Development
• Successful aging
Topic 2: Theories of development:
• Psychoanalytical, Behavioristic, and Cognitive
Topic 3: Various aspects of development:
• Sensory-motor, cognitive, language, emotional, social and moral
Topic 4: Psychopathology:
• Concept, Mental Status Examination, Classification, Causes
Topic 5: Psychotherapies:
• Psychoanalysis, Person-centered, Gestalt, Existential, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Behavior therapy, REBT, CBT, MBCT, Play therapy, Positive psychotherapy, Transactional Analysis, Dialectic behavior therapy, Art therapy, Performing Art Therapy, Family therapy
Topic 6: Applications of theories of motivation and learning in School:
• Factors in educational achievement
• Teacher effectiveness
• Guidance in schools: Needs, organizational set up and techniques
Topic 7: Counselling:
• Process, skills, and techniques
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Unit X: Emerging Areas
Topic 1: Issues of Gender, Poverty, Disability, and Migration:
• Cultural bias and discrimination
• Stigma, Marginalization, and Social Suffering
• Child Abuse and Domestic violence
Topic 2: Peace psychology:
• Violence, non-violence, conflict resolution at macro level
• role of media in conflict resolution
Topic 3: Wellbeing and self-growth:
• Types of wellbeing [Hedonic and Eudemonic]
• Character strengths, Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth
Topic 4: Health:
• Health promoting and health compromising behaviors
• Life style and Chronic diseases [Diabetes, Hypertension, Coronary Heart Disease]
• Psychoneuroimmunology [Cancer, HIV/AIDS]
Topic 5: Psychology and technology interface:
• Digital learning
• Digital etiquette: Cyber bullying
• Cyber pornography: Consumption, implications
• Parental mediation of Digital Usage
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EXAMINATION STRUCTURE
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Paper-II: Subject Specific Examination
- Total Questions: 100
- Total Marks: 200
- Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- Negative Marking: No
- Duration: 3 Hours (Combined with Paper I)
- Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
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SYLLABUS SUMMARY
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Total Units: 10
Total Topics: 57
Subject: Psychology
Subject Code: 04
Exam Category: UGC-NET Paper-II
Source: Official NTA/UGC Syllabus
Status: “As per latest official syllabus”
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