Edition – 2025 – 26

This edition of the book has been prepared strictly in accordance with the revised syllabus for the Civil Services Examination announced by the Union Public Service Commission in 2002. While the existing topics have been thoroughly revised and up-dated, the new topics incorporated in this volume have been dealt with at length so that the candidates preparing for the Civil Services Examination get all relevant material at one place. For the benefit of the examinees Question Papers for the past five years, along with their answers have been incorporated in this volume. It is hoped that the present volume shall be found very useful by the candidates offering Psychology as an optional paper for the Preliminary Examination.

We are grateful to our esteemed readers who sent numerous valuable suggestions for the revision of the book. We have immensely benefited for these suggestions and hope that in future also the readers shall continue to send their values suggestions, which shall be gratefully acknowledged and made use of for the improvement of next edition.

1. General Introduction 1
2. Methods in Psychology 8
3. Quantitative Analysis 14
4. Physiological Psychology 23
5. Development of Human Behaviour 29
6. Perception 38
7. Learning 47
8. Memory 55
9. Cognition and Language 61
10. Intelligence and Aptitude 65
11. Motivation and Emotion 71
12. Personality 81
13. Adjustment and Stress 89
14. Social Behaviour 99
15. Application of Psychology in Various Fields 107
Appendix 113
Important Terms in Psychology 117
M.C.Qs. Bank 122