CBSE Class 12 Psychology Important Questions 2027 (Repeated in Board Exams)

Elaborate on the concept of buddhi and specify how intelligence in the Indian tradition lays emphasis on its connectivity with social and environmental world.

Is intelligence a product of heredity or environment? Give reasons in support of your answer.

Neha always scores well in school assessments and is appreciated for her sharp, critical ability, reasoning and analytical thinking. Which form of intelligence is she most likely demonstrating? (A) Naturalistic Intelligence (B) Contextual Intelligence (C) Componential Intelligence (D) Experiential Intelligence

Rohan, a 10-year-old diagnosed with intellectual deficiency as per AAMD guidelines, is supported with a special education plan. Based on his diagnosis, identify two common features he might display in his daily functioning.

Analyze the relationship between intelligence and creativity, based on Terman's research findings.

Differentiate between a verbal and a non-verbal test.

Sonia has to be assessed for abilities such as logical reasoning and clear thinking. The test used by the psychologist will involve the following: a. Convergent thinking b. Divergent thinking c. Both convergent and divergent thinking d. Open-ended questions

Identify two differences between Psychometric theories and Information processing theories of intelligence.

Neeta is conducting interviews for candidates applying for a senior management role. She uses the same set of questions with each candidate. Why is this type of interview beneficial? a. It allows candidates to showcase their unique personalities. b. It helps create a positive impression of the interviewer. c. It ensures all candidates are assessed using the structured interview. d. It gives candidates the freedom to discuss any topic they want because it is structured.

Evaluate how Gardner's view of intelligence as an independent and interactive type challenges the traditional notions of a singular, unified intelligence.

A teacher notices that Neeraj, one of her class 5 students, learns new languages very easily, loves new subjects, and is very sensitive to changes in the classroom. Comment on the intellectual abilities of Neeraj.

Rita wants to perform well in the examination and hence starts attending classes regularly, taking notes, setting study targets, etc. Which theory of intelligence gives importance to this stage of planning? A. Hierarchical Model of Intelligence B. PASS Model C. Theory of Multiple Intelligences D. Structure of Intellect Model of Intelligence

Direct techniques of personality assessment come with their own drawbacks especially related to social desirability. In such a condition, suggest other methods of personality assessment which can tap the unconscious of the individual. Mention any four such effective techniques.

Harpreet, a psychologist, is interested in using self-report measures for career counselling of his client. Explain the appropriate tests that he can use.

While simple and appealing, type theories truly capturing the uniqueness of every individual or oversimplifying the rich diversity of human personality are debatable. Type theories attempt to place individuals into distinct categories based on shared characteristics. Many types of theories have shaped how we view personality. Elaborate on the theories by Type Approach.

Rohan failed an important exam. Instead of accepting that he didn't prepare well, he insists that the teacher was biased and the exam was unfair. Which defence mechanism is Rohan using? (A) Repression (B) Projection (C) Rationalization (D) Denial

Razia is unhappy with her career despite having a stable job and a good salary. According to the Humanistic theory of personality, what could be the reason for her dissatisfaction?

A teacher notices that one of her usually calm and respectful students behaves aggressively during a group activity. She considers whether this behaviour might be due to peer pressure and classroom dynamics rather than the student's personality. Which approach is the teacher following? (A) Functionalism (B) Altruism (C) Structuralism (D) Situationism

How do ecological and cultural environments influence personality development? Provide concrete examples from hunting-gathering and agricultural societies to illustrate your answer.

Why does a strong sense of social competence enhance a person's self-esteem? a. By making them superior to others in every area. b. By fostering social connection and positive reinforcement. c. By ensuring that they excel in academic competence as well. d. By encouraging them to focus solely on physical appearance.

Riya is on a strict diet because she wants to stay healthy and prepare for her upcoming school sports competition. One evening, she opens the fridge and sees a big, delicious chocolate cake that her mom made for a family dinner the next day. She immediately feels the urge to eat it, but plans to eat it after the sports competition. As per Freud's theory, explain Riya's behaviour in terms of id, ego and superego.

Ananya is known in school for honesty. No matter the situation, she always speaks the truth. According to Allport, this trait can be classified as: (A) Central Trait (B) Cardinal Trait (C) Secondary Trait (D) Source Trait

Match the following (Column 1 with Column 2): 1. Continued exposure to the same stressor or additional stressors drains the body of its resources. 2. The mental exhaustion appears in the form of irritability, anxiety, feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. 3. The presence of noxious stimulus or stressor leads to activation of the adrenal-pituitary-cortex system, triggering the release of hormones producing the stress response. 4. The parasympathetic nervous system calls for more cautious use of the body's resources; the organism makes efforts to cope with the threat, as through confrontation. I. Resistance II. Exhaustion III. Burnout IV. Alarm. (A) 1-I, 2-II, 3-III, 4-IV (B) 1-II, 2-III, 3-IV, 4-I (C) 1-IV, 2-III, 3-I, 4-II (D) 1-IV, 2-III, 3-II, 4-I

How can assertiveness impact an individual's response to stress?

Read the case study and answer the question that follows: Ritu is a high school student preparing for her final board exams. She is an academically bright student and wants to secure a scholarship for college. However, over the past few weeks, Ritu has been feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. She is constantly comparing herself to her peers who seem to be doing better, which causes her to feel caught between her wishes and desires and hence feels inadequate. At home, her parents have high expectations and remind her frequently that she must top the class, adding to her own increasing self-demands. Ritu also finds herself in a conflict of being caught between choosing a career she is passionate about (art & design) and what her parents want (engineering), leading to an intense dilemma. Additionally, she feels unspoken demands and a social pressure from her relatives and classmates, who keep asking about her future and ranks. As a result, Ritu has become irritable, experiences frequent headaches, has trouble sleeping and feels emotionally exhausted. Q: Based on the symptoms described, identify the types of stress Ritu is experiencing.

Assertion (A): Creative visualisation helps in managing stress by using imagination and mental imagery. Reason (R): It is more effective when the mind is quiet, the body is relaxed, and the eyes are closed, as this minimizes distractions and enhances focus. (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. (B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A. (C) A is true, but R is false. (D) A is false, but R is true.

Use the correct option at the appropriate place. The white blood cells ( _____ ) within the immune system identify and destroy foreign bodies ( _____ ) such as viruses. (A) Antigens/Leucocytes (B) Leucocytes/Antibodies (C) Antigens/Antibodies (D) Leucocytes/Antigens

Read the case study and answer the question that follows (Ritu, board-exam stress case, as above). Q: Mention one emotional and one psychological effects of stress she may be going through.

Individuals show consistent individual differences in the coping strategies they use to handle stressful situations. These can include both overt and covert activities. Identify the three coping strategies given by Endler and Parker.

Differentiate between life events and hassles.

Wellbeing is _____. a. Maintenance and survival b. Growth and fulfilment c. Following the norms of society d. Not only maintenance and survival but also growth and fulfilment

You are working with a client who handles high stress well and remains healthy. How would you evaluate and support their ability to manage stress effectively?

Read the following passage and answer the question that follows: Satish, a 20-year-old male, with schizophrenia, believes that the police of the area are tracking and following him. The patrolling of the police makes him believe that they are monitoring every behaviour of his. These thoughts are interfering with his studies and assignments. Satish occasionally laughs abruptly and inappropriately and sometimes stops speaking mid-sentence. He expresses concern about electronics in the room (phone, computer) potentially being monitored and asks the therapist repeatedly about patient confidentiality, stating that he wants to be sure the police won't be informed about his treatment. His beliefs are fixed and if they are challenged, his tone becomes hostile. Q: Why does Satish occasionally laugh abruptly and inappropriately?

Anisha keeps washing her hand after a bout of fever. This continuous washing leads to bruises on her palm. Identify this behaviour. a. Compulsive behaviour b. Impulsive behaviour c. Phobic behaviour d. Obsessive behaviour

When does anxiety turn into a disorder? Explain the different types of anxiety disorders.

Psychological Disorders have come a long way in their journey of understanding and treatment of disorders. To understand psychological disorders, we would require a brief historical account of how these disorders have been viewed over the ages. When we study the history of abnormal psychology, we find that certain theories have occurred repeatedly. Trace the history of disorders to understand their origin and leading to the latest developments.

Which of the following statements best describes how societal norms influence the perception of abnormal behaviour? (A) Societal norms are universally consistent and do not change over time. (B) Behaviours, thoughts and emotions that align with societal norms are always considered abnormal. (C) Societal norms are derived from society's culture, including its history, values and institutions and these norms can change over time. (D) Aggressive behaviour is universally accepted as normal behaviour across all cultures.

What are the features of Neurodevelopmental Disorders? Explain any two disorders under this category.

_____ is characterised by widespread impairments in social interactions and communication skills, and stereotyped patterns of behaviours, interests and activities. (A) Dyslexia (B) Autism Spectrum Disorder (C) Specific Learning Disorder (D) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Ravi has been showing signs of extreme social withdrawal and erratic mood swings. As a psychology student, how would you apply different approaches/models/factors to understand and explain any abnormal behaviour?

Somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder are concerned with medical illness, yet they are different. Explain using relevant example.

What do you understand by the term 'dissociation'? Explain its various forms.

A therapist working with children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) gives them a star sticker each time they complete a task without distraction. After collecting five stars, they can exchange it with a small toy. What psychological technique is being used here? (A) Classical conditioning (B) Token economy (C) Systematic desensitization (D) Free association

Ravi constantly believes he is a failure because he once performed poorly on a test. Which cognitive problem is he exhibiting according to the Cognitive Model? (A) Accurate self-assessment (B) Overgeneralisation (C) Rational thinking (D) Logical reasoning

Analyse the importance of rehabilitation in the recovery of individuals with severe mental illness.

Reena constantly thinks, 'I must succeed at everything, or I am a failure,' which causes her distress when she makes small mistakes. How can Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) help Reena overcome her psychological distress? Mention three steps involved in the Rational Emotive Therapy (RET).

Ashok, who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), is considering alternative therapies to complement his current treatment. Recommend and justify which approach might be most beneficial for Ashok.

In logotherapy, which of the following is considered essential for coping with life's challenges? a. Identifying and altering negative thought patterns to develop a more positive mindset b. Finding a personal sense of meaning or purpose, even in difficult situations c. Using reinforcement to increase desired behaviours and reduce problematic ones d. Replacing irrational beliefs with logical, realistic ones to improve emotional well-being

Your friend failed an important test. You sit with him/her, listen to his/her feelings, and try to understand the experience without judgement. Which quality are you demonstrating and why? (A) Sympathy – because you feel sorry for your friend's situation. (B) Empathy – because you are trying to understand your friend's feeling from their perspective. (C) Assertiveness – because you are confidentially telling them what to do. (D) Motivation – because you are pushing them to study harder next time.

Prejudice can be difficult to change due to its deep-rooted sources. Imagine you are working on a community outreach programme aiming to reduce prejudice. How would you explain the main causes that lead to development of prejudice?

Specify any two processes, that help in attitude formation and explain how it occurs.

An advertising company has been hired to create an advertisement for a new eco-friendly product aimed at young adults. Describe three important characteristics of the target audience that the company should keep in mind when designing the advertisement.

Sara believes in the importance of regular exercise for maintaining good health. Despite this belief, she rarely engages in any form of physical activity. With respect to Sara, explain the reasons for the lack of consistency between her attitude and behaviour.

In an attitude change, when the change is in the same direction as the existing attitude (for example, a positive attitude may become more positive, or a negative attitude may become more negative), this is called: (A) Congruency (B) Constancy (C) Incongruency (D) Inconstancy

A person dislikes a type of food, expresses negative opinion about it, and avoids it. Which components of the A-B-C model of attitudes are illustrated in this example? (A) Affective and Cognitive (B) Affective and Behavioural (C) Cognitive and Behavioural (D) Affective, Behavioural and Cognitive

Discuss the difference between a simple and a complex attitude system using the example of attitude towards health and well-being versus attitude towards a particular person.

According to the concept of balance proposed by Fritz Heider, imbalance is found when: (i) All three sides of the P-O-X triangle are negative. (ii) Two sides of the P-O-X triangle are negative and one side is positive. (iii) Two sides of the P-O-X triangle are positive and one side is negative. (iv) All three sides of the P-O-X triangle are positive. (A) (i) and (ii) only (B) (ii) and (iv) only (C) (i) and (iii) only (D) (ii) only

Riya feels a strong sense of belonging and emotional attachment with her childhood family dance group, but when she joined the school council, she followed rules and communicated formally with its members. Identify the two types of groups Riya is part of and explain each with reference to the scenario.

How can social loafing be reduced?

Assertion (A): Members of teams often have complementary skills and are committed to a common goal or purpose. Reason (R): An audience is a part of a team. They are polarised in attention, and actions of persons are in a common direction. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A. c. A is true but R is false. d. A is false but R is true.

What are the reasons for the occurrence of group polarisation? Give two reasons.

Aslam is a manager in an organisation. To conduct a team-building activity, he assigned work to selected members randomly. He observed that while executing the task, there came a stage when there was conflict among the members. At what stage of group formation would this have taken place and explain the stage that is likely to follow?

Togetherness, belongingness and mutual attraction among group members refers to _____ in a group. a. Social Loafing b. Cohesiveness c. Competition d. Polarisation

Vikas feels stronger and less vulnerable to threats after he has joined the resident's welfare group. The main reason for joining the group is to _____. a. Enhance his importance b. Enhance his security c. Achieve his power d. Enhance his self esteem