ISC Class 12 Psychology Important Topics 2027
Last updated:
Every topic ranked by how often and how recently it was asked in 4 board + 5 official sample papers (2023–2027). Teal tags = board papers, orange tags = official sample papers.
Top 10 most important topics
| # | Topic | Chapter | Asked in | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piaget's stages of cognitive development | Lifespan Development | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Biases in social judgement | Social Thought and Social Behaviour | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| 3 | Anxiety disorders (GAD, phobia, OCD) | Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| 4 | Post-Freudians: Erikson's psychosocial stages and Horney's theory | Personality | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 5 | Noise, pollution and crowding | Psychology in relation to the Environment and Social Concerns | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 6 | Sternberg's Triarchic Theory | Intelligence and Ability | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 7 | Schizophrenia: symptoms and types | Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 8 | Promoting positive health: life skills, assertiveness, hardiness, social support | Stress and Stress Management | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 9 | Mood disorders (depression, bipolar) | Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| 10 | Poverty and deprivation: effects, causes and measures | Psychology in relation to the Environment and Social Concerns | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
Chapter-wise important topics
Intelligence and Ability · Intelligence and Ability
| Sternberg's Triarchic Theory asked 8× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| IQ, mental age and levels of intelligence asked 6× | Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Gardner's Multiple Intelligences asked 7× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Emotional Intelligence and EQ asked 5× | Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Aptitude (GATB), achievement and interest asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Intelligence tests: WAIS-III and Raven's Progressive Matrices asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cattell's Fluid and Crystallised Intelligence asked 3× | Board 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Guilford's Structure of Intellect Model asked 3× | Board 2024Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Spearman's Two Factor Theory (g and s) asked 2× | Sample 2023Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Thurstone's Primary Mental Abilities asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Personality · Personality
| Post-Freudians: Erikson's psychosocial stages and Horney's theory asked 11× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Type theories (Sheldon, Hippocrates, Friedman Type A/B) asked 8× | Board 2023Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Trait theories (Allport, Cattell, Five Factor Model) asked 7× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Humanistic theories: Rogers' self theory and Maslow's needs hierarchy asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2023Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Projective techniques (Rorschach, TAT) asked 7× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Self-reports (MMPI) and behavioural analysis asked 7× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Freud: structure of personality and levels of consciousness asked 4× | Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Definition of personality and related terms (temperament, habit, values, self-concept) asked 3× | Board 2024Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Freud: psychosexual stages, libido and fixation asked 2× | Sample 2023Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Bandura's social cognitive theory (self-efficacy) asked 1× | Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Lifespan Development · Lifespan Development
| Piaget's stages of cognitive development asked 16× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★★★ |
| Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory asked 7× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Substance abuse and eating disorders in adolescence asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Kohlberg's stages of moral development asked 6× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Motor development and reflexes asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Juvenile delinquency asked 4× | Board 2024Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Attachment styles (Ainsworth's Strange Situation) asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Meaning of development and importance of lifespan study (heredity, environment) asked 3× | Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Adolescence: puberty and identity formation (Marcia) asked 2× | Board 2026Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gender identity, roles, stereotypes, stability and consistency asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Stress and Stress Management · Stress and Stress Management
| Promoting positive health: life skills, assertiveness, hardiness, social support asked 7× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye) asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Effects of stress on health asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Meaning and nature of stress (strain, eustress, types) asked 4× | Board 2023Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Defence mechanisms (ineffective coping) asked 3× | Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Cognitive appraisal of stress (Lazarus) asked 3× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Causes of stress (external and internal) asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Relaxation techniques: biofeedback, yoga and meditation asked 2× | Board 2025Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Stress and performance; burnout asked 2× | Board 2024Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy · Psychological Disorders and Psychotherapy
| Anxiety disorders (GAD, phobia, OCD) asked 12× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| Schizophrenia: symptoms and types asked 9× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Mood disorders (depression, bipolar) asked 9× | Board 2023Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Behaviour therapies (systematic desensitisation, flooding, token economy, shaping, modelling) asked 6× | Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Abnormal behaviour: meaning, perspectives and DSM-IV classification asked 6× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Cognitive therapies (RET, CBT) and psychosocial rehabilitation asked 6× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2025 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Client-centred therapy asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neurodevelopmental and childhood disorders (ADHD, autism, separation anxiety) asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2023 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Psychoanalytic therapy (free association, dream analysis, transference) asked 3× | Board 2023Board 2025Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Personality disorders (antisocial, avoidant, dependent) asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Social Thought and Social Behaviour · Social Thought and Social Behaviour
| Biases in social judgement asked 11× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★★☆ |
| Social norms and conformity (Asch) asked 5× | Board 2026Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Groups: meaning, types and conditions of formation asked 5× | Board 2023Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Obedience (Milgram) asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Attribution and Kelley's theory asked 3× | Sample 2024Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Group polarisation asked 3× | Board 2026Sample 2027 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Social facilitation and social loafing asked 1× | Board 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Attitudes · Attitudes
| Cognitive dissonance asked 5× | Board 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Attitude change through persuasion asked 5× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2023Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Prejudice and discrimination: meaning and causes asked 4× | Board 2023Sample 2023Sample 2024Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Meaning and components of attitude asked 4× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2024 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Resisting prejudice asked 3× | Board 2024Sample 2024Sample 2025 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Formation of attitudes asked 2× | Board 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Psychology in relation to the Environment and Social Concerns · Psychology in relation to the Environment and Social Concerns
| Noise, pollution and crowding asked 8× | Board 2024Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Poverty and deprivation: effects, causes and measures asked 7× | Board 2025Board 2026Sample 2024Sample 2027 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Counselling: meaning, elements and characteristics of a good counsellor asked 5× | Board 2024Board 2025Sample 2024Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Counselling communication skills asked 4× | Board 2026Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Natural disasters and PTSD asked 4× | Board 2024Sample 2025Sample 2026Sample 2027 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Environmental effects on human behaviour asked 3× | Board 2024Board 2026Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Promoting pro-environmental behaviour asked 2× | Sample 2025Sample 2026 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Importance = how often a topic was asked × how recent, with extra weight for the latest official sample paper.