Psychology and Sufism Quiz

UGC NET Psychology Checklist

• Emergence of Psychology
  • Eastern Systems: Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Sufism, Integral Yoga
  • Indian Psychology: Pre- and post-independence periods, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
  • Western Psychology: Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, Humanistic, Cognitive, Multiculturalism
  • Founders: Wundt, Freud, James, Dilthey
  • Paradigms: Positivism, Post-positivism, Social Constructionism, Existential Phenomenology, Indian paradigms
• Research Methodology
  • Research problems, Variables, Hypotheses, Sampling, Ethics
  • Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed methods
  • Observation, Survey, Experimental, Case Studies, Ethnography
  • Measures of central tendency and dispersion, Normal Probability Curve
  • Parametric tests (t-test, Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis), Non-parametric tests (Sign Test)
  • Correlation (Product Moment, Rank Order, Partial, Multiple), Regression (Simple, Multiple)
  • ANOVA, MANOVA, ANCOVA, Factor Analysis
• Statistics
  • Types of tests, Test construction (item writing, analysis)
  • Reliability, Validity, Norms
• Psychological Testing
  • Intelligence, Creativity, Aptitude, Personality, Neuropsychological tests
  • Attitude Scales: Likert, Semantic Differential, Stapel
  • Applications: Clinical, Organizational, Education, Counseling, Military
• Biological Basis of Behavior
  • Neurons, Synaptic transmission, CNS/PNS, Neuroplasticity
  • Motivation: Hunger, Thirst, Sleep, Sex; Emotion: Limbic System, Hormonal regulation
  • Genetics: Chromosomal anomalies, Nature-Nurture studies
  • Methods: Invasive (Lesions, Degeneration), Non-invasive (EEG, Scans)
• Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory, Forgetting
  • Attention: Models (Broadbent, Treisman)
  • Perception: Gestalt, Illusions, Perceptual constancy, Depth, Subliminal perception
  • Learning: Thorndike, Classical/Operant Conditioning, Observational Learning
  • Memory: Sensory, STM, LTM (episodic, semantic), Forgetting theories (Interference, Decay, Motivated forgetting)
• Thinking, Intelligence, Creativity
  • Intelligence Theories: Spearman, Gardner, Goleman, Thurstone
  • Creativity: Torrance, Guilford, Getzels

Preparation Schedule

• Day 1: Emergence of Psychology (Indian & Western Perspectives, Paradigms)
• Day 2: Research Basics (Sampling, Variables, Ethics) + Observation & Survey Methods
• Day 3: Statistics (Central Tendency, Normal Probability Curve, Parametric/Non-parametric tests)
• Day 4: Correlation, Regression, Experimental Designs
• Day 5: Psychological Testing + Applications
• Day 6: Biological Basis (CNS, PNS, Neurotransmitters, Motivation, Emotion)
• Day 7: Attention, Perception, Memory
• Day 8: Learning Theories + Forgetting Theories
• Day 9: Thinking, Intelligence, Creativity
• Day 10: Personality, Motivation, Stress
• Day 11: Social Psychology
• Day 12: Human Development & Psychotherapies
• Day 13: Emerging Areas + Mock Tests
• Day 14: Full Syllabus Revision + Mock Tests

Emergence of Psychology

• The roots of Eastern influence on Western thought trace back to the 4th century BC.
• Renowned psychologists such as Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, William James, and Erich Fromm have drawn inspiration from ancient Eastern wisdom.

Bhagavad Gita

• Part of the Mahabharata, specifically in the Bhishma Parva.
• Composed of 18 chapters (Yogas) and 701 verses (slokas).
• Dialogue between Lord Krishna (divine intellect) and Arjuna (individual self).
• Set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
• Key chapters: Arjuna Vishada Yoga (Arjuna's existential crisis).

Core Themes (Bhagavad Gita)

• Moksha Sanyasa Yoga (Renunciation): Inner conflict resolution and liberation.
• Dharma (Duty): Ethical, responsible, and selfless actions.
• Karmayoga (Path of Action): Selfless action without attachment to outcomes.
• Jnanayoga (Path of Knowledge): Self-realization and understanding the true self.
• Bhaktiyoga (Path of Devotion): Devotion and surrender to a higher power.

Four Noble Truths (Buddhism)

• Dukkha (Suffering): Inherent in life.
• Samudaya (Origin of Suffering): Driven by craving and desire.
• Nirodha (Cessation of Suffering): achieved by overcoming attachments and cravings.
• Magga (Path to Cessation): Following the Eightfold Path for freedom.

Four Stages of Spiritual Growth (Sufism)

• Shariah (Religious Law): Foundation of morality and ethics.
• Tariqah (The Path): Focus on inner devotion, meditation, and prayers.
• Haqiqah (Truth): Direct realization of divine presence.
• Marifah (Gnosis): Personal spiritual experiences.

Integral Yoga

• Ancient Indian philosophy unifying body, mind, and soul.
• Combines physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation for holistic development.
• Key types: Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga

Psychology of Yoga

• Offers a framework for mental well-being focusing on mind and self-discipline.
• Stages of mind: Ksipta (Restless), Mudha (Torpid), Viksipta (Distracted), Ekagra (Concentrated), Niruddha (Controlled).

Five Stages of Citta (Mind)

• Ksipta (Restless): Distracted, hyperactive state.
• Mudha (Torpid): Dull, lethargic.
• Viksipta(Distracted): Between focus and distraction
• Ekagra (Concentrated): Focused and calm
• Niruddha (Controlled): Highest state of inner peace.

Academic Psychology in India

• Increased enrollment in psychology programs.
• Dynamic research across various areas (clinical, social, developmental, cognitive, and educational).
• Strong support systems (e.g., ICSSR, ICMR).
• Establishment of research institutes.
• Robust international collaboration and cross-cultural studies.
• Growing focus on indigenous perspectives.
• Heightened mental health consciousness.

Post-Independence Era (1950s -1960s)

• Significant increase in academic psychology.
• Government investment in higher education, establishment of psychology departments.
• Questioning of Western theories, development of Indian psychology.
• Explored traditional mind-body practices for mental health
• Formation of Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR)

Indigenization Movement (1990s)

• Growing movement toward localization of psychology.
• Emergence of indigenous psychology.
• Development of new theories using traditional practices (yoga, meditation).
• Renewed interest in Indian philosophy and religion for psychological applications.

Paradigmatic Concerns and Identity Crisis (2000s)

• Challenges in reconciling traditional Western approaches with culturally sensitive methods.
• Desire for a distinction between Western and Indian schools of thought.

Colonial Encounter:

• Cultural imposition.
• Loss of cultural identity.
• Economic exploitation.
• Complex impact on both colonizers and colonized.
• Postcolonialism examination of legacies of colonialism.
• Critique of western psychological theories and how they were imposed.
• Cultural biases in Western Psychology

Ancient Greek Philosophers

• Socrates (469–399 BCE): Virtue and self-awareness through understanding thoughts and actions.
• Plato (427-347 BCE): Proposed the tripartite soul (reason, will, appetite); emphasized the importance of ideas over sensory experiences.
• Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Introduced the importance of empirical methods; rejected innate knowledge. emphasized experience-based learning.

Hippocrates (460-370 BCE):

• Father of Medicine”
• Proposed the four humors (blood, yellow bile, black bile, phlegm) theory of personality and health, influenced medical thought.

Rene Descartes (1596-1650):

• Mind-Body Dualism: Proposed that the mind and body are distinct entities but interact through the pineal gland.

John Locke (1632-1704):

• Tabula Rasa (Blank Slate): Argued that the mind is a blank slate at birth, with all knowledge derived from experience and sensory input. This was a key contribution to Empiricism.

Structuralism:

• Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener.
• Introspection (systematic self-observation) as a primary method.
• Focused on breaking down consciousness into basic elements (sensations, feelings, and images).

Functionalism:

• William James (often considered the "Father of Pragmatism").
• Focused on functions (purpose) of mental processes enabling adaptation to the environment.
• Emphasized the stream of consciousness.

Gestalt Psychology:

• Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Köhler.
• Emphasized the importance of the “whole” and the organization of sensory information.
• Developed principles to explain how we perceive patterns, forms, and wholes (e.g., proximity, similarity, closure).

Psychoanalysis:

• Sigmund Freud
• Proposed a tripartite personality structure (id, ego, superego) and psychosexual stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital).
• Focused on unconscious drives, early childhood experiences, and conflicts in shaping behavior

Methods:

• Free Association: Encouraging patients to speak freely about their thoughts/feelings.
• Dream Analysis: Interpreting symbolic meaning in dreams.
• Transference: Analyzing client emotions/feelings in relation to the therapist.
• Counter-transference: Analyzing therapist emotions/feelings in relation to client.
• Resistance: Noticing when clients resist certain topics in therapy.

Behaviorism

• John Watson, B.F Skinner
• Emphasized observable behaviors (not internal mental states).
• Focused on conditioning (classical and operant) to explain learning and behavior.

Humanism:

• Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow
• Emphasized the importance of free will, personal growth, and self-actualization.
• Introduced concepts like self-concept, unconditional positive regard, and the hierarchy of needs.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

• Arranged needs in a hierarchical pyramid.
• Starts with basic physiological needs like air, food, and shelter and progresses to safety, belonging, esteem, and lastly self-actualization.

Test your knowledge on the interconnections between psychology and Sufism, including the Eightfold Path and Yoga. This quiz covers key concepts, important figures, and theories within these disciplines. See how well you understand the principles of functionalism, structuralism, and critical perspectives in psychology.