CBSE Class 12 Psychology Sample Paper 2026 27 with Solutions PDF Download

SECTION A

Q1. Identify the assessment method that is an objective and standardised measure of an individual’s mental and/or behavioural characteristics. [1 Mark]
a. Interview
b. Observation
c. Case Study
d. Psychological test

Answer: d. Psychological test

Teacher's Note:
a) The key words are "objective" and "standardised", which describe a psychological test.
b) Interview, observation and case study are also assessment methods, but they are not standardised measures.

Q2. People who are “street-smart" have high ____________ intelligence. [1 Mark]
a. Componential intelligence
b. Experiential intelligence
c. Contextual intelligence
d. Technological intelligence

Answer: c. Contextual intelligence

Teacher's Note:
a) In Sternberg's triarchic theory, contextual (practical) intelligence helps a person deal with everyday life.
b) Such people are called "street-smart" because they adapt well to their environment.

Q3. As individuals we always make some judgment about our own worth. This is called___ [1 Mark]
a. self-efficacy
b. self-concept
c. self-esteem
d.self-regulation

Answer: c. self-esteem

Teacher's Note:
a) The word "worth" is the clue: judging one's own worth is self-esteem.
b) Do not confuse it with self-concept, which is how we see ourselves.

Q4. Kobasa’s concept of hardiness includes all of the following except: [1 Mark]
a. Commitment
b. Control
c. Challenge
d. Character

Answer: d. Character

Teacher's Note:
a) Remember hardiness as the three Cs: Commitment, Control and Challenge.
b) Read the word "except" carefully before choosing.

Q5. Anxiety disorders have been linked to low activity of the neurotransmitter ______. [1 Mark]
a. dopamine
b. serotonin
c. gamma aminobutyric acid
d. cortisol

Answer: c. gamma aminobutyric acid

Teacher's Note:
a) Low activity of GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) is linked with anxiety.
b) Cortisol is a hormone, not a neurotransmitter, so it can be ruled out.

Q6. Attitudes are best described as: [1 Mark]
a. Temporary emotional reactions that have cognitive and affective components
b. A state of the mind, a set of views, or thoughts, regarding some topic.
c. Personality traits which are rooted firmly.
d. Genetic dispositions which are not developed through experiences or social learning

Answer: b. A state of the mind, a set of views, or thoughts, regarding some topic.

Teacher's Note:
a) This is the textbook definition of an attitude.
b) Attitudes are learnt through experience, so they are not temporary reactions or genetic dispositions.

Q7. Identify the stage of group formation, where leadership emerges? [1 Mark]
a. Forming
b. Storming
c. Norming
d. Adjourning

Answer: b. Storming

Teacher's Note:
a) In the storming stage there is conflict among members over who will lead.
b) At the end of this stage a hierarchy of leadership develops.

Q8. A charity organization is trying to encourage donations for children’s education. They create an advertisement which presents statistics and facts about how education improves communities and future job prospects. Which of the following factors is being used to influence attitude change in this advertisement? [1 Mark]
a. attractiveness
b. credibility
c. rational appeal
d. emotional appeal

Answer: c. rational appeal

Teacher's Note:
a) Statistics and facts appeal to reason, so this is a rational appeal.
b) An emotional appeal would try to arouse feelings such as pity or fear instead.

Q9. Given below are two statements labelled as Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Assertion: Behavioural analysis is conducted to find malfunctioning behaviours, the antecedents of faulty learning, and the factors that maintain or continue faulty learning.
Reason: The aim of the treatment in behavioural therapy is to extinguish or eliminate the faulty behaviours and substitute them with adaptive behaviour patterns.
Select the most appropriate answer from the options given below: [1 Mark]
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.

Answer: a. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Teacher's Note:
a) Behavioural analysis finds the faulty behaviours so that the therapy can replace them with adaptive ones.
b) Check each statement first, then ask whether R gives the reason for A.

Q10. Anjali hears voices commenting on her actions when no one is around. This symptom is referred to as: [1 Mark]
a. delusion of reference
b. illusion
c. hallucination
d. obsession

Answer: c. hallucination

Teacher's Note:
a) Hearing voices when there is no stimulus is an auditory hallucination.
b) A delusion is a false belief, not a false perception.

Q11. Given below are two statements labelled as Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Persistent sadness, feelings of worthlessness and loss of interest indicate major depressive disorder.
Reason (R): Major depressive disorder involves a change of self-perception, and the person’s sense of reality is temporarily lost or changed.
Select the most appropriate answer from the options given below: [1 Mark]
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.

Answer: c. A is true but R is false.

Teacher's Note:
a) Sadness, worthlessness and loss of interest are symptoms of major depressive disorder.
b) A temporary loss or change in the sense of reality describes a dissociative disorder, so R is false.

Q12. Santosh has been feeling stressed for a long time due to the competition in the office to acquire the position of senior manager. His therapist started a procedure to manage his stress by monitoring his physiological functions. Identify the technique being used here. [1 Mark]
a. Meditation
b. Creative visualization
c. Biofeedback
d. Cognitive Behaviour Technique

Answer: c. Biofeedback

Teacher's Note:
a) Biofeedback monitors and reduces the physiological aspects of stress by giving feedback on body functions.
b) The clue is "monitoring his physiological functions".

Q13. Which of the following is not true about source traits? [1 Mark]
a. These traits are the building blocks of personality
b. These result from the interaction of surface traits
c. These traits are of opposing tendencies
d. These traits are stable

Answer: b. These result from the interaction of surface traits

Teacher's Note:
a) In Cattell's theory, surface traits result from the interaction of source traits, not the other way round.
b) Source traits are stable building blocks of personality.

Q14. Simi lags behind her peers in language and motor skills. At school the teachers are working on training her in self-care skills and simple social and communication skills. Under which category of intellectual disability is Simi likely to be in? [1 Mark]
a. Mild
b. Moderate
c. Severe
d. Profound

Answer: b. Moderate

Teacher's Note:
a) Children with moderate intellectual disability lag behind in language and motor skills.
b) They can be trained in self-care and simple social and communication skills.

SECTION- B

Q15. What are the reasons for the development of psychological disorders according to Karen Horney? [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. Psychological disorders are caused by disturbed interpersonal relationships during childhood.
2. When parents behave in an indifferent or erratic way, the child feels insecure and develops basic anxiety, which leads to basic hostility towards parents.

Teacher's Note:
a) Any two points are enough for 2 marks.
b) Use the key terms "basic anxiety" and "basic hostility".

Q16. The genocide committed by the Nazis in Germany against Jewish people is an extreme example of mass killing of innocent people. Identify the phenomenon. Explain any one component of the phenomenon reflected in this example. [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. The phenomenon is prejudice, a negative attitude towards a group.
2. Behavioural component: it is seen as discrimination, violence and genocide against Jewish people.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for naming prejudice and 1 mark for explaining one component.
b) The killing is an action, so the behavioural component (discrimination) fits best.

Q17. How do primary groups differ from secondary groups? [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. Primary groups are pre-existing groups with close physical proximity and face to face interaction, for example, the family.
2. Secondary groups are joined by choice and have impersonal and indirect relationships, for example, a political group.

Teacher's Note:
a) Give one feature and one example for each type of group.
b) Remember: primary groups are given, secondary groups are chosen.

Q18. Anjan is undergoing therapy for anxiety. During the sessions, the therapist shares details of Anjan’s problems with Anjan’s colleagues without his permission. Which ethical principle is being violated here? Why is it important to follow this principle in therapy? [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. The principle of confidentiality is being violated.
2. It protects the client’s privacy and builds trust between the client and the therapist.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for naming the principle and 1 mark for its importance.
b) Mention both "privacy" and "trust" in the second part.

Q19(A) Explain any two changes that occurred in the understanding of psychological disorders, during the Renaissance period. [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. There was increased humanism and curiosity about behaviour.
2. Psychological conflict and disturbed interpersonal relationships came to be seen as causes of psychological disorders.

Teacher's Note:
a) Another accepted point: "witches" were no longer seen as evil but as people needing medical treatment.
b) Give exactly two changes, one mark each.

OR

Q19(B) Explain the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive disorder. [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. Obsessive behaviour is the inability to stop thinking about a particular idea or topic.
2. Compulsive behaviour is the need to perform certain behaviours over and over again.

Teacher's Note:
a) Explain both parts, obsession (thoughts) and compulsion (actions), for full marks.
b) Do not just list the words; add what each one means.

SECTION C

Q20. Explain the concept of stress and describe its two major sources. [3 Marks]

Answer:
1. Stress is the pattern of responses an organism makes to a stimulus event that disturbs its equilibrium and exceeds a person’s ability to cope.
2. Life events: major changes in life, such as death, illness or marriage, cause stress.
3. Daily hassles: small everyday problems, such as traffic and deadlines, add up and cause stress.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for the concept and 2 marks for two sources.
b) Traumatic events and environmental stressors (noise, pollution, crowding) are also accepted sources.

Q21. What are substance related and addictive disorders? Explain the consequences of alcohol abuse. [3 Marks]

Answer:
1. Substance related and addictive disorders are maladaptive behaviours resulting from regular and consistent use of a substance, such as alcohol, cocaine, tobacco or opioids.
2. Alcohol abuse interferes with social behaviour and the ability to think and work; intoxicated drivers cause many road accidents.
3. Excessive drinking can seriously damage physical health.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for the meaning and 2 marks for any two consequences.
b) Tolerance, withdrawal and psychological problems in the children of such persons are also accepted consequences.

Q22. Arum belongs to the Jarawa tribe of the Andaman Islands. These tribes largely depend upon hunting and gathering activities. How does the culture of hunting -gathering affect the personality development of a child like Arum? [3 Marks]

Answer:
1. Such nomadic children are allowed enormous freedom to move into forests and learn hunting and gathering skills.
2. Child socialisation practices aim at making children independent and autonomous.
3. Children become achievement-oriented and take risks and challenges from an early age.

Teacher's Note:
a) Each of the three personality outcomes carries 1 mark.
b) Link the traits to the nomadic life of moving from forest to forest in small bands.

Q23 A) Yasmin, a psychologist, finds that children from rural areas score lower than urban children on intelligence tests. Identify the factors that would have influenced these test scores. How can she overcome it? [3 Marks]

Answer:
1. Cultural differences affect intelligence test scores. The test used was probably a verbal test that did not respect the culture of rural students.
2. She can use culture fair tests, such as non-verbal tests like RSPM or performance tests like Koh’s Block Design test.
3. She can also use verbal tests that are based on the culture of the rural population.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for the factor and 2 marks for ways to overcome it.
b) Naming a culture fair test as an example makes the answer stronger.

OR

Q23 B) Aliya scores high on analysis and achievement orientation, whereas Ajay scores high on social and emotional skills. Explain how their intelligence is viewed in Indian culture. [3 Marks]

Answer:
1. Aliya shows cognitive and entrepreneurial competence, while Ajay shows social and emotional competence.
2. Indian culture views intelligence as integral intelligence, which stresses connectivity with the social and world environment.
3. It takes a holistic view, giving equal attention to cognitive and non-cognitive processes and to their integration, so both are seen as intelligent.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for identifying the competencies and 2 marks for explaining integral intelligence.
b) Use the key words "integral" and "holistic".

SECTION D

Q24. Academic achievement is often measured through school marks, yet many individuals succeed in life without excelling academically. Explain this observation with reference to Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. [4 Marks]

Answer: According to Gardner, there are eight types of intelligence. They are independent, but they interact and work together to find a solution to a problem. School marks mainly reflect linguistic and logical-mathematical ability, so a person can succeed using other intelligences:
1. Interpersonal: the skill of understanding the motives, feelings and behaviours of others.
2. Intrapersonal: knowledge of one’s own strengths and limitations and using it to relate effectively to others.
3. Bodily-Kinesthetic: use of the whole body or parts of it for display or construction of products and problem solving.
4. Musical: the capacity to produce, create and manipulate musical patterns.

Teacher's Note:
a) Any four intelligences, explained correctly, earn 1 mark each.
b) Spatial, naturalistic, linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences are also accepted.
c) Link your answer to the observation: success depends on many intelligences, not only school marks.

Q25. Reminder’s parents report that she frequently fidgets, squirms, and lacks concentration. Her teachers have expressed concerns about her inability to complete tasks and participate in classroom activities. Explain the neurodevelopmental disorder being referred to here. [4 Marks]

Answer: The disorder is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Its symptoms are:
1. Inattention: the child cannot concentrate, is disorganised and forgetful, and does not follow instructions.
2. Impulsivity: the child cannot control immediate reactions or think before acting, finds it hard to wait or take turns, and finds it hard to delay gratification; minor mishaps and accidents are common.
3. Hyperactivity: the child is in constant motion, "driven by a motor", always on the go, and talks incessantly.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for naming ADHD and 3 marks for the three features.
b) Link the case: fidgeting shows hyperactivity and lack of concentration shows inattention.

Q26 A) A school promotes cleanliness and students report positive attitudes towards it, yet the campus remains dirty. Does this situation show attitude-behaviour consistency? Explain the factors affecting the attitude-behaviour relationship. [4 Marks]

Answer: No. The situation shows that positive attitudes do not always lead to matching behaviour (as La Pierre's study showed). Behaviour is more likely to match attitude when:
1. The attitude is strong and occupies a central place in the attitude system.
2. The person is aware of her/his attitude.
3. There is very little or no external pressure, such as group pressure, to behave in a particular way.

Teacher's Note:
a) 1 mark for "No" with the reason and 3 marks for any three factors.
b) Other accepted factors: the behaviour is not watched or evaluated by others, and the person expects a positive consequence from the behaviour.

OR

Q26 B) The traffic police uses social media influencers to promote helmet use among two-wheeler riders. Explain this method of attitude change according to Mohsin’s theory. [4 Marks]

Answer: According to Mohsin’s Two-Step Theory, attitude change occurs in two steps:
1. First step - Identification: the target (the riders) likes and regards the source (the influencer) and tries to feel like her/him. The message is first given to popular, respected and trusted influencers.
2. Second step: the source herself/himself shows an attitude change by actually changing her/his behaviour, for example by wearing a helmet. Observing this, the target also changes attitude and behaviour. This is a kind of imitation or observational learning.

Teacher's Note:
a) Each step carries 2 marks, so explain both steps clearly.
b) Use the key words "identification" and "imitation or observational learning".

Q27. ‘The way we cope with stress often depends on rigid deep seated beliefs and also based on our experiences’. Analyse this statement by explaining any two coping strategies with suitable examples. [4 Marks]

Answer:
1. Task-oriented strategy: the person gets information about the stressful situation and the other courses of action and their likely outcomes, decides priorities and deals directly with the stressor.
2. Example: scheduling my time better, or thinking about how I have solved similar problems before.
3. Emotion-oriented strategy: the person tries to keep hope and control emotions, or vents anger and frustration, or decides that nothing can be done.
4. Example: telling myself that it is not really happening to me, or worrying about what I am going to do.

Teacher's Note:
a) Each strategy carries 2 marks: explanation plus a suitable example.
b) Avoidance-oriented strategy (denying or minimising the seriousness of the situation) is also accepted.
c) Problem-focused coping suits controllable stressors; emotion-focused coping suits stressors that cannot be changed.

SECTION E

Q28A Explain the direct methods of personality assessment along with their limitations. Describe any two such tests. [6 Marks]

Answer:
1. Direct methods (self-report measures): Allport suggested that the best way to assess a person is to ask her/him about herself/himself. This led to self-report measures.
2. These are fairly structured measures in which subjects give verbal responses on some kind of rating scale and objectively report their feelings about various items. They are scored in quantitative terms and interpreted on the basis of norms.
3. Limitation - Social desirability: the tendency of respondents to endorse items in a socially desirable manner.
4. Limitation - Acquiescence: the tendency of respondents to agree with items irrespective of their content.
5. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI): developed by Hathaway and McKinley as a helping tool for diagnosing psychopathology. It has 567 statements, and the subject judges each statement as "true" or "false" for her/him.
6. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ): developed by Eysenck, it initially assessed two dimensions of personality, introversion-extraversion and emotional stability-instability. Later a third dimension, psychoticism, was added.

Teacher's Note:
a) Marks: 2 for self-report measures, 2 for limitations and 2 for two tests.
b) Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) is also an accepted test.
c) Keep the answer within 200 words.

OR

Q28 B) Describe the Psychodynamic approach to personality with special emphasis on levels of consciousness and structure of personality. [6 Marks]

Answer:
1. The Psychodynamic approach, proposed by Sigmund Freud, explains personality in terms of unconscious mental processes, inner conflicts and early childhood experiences.
2. Conscious: thoughts, feelings and actions of which people are aware.
3. Preconscious: mental activity of which people may become aware only if they attend to it closely.
4. Unconscious: mental activity that people are unaware of. It holds instinctive drives and unacceptable wishes and desires.
5. Id: the source of a person's instinctual energy. It works on the pleasure principle and seeks immediate gratification.
6. Ego and Superego: the ego grows out of the id and works on the reality principle, meeting the id's needs in socially acceptable ways. The superego is the moral branch of personality; it tells the id and the ego whether gratification is ethical.

Teacher's Note:
a) Marks: 2 for the approach, 2 for the three levels of consciousness and 2 for id, ego and superego.
b) State the working principle of each structure: pleasure (id), reality (ego), morality (superego).

Q29A) Describe Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) as an effective therapy. [6 Marks]

Answer:
1. RET was developed by Albert Ellis. Its central idea is that irrational beliefs mediate between antecedent events and their consequences.
2. The first step is the Antecedent-Belief-Consequence (ABC) analysis.
3. Antecedent events are the stressful events that cause psychological distress.
4. Beliefs are the irrational beliefs about these events, marked by "musts" and "shoulds".
5. Consequences are the negative emotions and behaviours that follow from these beliefs.
6. Process of therapy: irrational beliefs are assessed through questionnaires and interviews. The therapist then challenges them through non-directive questioning, so that the client changes them into rational beliefs.

Teacher's Note:
a) Marks: 1 for the central thesis, 3 for the ABC analysis and 2 for the process of therapy.
b) Expand A, B and C clearly; this carries the most marks.

OR

Q29B) What do you understand by psychotherapy? Explain the factors contributing to healing in psychotherapy. [6 Marks]

Answer:
1. Psychotherapy is a voluntary relationship between the one seeking treatment (the client) and the one who treats (the therapist).
2. Technique: the techniques used by the therapist and their implementation with the client contribute to healing.
3. Therapeutic alliance: the special relationship of trust and support between the therapist and the client helps healing.
4. Catharsis: the release of emotions that the client expresses during therapy is healing in itself.
5. Nonspecific factors - patient variables: the client's motivation for change and expectation of improvement.
6. Nonspecific factors - therapist variables: qualities such as warmth, empathy and positive regard.

Teacher's Note:
a) Marks: 2 for the meaning of psychotherapy and 4 for the four factors.
b) Mention both patient and therapist variables under nonspecific factors.

SECTION F

CASE 1

Read the following passage and answer questions number 30 and 31.

Rahul was never a topper of his class. But today he is a team leader at a marketing firm. He keeps his calm when his team struggles with a tight deadline. He recognises his frustration, takes a moment to breathe, and asks team members how they are feeling. He actively listens to their concerns. Rahul communicates clearly, delegates tasks and offers support. He manages his emotions and stays calm under pressure. He also inspires his team, focuses on shared goals, and creates a supportive environment. As a result, the team feels heard and valued. Collaboration improves, and they meet the deadline with quality work. Rahul fosters trust thus reducing stress leading to positive outcomes in high-pressure situations.

Q30. Identify the kind of intelligence being exhibited by Rahul. [1 Mark]

Answer: Rahul is showing emotional intelligence.

Teacher's Note:
a) Clues: he recognises his frustration, manages his emotions and asks how others feel.
b) Keep the answer within 20 words.

Q31. Identify the characteristics of Rahul’s intelligence that makes him a good team leader. [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. He can monitor his own and others’ emotions and discriminate among them.
2. He uses this information to guide his thinking and actions.

Teacher's Note:
a) Each characteristic carries 1 mark.
b) Support each point with a line from the case, such as staying calm and listening to the team.

CASE 2

Read the following passage and answer question number 32 and 33.

The viral video on social media of a person, allegedly stealing a phone, sparked instant outrage. Some people labelled the person as a criminal and demanded harsh punishment. While others defended him, calling for a fair investigation. The groups started taking extreme views with some calling for physical punishment and revealing the person’s identity. Others blamed the accusers of mob mentality. As the debate raged on social media, the groups took extreme positions. Each side saw the other as "pro-crime" or "anti-victim", and moderate voices got drowned out. The arguments on social media reinforced each side's views, leading to a heightened sense of ‘Us vs Them’. The situation escalated to the point where authorities had to intervene to prevent real-world clashes.

Q32. Identify the phenomenon being discussed in the above paragraph. [1 Mark]

Answer: The phenomenon is group polarisation.

Teacher's Note:
a) The clue is that both groups moved to more extreme positions over time.
b) Keep the answer within 20 words.

Q33. Give any two reasons that lead to this phenomenon. [2 Marks]

Answer:
1. In the company of like-minded people, one hears newer arguments that favour one's own viewpoint.
2. Bandwagon effect: when people see many others holding the same view, they also accept it.

Teacher's Note:
a) The ingroup-outgroup phenomenon ("Us vs Them") is also an accepted reason.
b) Give exactly two reasons, one mark each.