TN TRB Assistant Professor Syllabus – PSYCHOLOGY
Introduction
The TN TRB Assistant Professor Psychology Syllabus serves as a detailed guide for aspirants preparing for the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) examination. This syllabus covers key areas such as general psychology, cognitive processes, developmental psychology, social behavior, personality, and research methodology. It is designed to test the candidate’s knowledge of fundamental psychological theories, experimental methods, and their application in understanding human behavior. By following the syllabus, candidates can plan their preparation effectively and gain the subject clarity required for teaching and academic roles in psychology.
College TRB Assistant Professor Psychology Syllabus
UNIT – 1 : Emergence of Psychology
Psychological thought in some major Eastern Systems: Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Sufism and Integral Yoga. Academic psychology in India: Pre-independence era; post-independence era; 1970s: The move to addressing social issues; 1980s: Indigenization; 1990s: Paradigmatic concerns, disciplinary identity crisis; 2000s: Emergence of Indian psychology in academia. Issues: The colonial encounter; Post colonialism and psychology; Lack of distinct disciplinary identity. Western: Greek heritage, medieval period and modern period. Structuralism, Functionalism, Psychoanalytical, Gestalt, Behaviorism, Humanistic–Existential, Trans personal, Cognitive revolution, Multiculturalism. Four founding paths of academic psychology–Wundt, Freud, James, Dilthey. Issues: Crisis in psychology due to strict adherence to experimental-analytical paradigm (logical empiricism). Indic influences on modern psychology. Essential aspects of knowledge paradigms: Ontology, epistemology, and methodology. Paradigms of Western Psychology: Positivism, Post-Positivism, Critical perspective, Social Constructionism, Existential Phenomenology, and Co-operative Enquiry. Paradigmatic Controversies. Significant Indian paradigms on psychological knowledge: Yoga, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism, Sufism, and Integral Yoga. Science and spirituality (avidya and vidya). The primacy of self-knowledge in Indian psychology.
UNIT – 2 : Research Methodology and Statistics
Research: Meaning, Purpose, and Dimensions. Research problems, Variables and Operational Definitions, Hypothesis, Sampling. Ethics in conducting and reporting research. Paradigms of research: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed methods approach. Methods of research: Observation, Survey [Interview, Questionnaires], Experimental, Quasi experimental, Field studies, Cross-Cultural Studies, Phenomenology, Grounded theory, Focus groups, Narratives, Case studies, Ethnography. Statistics in Psychology: Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion. Normal Probability Curve. Parametric [t-test] and Non-parametric tests [Sign Test, Wilcoxon Signed rank test, Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Friedman]. Power analysis. Effect size. Correlational Analysis: Correlation [Product Moment, Rank Order],Partial correlation, multiple correlation. Special Correlation Methods: Biserial, Point biserial, tetrachoric, phi coefficient. Regression: Simple linear regression, Multiple regression. Factor analysis: Assumptions, Methods, Rotation and Interpretation. Experimental Designs: ANOVA [One-way, Factorial], Randomized Block Designs, Repeated Measures Design, Latin Square, Cohort studies, Time series, MANOVA, ANCOVA. Single- subject designs.
UNIT – 3 : Psychological testing
Types of tests, Test construction: Item writing, item analysis, Test standardization: Reliability, validity and Norms, Areas of testing: Intelligence, creativity, neuropsychological tests, aptitude, Personality assessment, interest inventories, Attitude scales – Semantic differential, Staples, Likert scale. Computer-based psychological testing, Applications of psychological testing in various settings: Clinical, Organizational and business, Education, Counseling, Military Career guidance.
UNIT – 4 : Biological basis of behavior
Sensory systems: General and specific sensations, receptors and processes. Neurons: Structure, functions, types, neural impulse, synaptic transmission, Neurotransmitters. The Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems – Structure and functions, Neuro plasticity. Methods of Physiological Psychology: Invasive methods – Anatomical methods, degeneration techniques, lesion techniques, chemical methods, micro electrode studies. Non-invasive methods – EEG, Scanning methods. Muscular and Glandular system: Types and functions, Biological basis of Motivation: Hunger, Thirst, Sleep and Sex. Biological basis of emotion: The Limb system, Hormonal regulation of behavior. Genetics and behavior: Chromosomal anomalies; Nature-Nurture controversy [Twin studies and adoption studies]
UNIT – 5 : Attention, Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting
Attention: Forms of attention, Models of attention. Perception: Approaches to the Study of Perception: Gestalt and physiological approaches. Perceptual Organization: Gestalt, Figure and Ground, Law of Organization Perceptual Constancy: Size, Shape, and Color; Illusions. Perception of Form, Depth and Movement Role of motivation and learning in perception. Signal detection theory: Assumptions and applications. Subliminal perception and related factors, information processing approach to perception, culture and perception, perceptual styles, Pattern recognition, Ecological perspective on perception. Learning Process. Fundamental theories: Thorndike, Guthrie, Hull. Classical Conditioning: Procedure, phenomena and related issues, Instrumental learning. Phenomena, Paradigms and theoretical issues; Reinforcement: Basic variables and schedules; Behaviour modification and its applications. Cognitive approaches in learning: Latent learning, observational learning. Verbal learning and Discrimination learning. Recent trends in learning: Neuro physiology of learning Memory and Forgetting. Memory processes: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval. Stages of memory: Sensory memory, Short-term memory (Working memory), Long-term Memory (Declarative – Episodic and Semantic; Procedural). Theories of Forgetting: Interference, Retrieval Failure, Decay, Motivated forgetting.
UNIT – 6 : Thinking, Intelligence and Creativity
Theoretical perspectives on thought processes: Associationism, Gestalt, Information processing, Feature integration model. Concept formation: Rules, Types, and Strategies; Role of concepts in thinking Types of Reasoning. Language and thought. Problem solving: Type, Strategies, and Obstacles Decision – making: Types and models.Metacognition: Metacognitive knowledge and Metacognitive regulation. Intelligence: Spearman; Thurstone; Jensen; Cattell; Gardner; Stenberg; Goleman; Das, Kar & Parrila. Creativity: Torrance, Getzels & Jackson, Guilford, Wallach & Kogan Relationship between Intelligence and Creativity.
UNIT – 7 : Personality, Motivation, emotion, stress and coping
Determinants of personality: Biological and socio-cultural. Approaches to the study of personality: Psychoanalytical, Neo-Freudian, Social learning, Trait and Type, Cognitive, Humanistic, Existential, Transpersonal psychology. Other theories: Rotter’s Locus of Control, Seligman’s Explanatory styles, Kohlberg’s theory of Moral development. Basic motivational concepts: Instincts, Needs, Drives, Arousal, Incentives, Motivational Cycle. Approaches to the study of motivation: Psychoanalytical, Ethological, S-R Cognitive, Humanistic Exploratory behavior and curiosity Zuckerman’s Sensation seeking Achievement, Affiliation and Power Motivational Competence Self-regulation Flow Emotions: Physiological correlates Theories of emotions: James-Lange, Canon-Bard, Schachter and Singer, Lazarus, Lindsley. Emotion regulation Conflicts: Sources and types Stress and Coping: Concept, Models, Type A, B, C, D behaviors, Stress management strategies [Biofeedback, Music therapy, Breathing exercises, Progressive Muscular Relaxation, Guided Imagery, Mindfulness, Meditation, Yogasana, Stress Inoculation Training].
UNIT – 8 : Social Psychology
Nature, scope and history of social psychology. Traditional theoretical perspectives: Field theory, Cognitive Dissonance, Sociobiology, Psychodynamic Approaches, Social Cognition. Social perception [Communication, Attributions]; attitude and its change within cultural context; prosocial behavior. Group and Social influence [Social Facilitation; Social loafing]; Social influence [Conformity, Peer Pressure, Persuasion, Compliance, Obedience, Social Power, Reactance]. Aggression. Group dynamics, leadership style and effectiveness. Theories of intergroup relations [Minimal Group Experiment and Social Identity Theory, Relative Deprivation Theory, Realistic Conflict Theory, Balance Theories, Equity Theory, Social Exchange Theory]. Applied social psychology: Health, Environment and Law; Personal space, crowding, and territoriality.
UNIT – 9 : Human Development and Interventions
Developmental processes: Nature, Principles, Factors in development, Stages of Development. Successful aging. Theories of development: Psychoanalytical, Behavioristic, and Cognitive Various aspects of development: Sensory-motor, cognitive, language, emotional, social and moral. Psychopathology: Concept, Mental Status Examination, Classification, Causes Psychotherapies: Psychoanalysis, Person-centered, Gestalt, Existential, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Behavior therapy, REBT, CBT, MBCT, Play therapy, Positive psychotherapy, Transactional Analysis, Dialectic behavior therapy, Art therapy, Performing Art therapy, Family therapy. Applications of theories of motivation and learning in School Factors in educational achievement. Teacher effectiveness. Guidance in schools: Needs, organizational set up and techniques Counselling: Process, skills, and techniques.
UNIT – 10 : Emerging Areas
Issues of Gender, Poverty, Disability, and Migration: Cultural bias and discrimination. Stigma, Marginalization, and Social Suffering; Child Abuse and Domestic violence. Peace psychology: Violence, non-violence, conflict resolution at macro level, role of media in conflict resolution. Wellbeing and self-growth: Types of well being [Hedonic and Eudemonic], Character strengths, Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth. Health: Health promoting and health compromising behaviors, Life style and Chronic diseases [Diabetes, Hypertension, Coronary Heart Disease], Psycho neuro immunology [Cancer, HIV / AIDS]. Psychology and technology interface: Digital learning; Digital etiquette: Cyber bullying; Cyber pornography: Consumption, implications; Parental mediation of Digital Usage.
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Conclusion
The Psychology syllabus for the TN TRB Assistant Professor exam helps candidates focus on the most important areas of the subject and prepare with confidence. With consistent study and conceptual understanding, aspirants can perform well in the examination and move closer to achieving their goal of becoming an Assistant Professor. This syllabus not only supports academic preparation but also builds deeper insights into the study of mind, behavior, and human development — core elements of psychology as a discipline.
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