1. Introduction to Psychology

• Definition, nature, and scope of psychology.
• Relation of psychology with other disciplines (biology, sociology, anthropology, etc.).
• Major schools of psychology (Behaviorism, Psychoanalysis, Humanistic Psychology, etc.).

2. Methods of Psychology

• Research methods in psychology: observation, experimentation, survey, case studies.
• Qualitative and quantitative research.
• The scientific method in psychology.
• Ethical issues in psychological research.

3. Biological Basis of Behavior

• Nervous system: Structure and function of neurons.
• Brain structure and its role in behavior (cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla, etc.).
• Hormones and their impact on behavior.
• The role of heredity and environment in shaping behavior.

4. Sensation and Perception

• Sensory organs and the process of sensation.
• Perception: definition and process.
• Factors influencing perception (attention, past experiences, culture, etc.).
• Gestalt principles of perception and perceptual illusions.

5. Learning

• Definition and types of learning (classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning).
• Key theories: Pavlov’s classical conditioning, Skinner’s operant conditioning, Bandura’s social learning theory.
• Applications of learning principles.

6. Memory

• Process of memory: encoding, storage, retrieval.
• Types of memory: sensory, short-term, long-term memory.
• Models of memory (Atkinson-Shiffrin model, working memory model).
• Forgetting and memory distortion (interference, decay, retrieval failure).

7. Motivation and Emotion

• Definition of motivation and theories (drive theory, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation).
• Types of motivation (biological, social, cognitive).
• Emotion: nature, theories (James-Lange theory, Cannon-Bard theory, Schachter-Singer theory).
• Physiological responses to emotion (autonomic nervous system).

8. Personality

• Definition of personality and factors influencing it.
• Theories of personality: Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, Carl Rogers’ humanistic theory, Trait theory (Eysenck’s model, Big Five).
• Personality assessment techniques (self-report, projective tests).

9. Human Development

• Stages of human development: prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age.
• Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.
• Erikson’s psychosocial stages of development.
• Key concepts in development: attachment, language development, moral development.

10. Psychological Disorders

• Definition and classification of psychological disorders.
• Types of disorders: anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, psychotic disorders.
• Causes and treatment approaches (biological, psychological, and social).
• Role of therapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, humanistic therapy).

11. Health Psychology

• Understanding the role of psychology in health and illness.
• Stress: causes, effects, and coping mechanisms.
• Psychological factors affecting physical health.
• Health promotion and disease prevention.

12. Social Psychology

• Definition and scope of social psychology.
• Social influences on behavior: conformity, obedience, persuasion, social facilitation.
• Group behavior and dynamics.
• Attitudes and attitude change.

13. Practical Applications

• Understanding the practical applications of psychological principles in real-life situations (education, work, therapy, etc.).
• Case studies and research work in psychology.