CBSE Class 12 Psychology Psychology And Life Assignment

Question. What do you understand by the term ‘environment’? Explain the different perspectives to understand the human-environment relationship.
Answer. Natural environment is part of nature untouched by human hand while environment created by human beings is called built environment. Cities, offices, bridges, roads, dams are examples of built environment.

The various perspectives of dealing with the environment according to Stokols are:
(i) Minimalistic perspective assumes that physical environment has minimal or negligible influence on human behaviour, health and well-being.
(ii) Instrumental perspective assumes that physical environment exists for their comfort and well-being.
(iii) Spiritual perspective refers to environment as something to be respected or valued rather than exploited.

Question. “Human beings affect and are affected by the environment”. Explain this statement with the help of examples.
Answer. Human beings influence environment on one or the other of the following ways:
(i) They have started building houses by changing natural environment for shelter.
(ii) Use of appliances such as refrigerators and ACs generate gases that pollute air which might cause deadly diseases such as cancer.
(iii) Smoking, burning of plastics and metal articles have disastrous polluting effects.
(iv) Deforestation disrupt the carbon and water cycle which affect the pattern of rainfall and increase soil erosion.
(v) Industrial wastes have negative physical and psychological consequences.
(vi) Noise pollution, crowding and natural disasters are examples of environmental stressors that create stress in human beings.

The environmental effects on human behaviour are
(i) Environmental influences on perception: It has been observed that people living in circular huts show less error in Muller-Lyer illusion than people living in houses with angular walls.
(ii) Environmental influences on emotions: Living in the heart of nature has a positive effect on emotions while people suffering from natural disasters might show Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
(iii) Ecological influences on occupation, living style and attitudes: Members of an agricultural society develop an attitude of cooperativeness, and consider group interests more important than individual wishes, are closer to nature and are dependent on natural events. Members of industralised society are less close and less dependent on nature, value independent thinking develop an attitude of competitiveness and have personal control.

Question. What is noise? Discuss the effects of noise on human behaviour.
Answer. Any annoying or irritating sound or exposure to noise can create unpleasant mood, hearing loss, negative effects on mental activity due to lack of concentration. The effects of noise on human behaviour are:
(i) Simple task: When the task being performed is a simple mental task such as addition of numbers, noise does not affect overall performance whether it is loud or soft. In such situations, people adapt or ‘get used’ to noise.
(ii) Interesting task: If the task being performed is very interesting, the presence of noise does not affect performance.
(iii) Predictability of noise: When the noise comes at intervals and in an unpredictable way, it is experienced more disturbing than if the noise is continuously present.
(iv) Difficulty of task: When the task being performed is difficult, or requires full concentration, then intense, unpredictable, and uncontrollable noise reduces the level of task performance.
(v) Controllability of noise: When tolerating or switching off the noise is within the control of the person, the number of errors in task performance decreases.
(vi) Intensity of noise: Above a certain level noise can lead to annoyance or even sleep disturbances.
(vii) Emotional effects of loud noise: Noise above a certain level causes annoyance, and can also lead to sleep disturbance.

Question. What is pro-environmental behaviour? How can the environment be protected from pollution? Suggest some strategies.
Answer. Pro-environmental behaviour includes both actions that are meant to protect the environment from problems, and to promote a healthy environment.
Ways to promote pro-environmental behavior are:
(i) Reducing air pollution by keeping vehicles in good condition, or changing to nonfuel driven vehicles, stopping the practice of smoking.
(ii) Reducing noise pollution by discouraging needless honking on the road, making rules regarding noisy music at certain hours.
(iii) Managing disposal of garbage by encouraging separation of biodegradable waste or composting of kitchen waste. Special attention to be paid to the management of industrial and hospital waste.
(iv) Planting trees and ensuring their care.
(v) Saying ‘no’ to plastics in order to reduce toxic wastes that pollute water, air and soil.
(vi) Reducing non-biodegradable packaging of consumer goods.

Question. How is ‘poverty’ related to ‘discrimination’? Explain the major psychological effects of poverty and deprivation.
Answer. Discrimination refers to behaviour due to prejudice, which makes a distinction between rich and the poor, favouring the rich and advantaged over the poor and the disadvantaged. Distinction is seen in matters of interaction, education and employment. Thus, even if the poor or disadvantaged have the capability, they are kept away from opportunities that are enjoyed by the rest of society. The children of the poor do not get a chance to study in good schools, or get good health facilities, and employment. Discrimination prevents the poor from improving their socio-economic condition through their own efforts, and this makes the poor even poorer. In short, poverty and discrimination are related in such a way that discrimination becomes both a cause and a consequence of poverty.
The effects of poverty and deprivation are:
(i) The poor have low aspirations and low achievement motivation and high need for dependence. They explain their successes in terms of luck or fate rather than anxiety or hard work.
(ii) The poor and deprived have low self-esteem, are high on anxiety and introversion, dwell on the immediate present rather than the future. They prefer smaller immediate rewards rather than larger ones. They live with a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, feel injustice and experience a loss of identity.
(iii) The poor and deprived exhibit an attitude of resentment towards the rest of the society.
(iv) Intellectual functioning and performance on cognitive tasks is low.
(v) The poor are more likely to suffer from mental illness due to constant worries about basic necessities, feelings of insecurity and inability to get medical facilities. The poor suffer from emotional and adjustment problems due to their experience of a sense of hopelessness and loss of identity as though they do not belong to society.

CBSE Class 12 Psychology Chapter 8 Psychology And Life Objective Type Questions 

Question. The perspective which refers to the view of the environment as something to be respected and valued rather than exploited is
(a) Instrumental perspective
(b) Spiritual perspective
(c) Minimalist perspective
(d) Social perspective
Answer. B

Question. Some examples of environmental stressors are
(a) noise
(b) pollution
(c) crowding
(d) all of the above
Answer. C

Question. An overt behaviour intended to hurt someone either physically or verbally is
(a) jealousy
(b) envy
(c) aggression
(d) none of these
Answer. C

Question. The ability to mentally deal with high density or crowded environment refers to
(a) crowding tolerance
(b) personal space
(c) social disadvantage
(d) mob behaviour
Answer. A

Question. People growing up in a large family that lives in a small house develop _____________ tolerance.
Answer. Crowding

Question. Physical environment exists mainly for use by human beings for their comfort is suggested by _______________ perspective.
Answer. Instrumental

Question. _____________ is the comfortable physical space one generally likes to maintain around oneself.
Answer. Personal space

Question. When you are interacting with a close fiend or relative, you maintain a distance of about 18 inches to 4 feet. This distance is called _____________.
Answer. Personal distance

Question. Forceful destructive behaviour towards another person or object is described as_____________.
Answer. Violence

CBSE Class 12 Psychology Chapter 8 Psychology And Life Very Short Answer Questions

Question. What is ecology?
Answer. Ecology is the study of relationships between living beings and their environment.

Question. What do you understand by the term environment?
Answer. The word ‘environment’ refers to all that is around us, literally everything that surrounds us including the physical, social, work and cultural environment.

Question. What is density?
Answer. Density is the number of persons within the available space. For example, if there are fifteen persons trying to squeeze into four seats in a railway compartment, each person is likely to experience crowding while the same fifteen persons in a large hall do no experience crowding.

Question. What is crowding tolerance? 
Answer. Crowding tolerance refers to the ability to mentally deal with a high density or crowded environment. For example, individuals growing up in a large family that lives in a small house develop more crowding tolerance than people who are used to only a few persons around them.

Question. What is competition tolerance?
Answer. Competition tolerance is the ability in a situation in which individuals have to compete with others for even basic resources including physical space.

Question. What is personal space? 
Answer. Personal space is the comfortable physical space one generally likes to maintain around oneself. Personal space can vary between people, between situations and between cultures.

Question. What is aggression?
Answer. Aggression refers to behaviour that is intended to cause harm to others. It is demonstrated through harsh words or criticism or hostile feelings against others. For example, a bully slaps a new student in school to snatch his chocolate.

Question. What is poverty?
Answer. Poverty is a condition in which there is a lack of necessities of life such as food, clothing and shelter in the context of unequal distribution of wealth in society.

Question. Differentiate between poverty and deprivation.
Answer. Poverty refers to an actual shortage of resources necessary for living. Deprivation is a state of perceiving or thinking that one has got less than what one should have got. The situation of the poor is worsened if they also experience deprivation, in reality usually the poor also feel deprived.

Question. What is discrimination? 
OR
Explain discrimination in the context of poverty.
Answer. (i) Discrimination refers to behaviour due to prejudice, which makes a distinction between rich and the poor, favouring the rich and advantaged over the poor and the disadvantaged. Distinction is seen in matters of interaction, education and employment.
(ii) Thus, even if the poor or disadvantaged have the capability, they are kept away from opportunities that are enjoyed by the rest of society. The children of the poor do not get a chance to study in good schools, or get good health facilities, and employment. In short, poverty and discrimination are related in such a way that discrimination becomes both a cause and a consequence of poverty.

CBSE Class 12 Psychology Chapter 8 Psychology And Life Short Answer Questions-I

Question. Describe the various perspectives of dealing with the environment.
Answer. The various perspectives of dealing with the environment according to Stokols are:
(i) Minimalistic perspective assumes that physical environment has minimal or negligible influence on human behaviour, health and well-being.
(ii) Instrumental perspective assumes that physical environment exists for their comfort and well-being.
(iii) Spiritual perspective refers to environment as something to be respected or valued rather than exploited.

Question. Explain the concept of Non-violence as given by Mahatma Gandhi.
Answer. The religion of non-violence is not meant for the rishis or saints. It is meant for the common people as well. Non-violence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute. Non-violence does not require any outside or outward training. It simply requires the will not to kill even in retaliation and the courage to face death without revenge.With satya (truth) combined with ahimsa (non-violence), you can bring the world under your feet. Satyagrah in its essence is nothing but the introduction of truth and gentleness in the political, i.e., national life. By its very nature, non-violence cannot seize power, nor can that be its goal. However, non-violence can do more; it can effectively control and guide power without capturing the machinery of government.

Question. Describe the factors associated with health and well-being.
Answer. The factors associated with health and well being are:
(i) Cognitions: People seek a doctor’s help while others do not. The variations in seeking help are due to differences is mental representations people more relating to disease, its severity and the causes of disease. The level of awareness or informations about disease; and beliefs about how it is caused, and about possible ways of relieving the distress or improving health affect help seeking behaviour.
(ii) Behaviour: Our life-styles greatly influence our health. Reverting to smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, unsafe sexual behaviour due to stress result in diseases. Various psychological techniques are being used today to alternate stress and thus modify behaviour.
(iii) Social and cultural factors: Social and cultural norms associated with roles and gender etc. greatly influence our health behaviour. For example, in Indian society medical advice for a female is delayed because of various reasons.

Question. How does television viewing affect human behaviour?
Answer. (i) Television provides a large amount of infotainment in an attractive form. Children spend huge amounts of time watching them. They have effect on children’s ability to concentrate on one target, their creativity and ability to understand, and also their social interactions.
(ii) There are excellent programmes that emphasise positive interpersonal attitudes and provide factual information, teaching children how to design and construct certain objects.
(iii) On the other hand, television viewing reduces children’s habit of reading and writing, and also their outdoor activities such as playing. The programmes also interfere with their ability to concentrate on one target. Also watching violence on television is linked to great aggressiveness in the viewers. But at the same time, studies show watching violence may actually reduce the natural aggressive tendency of the viewers. What is ‘bottled up’ gets an outlet, and thus cleans the system, like a choked drain pipe being cleaned. This process is called catharsis. It has been observed that in the case of both adults and children, a consumerist attitude has devloped and this is due to television watching. Numerous products are advertised and its very natural for the viewers to get carried away.

CBSE Class 12 Psychology Chapter 8 Psychology And Life Short Answer Questions-II 

Question. What measures can be taken for poverty alleviation?
Answer. Reduction of poverty and its negative consequences can be attained by:
(i) Breaking the poverty cycle and helping the poor to attain self-sufficiency by providing financial relief, medical and other facilities.
(ii) Preventing the poor from taking responsibility rather then the blame for poverty and hence regain a sense of hope, control and identity.
(iii) Providing educational and employment opportunities.
(iv) Taking measures to improve not only physical health but also mental health.
(v) Making the poor more powerful, capable of living independently and not depending on help given by others.

Question. Differentiate between instrumental aggression and hostile aggression.
Answer. Instrumental aggression is an act of aggression meant to obtain a certain goal or object. For example a bully slaps a new student in school to snatch his chocolate. Hostile aggression is expression of anger causing harm but not to obtain anything from the victim. For example, a criminal may beat up a person in the community for mentioning his name to the police.

Question. State the strategies for reducing aggression and violence.
Answer. The following are the various ways of reducing aggression and violence:
(i) Parents and teachers should not encourage or reward aggression in any form.
(ii) Opportunities to observe or imitate aggressive models should be reduced drastically.
(iii) Imparting social justice and equality in society may help in reducing frustration and hence reduce aggression.
(iv) A positive attitude towards peace should be inculcated.

CBSE Class 12 Psychology Chapter 8 Psychology And Life Long Answer Questions

Question. Give the effects of crowding on human behaviour.
OR
Explain the major consequences of crowding. 
Answer. (i) Crowding and high density may lead to abnormal behavior and aggression. For example, rats in a highly populated enclosed space show aggressive behaviour such as biting the tails of other rats.
(ii) Crowding leads to lowered performance on different tasks that involve cognitive processes and has adverse effects on memory and emotional state.
(iii) Children growing up in very crowded households show lower academic performance and experience greater conflict with their parents.
(iv) The nature of social interaction determines the degree to which an individual will react to crowding. For example, if the interaction is a party, the presence of large number of people does not cause stress.
(v) In cultures that emphasize the importance of the group or collectivity over the individual, the presence of large number of people is not considered undesirable while in cultures where individualism is given more importance, crowding is experienced as stressful.

Question. What are the measures taken to avoid devastating consequences of traumatic events?
Answer. The measures taken to avoid devastating consequences of traumatic events are :
(i) Warnings: When some natural disaster such as a flood is likely or cyclones or high tide is predicted, fishermen are asked not to venture into the sea.
(ii) Safety measures: Tips are given beforehand. For example, what to do when there is an earthquake.
(iii) Treatment of psychological disorders
(a) This involves providing material relief in the form of food, clothing, medical help, shelter and financial help.
(b) The next step involves counselling by encouraging the victims to talk about their experiences and emotional state. This can be done by providing psychiatric help to those showing extreme stress reactions.
(c) Rehabilitation in the form of employment and a gradual return to normal routine should be undertaken.
(d) Last but not the least, follow-up of the victims and survivors is needed to ensure that they have indeed recovered sufficiently from their traumatic experience.

Question. Suggest the ways to promote pro-environmental behaviour. 
OR
How can the environment be protected from pollution? Suggest some strategies.
OR
State promotive actions to protect environment from pollution. Enumerate the proenvironmental actions that can help protect the environment from pollutions.
Answer. Ways to promote pro-environmental behavior are:
(i) Reducing air pollution by keeping vehicles in good condition, or changing to nonfuel driven vehicles, stopping the practice of smoking.
(ii) Reducing noise pollution by discouraging needless honking on the road, making rules regarding noisy music at certain hours.
(iii) Managing disposal of garbage by encouraging separation of biodegradable waste or composting of kitchen waste. Special attention to be paid to the management of industrial and hospital waste.
(iv) Planting trees and ensuring their care.
(v) Saying ‘no’ to plastics in order to reduce toxic wastes that pollute water, air and soil.
(vi) Reducing non-biodegradable packaging of consumer goods.

Question. Mention the areas where poverty and deprivation have an adverse effect.
Answer. The effects of poverty and deprivation are:
(i) The poor have low aspirations and low achievement motivation and high need for dependence. They explain their successes in terms of luck or fate rather than anxiety or hard work.
(ii) The poor and deprived have low self-esteem, are high on anxiety and introversion, dwell on the immediate present rather than the future. They prefer smaller immediate rewards rather than larger ones. They live with a sense of hopelessness, powerlessness, feel injustice and experience a loss of identity.
(iii) The poor and deprived exhibit an attitude of resentment towards the rest of the society.
(iv) Intellectual functioning and performance on cognitive tasks is low.
(v) The poor are more likely to suffer from mental illness due to constant worries about basic necessities, feelings of insecurity and inability to get medical facilities. The poor suffer from emotional and adjustment problems due to their experience of a sense of hopelessness and loss of identity as though they do not belong to society.

Question. What are the causes of poverty?
Answer. Opinions of masses regarding the people suffering from poverty are:
(i) Poor themselves are responsible for their poverty. Poor lack the ability and motivation to put in effort and make use of available opportunities.
(ii) The belief system called ‘the culture of poverty’ convinces the person that she/he will continue to remain poor and the belief is carried from one generation of the poor to the next.
(iii) Economic, social and political factors account for poverty. Because of discrimination, certain sectors of society are denied the opportunities needed for getting even the basic necessities of life. The poor being the socially disadvantaged group experience social injustice, deprivation and exclusion.
(iv) The geographic region is a cause of poverty. People living in deserts that have shortage of natural resources or in regions where there is harsh climate such as extreme heat or cold end up being poor.
(v) Poverty cycle in which poverty begets poverty explains why poverty continues among the same sections of society. Due to low income and lack of resources, the poor go through low health and nutrition, lack of education and lack of skills. This leads to low employment opportunities, which, in turn, continue their low income condition, and low health and nutrition status. The resulting lowered motivational level only makes the situation worse; the cycle starts and continues again.

Question. What are the causes of aggression? 
Answer. The following are the causes of aggression:
(i) Inborn tendency: Aggression is an inborn tendency which may be meant for selfdefense.
(ii) Physiological mechanisms: A general physiological state of arousal or feeling activated might be expressed in the form of aggression.
(iii) Child-rearing: Children whose parents use physical punishment may become angry and show resentment and hence more aggressive than children whose parents use other disciplinary techniques.
(iv) Frustration: People in frustrated situations show more aggression than those who are not frustrated. In an experiment children are frustrated by preventing them from getting attractive toys that are visible through a screen. These children are found to be more destructive than those children who are allowed to access the toys.

Q1- What is environmental psychology?

Q2 - What are the 2 kinds of environments?

Q3 - Fill in the blanks:

1. The environment usually involves the concept of environmental design.

2. The three perspectives on the human-environment relationship are ________, _________ and _______.

3. The traditional Indian view about the environment supports the ________ perspective.

4. The three characteristics of noise are ________, ________ and __________.

5. The comfortable physical space one generally likes to maintain around oneself is called _________. 

6. ________ explained four kinds of interpersonal physical distance.

7. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, cyclones, and volcanic eruptions are examples of _________.

8. Frustration-aggression theory was given by ________.

Q4 - What are the psychological features of environmental design?

Q5 - What are the different views of the human-environment relationships?

Q6 - What are the environmental effects on human behaviour?