CUET Psychology Syllabus 2026: PDF Available; Important Chapters, Question Papers & Books

CUET Exam Conducting Body

National Testing Agency (NTA)

Medium of Exam

13 languages - English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam

Number of questions

50 questions across subjects

Type of questions

Multiple Choice Questions

Marking Scheme

+5 for each correct answer

-1 for each incorrect answer

CUET Psychology Mapping for Courses

• BA in Psychology
• Integrated BA in Psychology
• BSc in Psychology
• BSc Hons in Psychology
• BA Hons In Psychology
• BA Hons in Applied Psychology
• BA (Hons/Hons with Research) in Psychology
• BSc in Clinical Psychology
• BSc Hons in Clinical Psychology
• Undergraduate Programme in Social Science

Unit I: Variations in Psychological Attributes

The unit aims to study how people differ with respect to their various psychological attributes.

1. Individual differences in human functioning
2. Assessment of psychological attributes
3. Intelligence
4. Theories of intelligence
5. Individual Differences in Intelligence
6. Culture and Intelligence
7. Special abilities: Aptitude — nature, and measurement
8. Creativity
9. Emotional Intelligence

Unit II: Self and Personality

This unit focuses on the study of self and personality in the context of different approaches in an effort to appraise the person along with the assessment of personality.

1. Self and Personality 
2. Concept of Self
3. Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Self: Self-Esteem, Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulation
4. Culture and Self
5. Concept of Personality
6. Major approaches — Type and Trait, Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Behavioural, Cultural
7. Assessment of personality: Self report measures, behavioural analysis, and projective measures

Unit III: Meeting Life Challenges

This unit deals with the nature of stress and how responses to stress depend on an individual’s appraisal of stressors.

1. Nature
2. Types and Sources of Stress
3. Effects on Psychological Functioning and Health: Stress and Health, General Adaptation Syndrome, Stress and Immune System, Lifestyle
4. Coping with Stress: Stress Management Techniques
5. Promoting positive health and well-being- Life Skills

Unit IV: Psychological Disorders

This unit discusses the concepts of normality and abnormality and the major psychological disorders.

1. Concepts of abnormality and psychological disorders
2. Classification of Psychological Disorders
3. Factors underlying abnormal behaviour
4. Major psychological disorders – Anxiety, Somatic, Dissociative, Mood, Schizophrenic, Developmental and Behavioural-Substance use related

Unit V: Therapeutic Approaches

The unit discusses the goals, techniques, and effectiveness of different approaches to treating psychological disorders.

1.  Nature and Process of Therapy: Therapeutic Relationship

2. Types of Therapies: Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Cognitive, Behaviour and Bio-medical, Alternative Therapies

4. Rehabilitation of Mentally Ill

Unit VI: Attitude and Social Cognition

This unit focuses on the formation and change of attitudes, cultural influences on attributional tendencies, and conditions influencing pro-social behaviour.

1. Explaining social behaviour: Impression formation and explaining the behaviour of others through attributions
2. Nature and Components of Attitudes
3. Attitude Formation and Change
4. Behaviour in the presence of others
5. Prejudices and Discrimination
6. Strategies for Handling Prejudice

Unit VII: Social Influence and Group Processes

The unit deals with the concept of the group, its functions, and the dynamics of social influence on conformity, obedience, and compliance. Different conflict resolution strategies will also be discussed.

• Nature and formation of groups
• Types of groups
  • Social Loafing
  • Group Polarization