Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

1. Choose the correct option and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
…………… is a combination of bodily arousal, expressive behaviour, thoughts, and feelings.
(a) Response
(b) Reaction
(c) Emotions
Answer:
(c) Emotions

Question 2.
According to James Lange we first experience ……………….. then emotions.
(a) physical arousal
(b) feelings
(c) thoughts
Answer:
(a) physical arousal

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 3.
Emotion is used as a …………….. to control others.
(a) weapon
(b) measure
(c) opportunity
Answer:
(a) weapon

Question 4.
When you allow another person to exploit you, you are a victim of ………….. abuse.
(a) physical
(b) emotional
(c) social
Answer:
(b) emotional

Question 5.
Exercising releases ………………… which makes you feel good as a stress buster.
(a) endorphins
(b) thyroxin
(c) insulin
Answer:
(a) endorphins

2. Identify the odd items from the following and write a suitable reason for your choice

Question 1.
admiration, disgust, acceptance, trust

Question 2.
kicking, ignoring, shoving, screaming

Question 3.
Reassess, React, Respond, Relax

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 4.
meditation, social work, compassion, engage in hobbies

3. Match the pair.

Question 1.

Group A Group B
(1) Happiness (a) basic emotion
(2) Paul Ekman (b) fight and flight
(3) Anger (c) surprise
(4) Fear (d) sadness
(5) Grief (e) triggers
(6) Anger management technique (f) powerful emotion

Answer:

Group A Group B
(1) Happiness (c) surprise
(2) Paul Ekman (a) basic emotion
(3) Anger (f) powerful emotion
(4) Fear (b) fight and flight
(5) Grief (d) sadness
(6) Anger management technique (e) triggers

4. State whether the following statements are true or false.

Question 1.
Emotional well-being is not easily observable.
Answer:
True

Question 2.
Positive emotions energise you.
Answer:
True

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 3.
You should feel guilty for standing up for yourself.
Answer:
false

Question 4.
Anger is a basic negative emotion.
Answer:
True

5. Answer the following questions in 35 – 40 words each.

Question 1.
Explain the term facial feedback hypothesis.
Answer:
According to the facial feedback hypothesis, our facial expressions provide feedback to our brain about our emotions. Facial expressions are not only the result of our emotions, e.g., smiling in happiness, but they are also capable of influencing emotions, e.g. laughter can actually make us feel happier. The same might hold true for other emotions as well. In the 1840’s, William James presented the idea that awareness of our bodily experiences is the basis of emotion.

Question 2.
When does an individual face social rejection?
Answer:
Social rejection occurs when an individual is deliberately excluded from a social relationship or interaction. This can be done by a person or a group. It includes rejection of the person by family/ peers/ colleagues or even in intimate relationships. Rejection may be active, i.e., by ridiculing, bullying, etc., or passive, i.e., ‘silent treatment’. Social rejection may be faced due to individual differences e.g., attractiveness, shyness or due to intergroup exclusion on the basis of prejudice, e.g., in case of Dalits or ethnic minorities.

Question 3.
With the help of an example write the non-verbal triggers of anger.
Answer:
Anger is a common emotion that everybody experiences in life from time to time. Anger is a normal response to some real or perceived threat. It is a protective emotion that help us to defend ourselves against physical or psychological harm.

Triggers of Anger refer to any event that signals the brain to activate the body’s anger system. The triggers of anger may be (i) verbal, for e.g., being blamed, disrespected or abused (ii) non¬verbal, for e.g., being ignored unappreciated or rejected, (iii) physical such as physical threats, sexual/ physical assault, etc.

Non-verbal triggers of anger are feelings of being neglected, disregarded, disappointed, unloved or frequently spurned. It is expressed through gestures such as pointing a finger, shrugging the shoulders; by facial expressions such as sneering, frowning and also by behaviours such as groaning/sighing/whining or speaking in a mocking tone.

There are three factors involved in the experience of anger : A trigger (causes of anger) → individual’s personality → particular interpretation of that situation.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 4.
What are the aspects of emotional well-being?
Answer:
Emotional well-being means managing our emotions, both positive and negative ones, so that we can lead a healthy and productive life. It is the absence of negative affect as well as general satisfaction with life. A person who experiences emotional well-being is positively engaged with the world.
The aspects of emotional well-being are at three levels viz. physical, emotional and social.

  1. Physical level, i.e., well balanced diet, exercise.
  2. Emotional level, i.e., practise mindfulness, raising levels of motivation and optimism.
  3. Social level, i.e., engaging in prosocial behaviour, meaningful relationships.

6. Compare and Contrast

Question 1.
Happiness and Sadness

Question 2.
James Lange theory and Cannon Bard’s Theory

7. Write short notes on the following in 50 – 60 words each.

Question 1.
Measures of dealing with Emotional Abuse
Answer:
Emotional abuse is any kind of abuse that is emotional rather than physical in nature. It occurs when one person subjects or exposes another person to intentionally harmful behaviour that may result in anxiety, depression and psychological trauma to the victim.
The types of emotional abuse may be-

  1. verbal abuse such as blaming, insulting, labeling, threatening, swearing, etc.
  2. non verbal abuse such as ignoring, rejection, bullying, spying, etc.

The most important technique is to break the silence and stand up for yourself.

  1. Accept that emotional abuse is not because of you, i.e., don’t justify the actions of the abuser.
  2. Respond assertively to the abuser but seek distance from him.
  3. Give yourself time to heal.
  4. Prioritize your self-care, e.g., eating right, exercise, etc.
  5. Mobilise support from family and friends. If needed, seek professional help.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 2.
Plutchiks’s Model of Emotions
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions 1
Robert Plutchik presented the wheel of emotions,

  1. there are 8 basic emotions viz. joy, trust, fear, surprise, sadness, anticipation, anger and disgust.
  2. each primary emotion has its polar opposite such as fear is opposite of anger.
  3. primary emotions combine to produce complex emotions, for e.g., love (complex) is a combination of joy and trust.
  4. intensity of emotions increases as we move toward the centre and decreases as we move outward. For e.g., apprehension (weak) → fear (basic) → terror (strongest).

This model is important from the perspective of emotional literacy, i.e., understanding emotional levels, complexity and change as well as appropriate emotional labelling

Question 3.
Anger -A powerful emotion
Answer:
Anger is a common emotion that everybody experiences in life from time to time. Anger is a normal response to some threat. It is a protective emotion that helps us to defend ourselves against physical/ psychological harm. However, anger may also be unwanted, irrational and destructive. When we experience anger, our amygdala goes into action and overrides the cerebral cortex which is in control of thinking and evaluation. Triggers of anger refer to any event that signals the brain to activate the body’s anger system. The triggers may be (i) verbal, for e.g., being blamed, disrespected or abused (ii) non-verbal, for e.g., being ignored unappreciated or rejected, (iii) physical such as physical threats, sexual/ physical assault, etc.

There are three factors involved in the experience of anger: A trigger (causes of anger) → individual’s personality → particular interpretation of that situation. As the experience of anger is subjective, it can be controlled too. If we understand the triggers of anger, we can anticipate potential anger episodes and provide an intentional/ acceptable response such as it may energize us towards solving problems. As anger is a powerful emotion, it must be kept in check to avoid it’s destructive out comes.

Question 4.
Managing Emotions
Answer:
The word emotion is derived from the latin word ‘emovere’, which means to stir up or to move. An emotion refers to an involuntary, aroused state of an organism involving physical, cognitive and behavioural components. It is described as a combination of bodily arousal, e.g., increased heartrate, thoughts and feelings, i.e. emotional tone and expressive behaviour, i.e., facial expression.

Managing of emotions is an important life skill. Managing emotions can be defined as, ‘the ability to be open to feelings and modulate them in oneself and in others, so as to promote personal understanding and growth. It is the ability to be aware and constructively handle both positive and challenging emotions.

Sometimes, our emotions hijack our thinking due to which we act impulsively. This is because the limbic system (emotional section) developed before the prefrontal cortex (thinking part) and is hence, an extremely strong part of the brain. Emotional management is an art as it is a form of expression as well as a science as it is a skill that needs to be learnt and practiced If a person ignores of suppresses his/her emotions it leads to anxiety. The best way of manage emotions is to acknowledge the emotions, find out what is the cause of that emotion in you, chose how to respond in that situation.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 5.
Benefits of Emotional Well-being
Answer:
Emotional well-being means managing our emotions, both positive and negative ones, so that we can lead a healthy and productive life.
Persons who have high emotional well-being experience benefits such as- (i) better able to deal with stress (ii) better self-regulation (iii) increased productivity in tasks undertaken (iv) increased creativity (v) life satisfaction due to meaningful activities and relationship.

  1. Coping with stress – It helps to deal with stress using healthy methods such as exercise, social support, etc.
  2. Better self-regulation – It enables the person to label how they feel and accept negative emotions life fear, anger, etc.
  3. Increases productivity in tasks undertaken – The ability to focus is enhanced, the person feels positive and energized.
  4. Increases creativity – The person indulges in divergent thinking, shows curiosity is open to new experiences.
  5. Life satisfaction – The individual is able to have meaningful interactions and relationships, show empathy, altruism and engage in activities like volunteer work.

8. Answer the following 50 – 60 words.

Question 1.
Using the 3 R model of Anger Management present a case study of your own experience.
Answer:
Anger management is an intervention programme to prevent anger from turning into a habit or obstacle. It enables the person to create an awareness of and responsibility for his/her emotions. This involves two aspects (i) managing one’s own anger (ii) learning to respond effectively to anger in others.

The 3 R’s in anger management a Relax, Reassess and Respond.
1. Relaxation – Relaxation and connection with the inner self helps to enhance thinking and concentration so that we ‘respond’ rather than ‘react’ impulsively.
2. Reassess – This helps the person to revisit the situation objectively. It involves

  • taking complete responsibility for your emotion
  • developing empathy for the person you perceive has wronged you
  • conduct a reality check e.g., is your anger justified given the facts of what happened.

The feeling’s thermometer helps to focus on the extent of anger we are experiencing and helps in the process of reassessment.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions 2

3. Respond – It entails re-engaging with the other person/situation. Responding involves

  • consulting a trustworthy person to get another perspective
  • engage in talks with the other party in a calm respectful manner with a willingness to sort out the situation.
  • active listening and assertive speaking – Allow the person to express their viewpoint. However, we should stand up for our feeling while exhibiting the same for the other person. The right approach is a practical, positive communication style.
  • cage your rage i.e. establish boundaries and moderate your anger – We must guard against escalation of our own anger which may lead us to provoke the other person. Moderation of anger and establishing clear boundaries of interaction with each other is essential.

CASE STUDY – 1 was in the passenger seat and my brother was driving the car. Suddenly, a cyclist swerved right in front after he had failed to observe the red light. This led me to get enraged at this uncalled-for action. Using the 3R technique. I tried to breathe for a few seconds to give me recovery time, i.e. Relaxation. I revisited the situation – Is my anger justified? Was it a genuine error? Is the cyclist hurt? Did the incident cause injury to us or damage to the car.? Is the anger worth my time/effort? Reassess. I allowed my elder brother to handle the situation but also assertively cautioned the teenage cyclist about the dangers of riding in a rash manner, i.e. Respond.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Question 2.
How does the brain work when angry?
Answer:
Anger is a common emotion that everybody experiences in life from time to time. Anger is a normal response to some threat. It is a protective emotion that help us to defend ourselves against physical/ psychological harm. However, anger may also be unwanted, irrational and destructive. When we experience anger, our amygdala goes into action and overrides the cerebral cortex which is in control of thinking and evaluation.

Triggers of anger refer to any event that signals the brain to activate the body’s anger system. The triggers may be (i) verbal, for e.g., being blamed, disrespected or abused (ii) non-verbal, for e.g., being ignored unappreciated or rejected, (iii) physical such as physical threats, sexual/ physical assault, etc.

There are three factors involved in the experience of anger: A trigger (causes of anger) → individual’s personality → particular interpretation of that situation. As the experience of anger is subjective, it can be controlled too. If we understand the triggers of anger, we can anticipate potential anger episodes and provide an intentional / acceptable response.

The emotional center of the brain is the Limbic system and is more primitive than the cerebral cortex. It is located in the lower section of the brain. Hence when a person is experiencing and expressing anger, he or she is not using the cortex (thinking section) but primarily functioning from the limbic system. In the limbic system, a small structure called Amygdala which is a storehouse of emotional memories plays an important role in the emotional outbursts. The data coming in from the world around us passes through the amygdala where the decision is made whether to send the data to the limbic or cortex area of the brain.

If the incoming data triggers enough of an emotional charge, the amygdala can override the cortex, which means the data will be sent to the limbic system causing the person to react using the lower part of the brain. During an overriding event, the amygdala goes into action without much regard for the consequences (since this area of the brain is not involved in judging, thinking, or evaluating).

Eg. You are waiting patiently in the queue at the bank, a person comes and cuts the line and moves ahead of you, you scream at them and ask them to go back. On an average, it can take 20 minutes for a person who has experienced an angry state of arousal to calm, to move from functioning from the emotional area to the thinking area of the brain.

Question 3.
After having realised you are emotionally abused by your best friend, write the steps you will take to deal with it.
Answer:
Emotional abuse is any kind of abuse that is emotional rather than physical in nature. It occurs when one person subjects or exposes another person to intentionally harmful behaviour that may result in anxiety, depression and psychological trauma.
The types of emotional abuse may be (i) verbal abuse such as blaming, insulting, labeling, threatening, swearing, etc. (ii) non verbal abuse such as ignoring, rejection, bullying, spying, etc. Some of the techniques to deal with emotional abuse are-

  1. Accept that emotional abuse is not because of you i.e. don’t justify the actions of the abuser.
  2. Respond assertively to the abuser but seek distance from him/her.
  3. Give yourself time to heal.
  4. Prioritize your self-care, e.g., eating right, exercise, etc.
  5. Mobilise support from family and friends. If needed, seek professional help.

If I realize that I have been emotionally abused by my good friend I will adopt the following steps-

  1. Disengage from the friendship and set personal boundaries
  2. Understand that I am not the cause of abuse and so respond assertively to the abuser
  3. Practice self care and give myself time to heal
  4. If necessary seek guidance from other friends or my family / teachers.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

9. Analyse the situations presented below and
a. Write the Emotion/s you experience.
b. What will be your response to this situation?

Question 1.
Anish was scolded by his boss. He came home and in a fit of rage hit his son. You are Anish’s friend who witnessed this outburst.
Answer:
I will feel anger as well as disgusted on witnessing this outbust. I will try to calm Anish and make him realise the harm that his anger can cause.

Question 2.
You helped your friend with study notes during his illness. But when your friend got better he did not respond nor show any sense of appreciation.
Answer:
I will feel disappointment as well as sadness. I will meet the friend and tell him that his lack of courtesy has hurt me.

Question 3.
Though you are a good friend of Anushka, she has not invited you to her new year’s party.
Answer:
I will feel disappointed and hurt. I will (if possible) try to find out if the action was deliberate or an oversight.

Question 4.
It’s your Birthday and you wake up that morning to find yourself surrounded with beautiful gifts.
Answer:
I will obviously feel immense happiness.

Question 5.
You have had a hectic day at college when you come home you find the door locked. You forgot your keys at home that day and your parents have not informed you of their plans.
Answer:
I will be angry at my at myself and my parents also. But since I forgot the keys, I will take full responsibility and wait it out some family member returns.

Question 6.
You have planned a surprise day out for your best friend and she tells you she is not interested and has other plans
Answer:
I will be a little sad and disappointed but will accept my friend’s decision sportingly.

Class 12 Psychology Chapter 5 Emotions Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITIES (Textbook Page. No. 44)

Activity 1

THINK AND ANALYSE
Think of the following situations and note down what will be the experience of each person in that situation.

  1. It’s Mira’s Std. 12th result today. She comes to know that she has topped in the college.
  2. Rahul’s mother passed away just few days before his 18th birthday.
  3. Suchita was ridiculed by her classmate for wearing old fashioned clothes.
  4. Yash had a fight at home because his parents were not allowing him to go for a late night party.

Answer:

  1. Mira will experience happiness due to her success.
  2. Rahul will experience grief and loneliness.
  3. Suchita will experience a sense of helplessness and shame.
  4. Yash will be angry with his parents and feel they are doing him an injustice.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Activity 2 (Textbook Page. No. 46)

Observe each figure carefully and write the emotion that corresponds to each in the blank spaces provided below. Can you identify which among these is a positive and negative emotion?
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions 3
Answer:
(A) = Surprise (positive), (B) = Anger (negative), (C) = Disgust (negative), (D) = Sadness (negative),
(E) = Joy (positive), (F) = Fear (negative).

Activity 3 (Textbook Page. No. 46, 47)

Check whether you can name the emotions accurately from the following examples-

  1. It’s Riya’s 18th birthday today and her friends have given her a surprise party.
  2. Rohan recently had a break up with his long time girlfriend with whom he was in love deeply.
  3. Sameer had a disagreement with his best friend over where to go for a picnic and the situation got heated up.
  4. Sumi has come to know that she has failed in her exam and she is figuring out how she will convey this to her parents.
  5. Ashmeet suddenly saw his school best friend across the street after many years.
  6. Amy opened today’s newspaper and read the news of a 5 year old getting gang raped.

Answer:

  1. Happiness
  2. Surprise
  3. Anger
  4. Fear
  5. Surprise
  6. Disgust

Activity 4 (Textbook Page. No. 48)

THINK, REFLECT, ANALYSE AND DISCUSS
State what will you feel and how will /did you behave in the given following situations:-

  1. You are crossing the road and suddenly find a car breaking the signal and speeding up towards you.
  2. You reach home and find the table laid with your favourite dish cooked by your mother.
  3. You receive a phone call telling you that your best friend is undergoing an operation and needs blood.
  4. Recall an incident in your childhood when you were insulted by an adult.

Answer:

  1. I will feel angry but also afraid. I will jump out of the way
  2. I will feel happy and surprised.
  3. I will fear but feel concerned and be motivated to arrange for the blood.
  4. Students are expected to answer this question by themselves.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions

Activity 5 (Textbook Page. No. 49)

THINK, ANALYSE AND ACT
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions 4
You see a snake ….. with reference to the above given components fill the process with your interpretations, feelings and actions.
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 5 Emotions 5

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

1. Choose the correct option and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
When we select few stimuli from the environment and bring them into the center of our awareness, it is called ……………
(a) attention
(b) perception
(c) thinking
Answer:
(a) attention

Question 2.
Ivan Pavlov is known for explaining learning by …………..
(a) classical conditioning
(b) operant conditioning
(c) observation
Answer:
(a) classical conditioning

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Question 3.
When we organise the information from the environment, group them and give some meaning, that process is called ……………..
(a) attention
(b) perception
(c) thinking
Answer:
(b) perception

Question 4.
In operant conditioning the experiment was conducted on ……………
(a) dog
(b) rat
(c) monkey
Answer:
(b) rat

Question 5.
The change in behaviour due to practice or experience is known as ……………
(a) perception
(b) thinking
(c) learning
Answer:
(c) learning

2. Answer the following questions in 35 – 40 words each.

Question 1.
What is fluctuation of attention?
Answer:
Attention is the mental process of bringing few stimuli into the centre of awareness out of the many stimuli present. It is difficult to attend to a single stimulus for a long period of time. Our attention shifts from the original stimulus to another stimulus for a fraction of time and then comes back to the original stimulus. This may be due to factors like fatigue, decreased interest, etc. In most cases, attention fluctuates due to the limitations of human attention and hence cannot be totally eliminated.

Question 2.
Give three examples of top-down processing in perception.
Answer:
Perception is defined as the process of assigning meaning to information received about the environment based on the past experiences. We make use of both top-down processing and bottom- up processing while perceiving a stimulus. When we utilize top-down processing, our ability to understand information is influenced by the context in which it appears.

Some examples of top-down processes in perception are-
(a) Mr. Kumar lives in Flat A not in Flat Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 1
The circled item will be perceived as the letter B as the brain has used the context of the sentence.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 2
(b) If you are asked to identify (a) the rat (b) the man, your perception will be likewise.
(c) the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef but the wrod as a whole.

Most of you would be able to correctly read the above sentence as “The human mind does not read every letter by itself but the word as a whole”.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Question 3.
What is meant by thinking?
Answer:
Thinking is the mental activity that uses various cognitive elements and processes that involves the manipulation of information.
The core elements of thinking are-

  1. Mental representation – It is a coded internal sensation acquired by direct experiences through the sense organs or by indirect experiences such as narrations, pictures, etc.
  2. Concepts – They form the basis for all cognitive processes, acting as building blocks by connecting with each other to form more complex concepts.
  3. Schema – It is an internal representation that organizes knowledge about related concepts and relationships among them.
  4. Language – Mental representations, concept and schema are represented by language, for e.g., the word ‘cat’ is a symbol for a ‘cat’.

Question 4.
Describe any two processes of learning.
Answer:
Learning is defined as a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs due to experience or practice. The characteristics of learning are : (i) It involves some relatively permanent change in behaviour, (ii) The change in behaviour is due to experience or practice, (iii) Change in behaviour may be in knowledge or in skill or in muscular movements, (iv) Learning is an inferred process. The main processes of learning are:
(i) Learning by classical conditioning – It was first explained by Ivan Pavlov. It is learning by forming associations and stimulus substitution. In daily life, we learn many things by classical conditioning for e.g. a child is given an injection by the doctor and begins to cry in pain. He soon makes the connection between ‘doctor’, ‘injection’ and ‘pain’ and begins crying as soon as he is taken to a doctor.

(ii) Learning by operant conditioning – Learning by operant conditioning was first explained by B. F. Skinner. He said that learning takes place to gain positive consequences or to avoid negative consequences.

3. Classify the following into Mental Representation, Concepts and Schemata.

(1) Image of your mother in your mind
(2) Building
(3) Tree
(4) School
(5) Theater
(6) Table
(7) Neil Armstrong
Answer:

Mental Representation Concepts Schemata
Image of your mother in your mind Building School
Neil Armstrong Tree Theatre
Table

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

4. Find the odd one out.

Question 1.
Schema, Perception, Attention, Thinking
Answer:
Schema

Question 2.
Searching solution, Defining problem, Incubation, Implementation of the solution
Answer:
Incubation

Question 3.
Reasoning, Judgement, Decision making, Relaxing
Answer:
Relaxing

Question 4.
Concept, Schema, Solution, Mental Representation
Answer:
Solution

5. Identify if the following behaviours are due to learning or not. Give reasons for your answers.

Question 1.
After much hard work you are able to perform a dance step properly.
Answer:
It is due to learning as it involves a relatively permanent behavioural change due to practice.

Question 2.
In spite of getting hurt, Shayana, a five year old child, continues to play with knife.
Answer:
It is not learning as in spite of an unpleasant experience, there is no change in behaviour.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Question 3.
Once Hanif had to pay fine for breaking the signal while driving a car. Now he makes sure to stop the car at red signal.
Answer:
It is due to learning as Hanif has made an association between breaking the signal and paying a fine, i.e., negative consequences.

6. Answer the following questions with the help of given points.

Question 1.
Explain the stages of problem solving.
Points:
(i) Defining problem
(ii) Generating alternative solutions
(iii) Selecting a solution
(iv) Implementing and taking follow up of the solution.
Answer:
Problem solving is a type of thinking. It refers to the process of finding appropriate solutions to problems encountered in life. The main steps in problem solving are:
(i) Defining the problem – We need to identify and define the problem correctly. Otherwise, it will be difficult to reach a solution, for e.g., when a baby cries due to colic/stomach ache and if the mother interprets it as due to hungry, the problem will remain unresolved.

(ii) Generation alternative solutions – The person searches for possible solutions to the problem. Some solutions may be effective while other solutions have to be discarded, for e.g., Sunil finds maths difficult. He may think of solving more sums or of taking tuitions or of dropping the subject, etc.

(iii) Selecting a solution – The person selects what he considers the most effective solution, based on reasoning. This helps to resolve the problem in a realistic manner.

(iv) Implementing the solution and follow up on the solution – The person tries out the selected solution and evaluates the outcome i.e. whether it has helped to solve the problems. If the problem remains unresolved, the person may need to carry out the problem – solving procedure all over again.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Question 2.
Explain the stages of creative thinking.
Points:
(i) Preparation
(ii) Incubation
(iii) Illumination
(iv) Verification
Answer:
Creative thinking is characterised by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, etc. It is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh/novel perspective. In involves divergent thinking that focuses on exploration of ideas and generating many possibilities. It is referred to as “thinking outside of the box.” Researchers, poets, designers, film makers always think in a creative way.

The four stages in creative thinking are-
(i) Preparation – This involves formulating the problem and gathering information about it. Many tentative solutions are tried out and discarded. No progress seems to be made by the person.

(ii) Incubation – If the person does not get the required results, he/she may focus on things unrelated to that problem. The period helps to work out the problem without consciously thinking about it. Incubation period appears to be non-fruitful.

(iii) Illumination – After incubation, suddenly the correct solution appears to the person, due to which he/she experiences excitement. It seems that a solution has fallen into place.

(iv) Verification – The new solution may need to be evaluated a number of times. In most cases, minor changes will be required but sometimes it may demand a major overhaul of the entire process.

For e.g., A teacher asks the students to think of unusual uses for a bottle.

  • The students will begin brainstorming.
  • The students will come up with many uses for e.g., to store liquids, to hold plants, etc. But these are not unusual uses. They will give up and focus on something else.
  • The students will suddenly find novel uses for the bottle e.g., in juggling etc.
  • The students will verify these solutions with their teacher.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

7. Answer the following questions in detail.

Question 1.
Explain the laws of perceptual organization.
Answer:
Perception is defined as the process of assigning meaning to information received about the environment based on the past experiences. Our brain has the tendency to organize our sensations as a meaningful whole. Max Wertheimer first explained this tendency in the form of laws of perceptual organization.

Some laws of perceptual organization are as follows:
(i) Law of proximity – Stimuli that are near to each other are perceived as together, rather than stimuli that are far away from each other.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 3
In the above figure, we perceive pairs of dots in each line because the dots which are near to each other are perceived together. So instead of perceiving a line of 8 dots, generally a line of four pairs of dots is perceived.

(ii) Law of similarity – Stimuli that are similar to each other are perceived together than stimuli that are distinct from each other.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 4
In the above figure, we perceive 4 alternate vertical lines each of circles and crosses as similar stimuli are perceived together. Generally, we do not perceive 4 horizontal lines each having circles and crosses in alternate sequence.

(iii) Law of continuity – There is a tendency to perceive a stimulus in continuation according to its established direction.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 5
In the above figure, a straight vertical line and a straight horizontal line are perceived together as a letter ‘L’ and a cutting line is perceived separately as a line following the smoothest path. Generally, we do not perceive here four different lines going in different directions.

(iv) Law of closure – There is a tendency to fill in the gaps in an incomplete stimulus so as to perceive it as a meaningful figure.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 6
In the above figure, we fill in the gaps and perceive it as a triangle and square. Generally, we do not perceive here the three or four separate lines going in different directions.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Question 2.
Explain the core elements of thinking.
Answer:
Thinking is the mental activity that makes use of ideas or symbols instead of overt activity. The types of thinking are (i) Perceptual (concrete) thinking, (ii) Conceptual (abstract) thinking (iii) Reflective thinking, (iv) Creative thinking.
The core elements in thinking are-
(i) Mental representation – It is a coded internal sensation acquired by direct experiences through the sense organs or by indirect experiences such as narrations, pictures, etc. Mental representation is the mental imagery with the help of which the brain codes and stores the information. It is like a hypothetical internal cognitive symbol used by the brain to represent external reality. Example: a child is asked to imagine a peacock. The visual image of a peacock with its colouful plumage immediately comes to mind. This refers to “mental imagery” of an object.

(ii) Concepts – They form the basis for all cognitive processes, acting as building blocks by connecting with each other to form more complex concepts. Concepts involve extraction of some ‘idea’ on the basis of similarities and differences among the sensations. A concept is an idea which represents a class of objects, situations, etc which differentiates it from other classes of objects, situations, etc., for e.g. a child forms a mental image of a ‘dog’. He derives an idea of something similar in all examples of ‘dog’ that he has seen i.e. tail, fur, barking, etc. Thus, he has formed concept of dog. If he mistakenly identifies as a cat as a dog. he is corrected by others. So he tries to compare the mental images of dogs and cats. He has now learned and refined two concepts viz. dog and cat.

(iii) Schema – It is an internal representation that organizes knowledge about related concepts and relationships among them. Schema involves arranging many concepts in a particular system or organisation. It describes a pattern of thought or behavior that organises categories of information and the relationships among them. A child tries to organise the concepts that he has learned in a systematic way to generate a higher order understanding of patterns about information collected, for e.g. when a child visits a ‘zoo’ for the first time, images and concepts such as of different animals, caves/cages, etc., are activated in the brain simultaneously. Thus, he is forming the schema of ‘zoo’.

Conclusion:- Mental representation is sensory experiences in the form of mental images in the brain. Many similar mental representations denote concepts while many concepts put in a particular relationship to each other is schema.

Question 3.
With the help of your own examples explain the difference between distraction of attention and fluctuation of attention.
Answer:
Attention is the selective process by which we focus on only a few stimuli from among the various stimuli that are present in our environment. According to Norman Munn, “Attention is the mental process of bringing few stimuli into the center of awareness out of the many stimuli present”. Attention is influenced by objective factors such as intensity, size, movement, etc., of stimuli as well as subjective factors like interest, mindset, etc.

The distraction of attention refers to the drifting of attention from a specific stimulus to another stimulus. This occurs due to external factors such as intensity, novelty, movement, etc., of stimuli or internal factors like physical state, lack of interest, mental set, etc.

It is difficult to attend to a single stimulus for a long period of time. Our attention shifts from the original stimulus to another stimulus for a fraction of time and then come back to the original stimulus. This is called fluctuation of attention. It may be due to factors like fatigue, decreased interest, etc.

In most cases, fluctuation of attention is due to the limitations of human attention whereas distraction of attention is due to an external powerful stimulus that has drawn our attention. When attention fluctuates, it is for a very short period of time and then it returns to the original stimulus, i.e., it is a temporary shift in attention, e.g., look at the below figure. Attention fluctuates on observing the figure as a closed book or open book.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes 7
The distraction of attention arises when you are studying and the doorbell suddenly rings, you get up to answer the door. You may or may not be able to return to the original stimulus. Fluctuation of attention cannot be controlled totally but the distraction of attention should be avoided.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes

Class 12 Psychology Chapter 4 Cognitive Processes Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITIES (Textbook Page. No. 33)

Activity 1
Read the following examples and try to name the cognitive process described in each of them:

  1. Reena immediately sensed the burning smell of pizza put in the oven.
  2. Mahesh always pays attention to what the psychology teacher teaches in class.
  3. Professor Mr. Patil met one of his former students all of a sudden. He tried to recall the name of his student.
  4. Saif was reading a storybook and so he forgot to complete his homework.
  5. After considering all pros and cons, Dinesh took the decision of changing his business.

Answer:

  1. Sensation
  2. Attention
  3. Perception, Memory
  4. Forgetting
  5. Reasoning, Decision making.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

1. Choose the correct option and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
……………………. has given formula of I.Q.
(a) Binet
(b) Stern
(c) Wechsler
Answer:
(b) Stern

Question 2.
…………………. has given the concepts of fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence.
(a) Cattell
(b) Thorndike
(c) Salovey
Answer:
(a) Cattell

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 3.
…………………. is an individual test of intelligence.
(a) Army Alpha Test
(b) Army Beta Test
(c) Block Building Test
Answer:
(c) Block Building Test

2. State whether the following statements are true or false.

Question 1.
Verbal tests of intelligence can be given easily to illiterate people.
Answer:
False

Question 2.
It is possible to increase emotional intelligence.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
There are certain limitations to Artificial Intelligence.
Answer:
True

Question 4.
Group tests of intelligence are less expensive.
Answer:
True

3. Answer the following in one sentence each.

Question 1.
What is meant by intelligence?
Answer:
David Wechsler defines intelligence as, “the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.”

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 2.
Who is considered as the father of intelligence test?
Answer:
Alfred Binet is considered as the father of intelligence tests.

Question 3.
What is meant by verbal tests of intelligence?
Answer:
Verbal tests of intelligence make use of words and numbers to measure intelligence and subjects respond verbally to the test items, for e.g., WAIS, Army Alpha Test, etc.

Question 4.
What is meant by individual test of intelligence?
Answer:
Individual tests of intelligence are tests which can be administered to a single person at a time, for e.g., Stanford Binet Scales, WAIS, Koh’s Block Design Test, etc.

4. Define / Explain the concepts in 25 – 30 words each.

Question 1.
Mental Age
Answer:
Alfred Binet introduced the concept of Mental Age. It is defined as the age at which the person successfully performs on all items of the test prepared for that age level. Mental Age need not correspond to Chronological Age. If Mental Age (MA) is the same as Chronological Age (CA), the person has average intelligence. For e.g., Sumit aged 10 years has successfully performed all items on the test for age 12. Hence, his Mental Age will be 12 years, i.e., he has above average intelligence.

Question 2.
Social Intelligence
Answer:
E.L. Thorndike proposed the term Social Intelligence. Howard Gardner included ‘interpersonal intelligence’in the Multiple Intelligences Theory. According to Karl Albrecht, ‘Social intelligence . is the ability to get along well with others and to get them to cooperate with oneself.’

A continued pattern of nourishing behaviour indicates a high level of social intelligence. Such persons are skilled at interacting with and understanding people around them. They respect and encourage others. They effectively comprehend social dynamics.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 3.
Emotional Intelligence
Answer:
The term Emotional Intelligence was used for the first time by John Mayer and Peter Salovey. The concept of emotional intelligence was popularized by Daniel Goleman. It is defined as “the ability to perceive and monitor one’s own and others emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions.” Emotional Intelligence refers to a set of cognitive abilities such as perceiving emotions, using emotions to facilitate thought, understanding emotions and managing (regulating) emotions. Persons with high emotional intelligence tend to be emotionally stable, patient, optimistic, enthusiastic and calm.

5. Write short notes on the following.

Question 1.
Intelligence Quotient
Answer:
Intelligence is the highest attribute of human beings. Different psychologists have defined intelligence differently. Lewis Terman explains intelligence as, “an ability to think on an abstract level.”

David Wechsler defines intelligence as, “the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.”

Intelligence Quotient refers to a measurement of intelligence.. In 1912, William Stern introduced the concept of intelligence quotient (IQ). Terman, refined the formula for calculating IQ, which is as stated below-
IQ = \(\frac {MA}{CA}\) × 100
Example: Ankush who is 10 years old has a Mental Age of 11 years. Let us calculate his IQ.
MA = 11 years CA = 10 years IQ = ?
IQ = \(\frac {MA}{CA}\) × 100 = \(\frac {11}{10}\) × 100 = 110
Ankush has an IQ of 110.

Question 2.
Charles Spearman’s theory of intelligence
Answer:
Intelligence is the highest attribute of human beings. Different psychologists have defined intelligence differently. Lewis Terman explains intelligence as, “an ability to think on an abstract level.”
David Wechsler defines intelligence as, “the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.”
In 1927, Charles Spearman with the help of a statistical method called factor analysis separated and identified two different factors of intelligence viz. General factor (g) and Specific factor (s).

  1. General factor is the minimum competence required to carry out daily work.
  2. Specific factor includes abilities which are required to solve problems in specific areas.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 3.
Verbal tests of intelligence
Answer:
Intelligence is the highest attribute of human beings. Different psychologists have defined intelligence differently. Lewis Terman explains intelligence as, “an ability to think on an abstract level.”
David Wechsler defines intelligence as, “the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.”

On the basis of material used in the tests, intelligence tests can be classified as Verbal tests and Non-verbal tests of intelligence. Intelligence tests that use language (words or numbers) for measuring intelligence are called verbal tests of intelligence. In these tests subjects are required to respond verbally to test items. Army Alpha Test, Wechsler’s Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), etc., are some of the examples of verbal tests of intelligence. These tests are language and culture bound and hence cannot be used with children, illiterates etc. However, they are useful in measuring higher mental abilities.

Question 4.
Non-verbal tests of intelligence
Answer:
Intelligence is the highest attribute of human beings. Different psychologists have defined intelligence differently. Lewis Terman explains intelligence as, “an ability to think on an abstract level.”
David Wechsler defines intelligence as, “the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.”
On the basis of material used in the tests, intelligence tests can be classified as Verbal tests and Non-verbal tests of intelligence.

Intelligence tests that use pictures, designs, material objects, etc., to measure intelligence are called non-verbal tests of intelligence. In these tests language is not used to measure intelligence. In these tests subjects are not required to respond verbally to test items. Non-verbal tests are of two types viz.

  1. Performance tests for e.g., Koh’s Block Design test, Dr. Bhatia’s Non Verbal test, Alexander’s Pass-along test, etc. and
  2. Paper-pencil tests for e.g., Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices.

Question 5.
Artificial Intelligence
Answer:
The term Artificial Intelligence was suggested by John McCarthy. Artificial intelligence is an innovation created by human intelligence. It is a field of study that combines computer science, algorithms, psychology, etc. It refers to enabling software programmes and computer systems to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, weather forecasting, language translation, etc.

Artificial intelligence can take decisions only on the basis of stored information and so cannot be an alternative to human intelligence. Artificial intelligence has immense applications in daily life as well as to solve critical problems. Artificial intelligence is used in devices like robots, computers, self-driving cars, automatic missiles, smart phones, medical diagnostic tools, etc.

6. Answer the following questions with the help of the given points.

Question 1.
Write in brief about individual tests of intelligence
(i) Meaning
(ii) Advantages
(iii) Disadvantages
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence 1
(i) Meaning – Intelligence tests that can be administered to a single person at a time are called individual tests of intelligence, for e.g., Stanford Binet Scales, Koh’s Block Design Test, etc.

(ii) Advantages-

  1. The test administrator can establish a rapport with the client.
  2. The test administrator can get additional information about the client’s feelings, moods and expressions during testing.
  3. Individual tests are more capable of measuring creative thinking, compared to group tests.

(iii) Disadvantages-

  1. Individual tests are time consuming and costly to administer.
  2. Individual tests require a trained and skillful examiner to administer, score and interpret them.
  3. These tests cannot be used for mass testing.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 2.
Write in brief about group tests of intelligence
(i) Meaning
(ii) Advantages
(iii) Disadvantages
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence 2
(i) Meaning – Group test of intelligence are tests that can be administered to more than one person at a time, i.e., for mass testing, for e.g., Army Alpha and Army Beta Test, OTIS self¬administrating tests, etc.

(ii) Advantages-

  1. Group tests are less time consuming and more economical to administer.
  2. In administrating of group tests, the role of the examiner is minimal. So, he/she need not go through any specialised training.
  3. These tests can be used in cases where mass testing is needed.

(iii) Disadvantages-

  1. The test administrator has much less opportunity to establish rapport, obtain cooperation and maintain interest of the clients.
  2. Compared to individual tests, group tests are less capable of measuring the creative aspect of intelligence.

7. Answer the following questions in Detail.

Question 1.
Write in detail about the history of intelligence testing.
Answer:
Intelligence is the highest attribute of human beings. Different psychologists have defined intelligence differently. Lewis Terman explains intelligence as, “an ability to think on an abstract level.”

David Wechsler defines intelligence as, ‘the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment’. Many psychologists have contributed to the measurement of Intelligence.

Sir Francis Galton thought that he could determine intelligence by measuring the size of the human skull. He administered a battery of tests to measure variables such as head size, reaction time, visual acuity, etc. However, these tests did not prove useful to measure intelligence.

Raymond Cattell, used the term ‘mental test’ for the first time. Like his mentor, Sir Galton, Cattell also believed that intelligence is best measured by sensory tasks. However, be emphasized that test administration must be standardized.

In 1905, Alfied Binet in collaboration with Theodor Simon, published the First Scale of Intelligence. This scale was revised in 1908 and 1911. In 1916, Lewis Terman revised the scale, i.e., adapted few items, established new age norms etc. This came to be called ‘Stanford Binet Test’. Binet also introduced the concept of Mental Age. It is defined as the age at which the person successfully performs on all items of the test prepared for that age level.

In 1917, Robert Yerkes and his colleagues developed the Army Alpha (verbal test) and Army Beta (performance test) intelligence tests. These two tests were used to recruit soldiers. In 1939, during World War II also, to recruit army personnel, the Army General Classification Test was used.

In 1939, David Wechsler published the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Test. In 1955, the test was revised and then called Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS). It has a verbal scale and performance scale. Wechsler also developed a test to measure intelligence of children, i.e., Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC).

Mental Age – Alfred Binet introduced the concept of Mental Age. It is defined as the age at which the person successfully performs on all items of the test prepared for that age level. Mental Age need not correspond to Chronological Age. It Mental Age (MA) is the same as Chronological Age (CA), the person has average intelligence.

Intelligence Quotient – In 1912, William Stern introduced the concept of Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Terman, refined the formula for calculating IQ which is as stated below-
IQ = \(\frac {MA}{CA}\) × 100 IQ made it possible to compare the intelligence of individuals of different age CA groups.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Question 2.
‘Intelligence testing has a wide usage in various areas’. Justify with examples.
Answer:
David Wechsler defines intelligence as, ‘the aggregate or global capacity of an individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal effectively with his environment.’
Types of Intelligence Tests-
(i) Individual tests of intelligence-
Individual tests of intelligence are tests which can be administered to a single person at a time, for e.g., Stanford Binet Scales, WAIS, Koh’s Block Design Test, etc.

(ii) Group tests of intelligence-
Group test of intelligence are tests that can be administered to more than one person at a time, i.e., for mass testing, for e.g., Army Alpha and Army Beta Test, OTIS self-administrating tests, etc.

(iii) Verbal tests of intelligence-
Verbal tests of intelligence make use of words and numbers to measure intelligence and subjects respond verbally to the test items, for e.g., WAIS, Army Alpha Test, etc.

(vi) Non-verbal tests of intelligence-
Non-verbal tests of intelligence do not use language to measure intelligence. They make use of pictures, designs, objects, etc. Such tests may be (i) Performance tests, e.g., Koh’s Block Design Test or (ii) Paper-pencil test e.g., Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices.

Application of Intelligence Testing

  1. Effective Schooling – On the basis of intelligence test scores, teachers can classify students into intellectual categories and devise special instructional programmes suited to their mental development.
  2. Aids Mental Health Personnel – Intelligence tests are helpful to Mental Health personnel such as psychologists, etc., for diagnosis purposes and therapy.
  3. Effective Parenting – Parents can provide appropriate educational facilities to their children based on their IQ scores.
  4. Career Counselling – Scores obtained on intelligence tests help the student to select the right educational options/ courses.
  5. Vocational Counselling – Individuals can choose a suitable career and achieve job satisfaction when they make a realistic choice of vocation based on IQ scores.

Question 3.
Explain the characteristics of people having high social intelligence.
Answer:
E.L. Thorndike proposed the term Social Intelligence. Howard Gardner included ‘interpersonal intelligence’ in the Multiple Intelligences Theory. According to Karl Albrecht, “Social intelligence is the ability to get along well with others and to get them to cooperate with oneself’.

According to Karl Albrecht our behaviour towards others falls somewhere on a spectrum between toxic behaviour and nourishing behaviour. Devaluing others, refusing cooperation to others, negative talking, discouraging others, etc., are some of the examples of toxic behaviours. A continued pattern of toxic behaviour indicates a low level of social intelligence. Respecting others, cooperating with others, positive talking, encouraging others, etc., are some of the examples of nourishing behaviour. A continued pattern of nourishing behaviour indicates a high level of social intelligence.

The following are some of the characteristics of people having high social intelligence:

  1. They are good at understanding and interacting with other people.
  2. They have ability to monitor their verbal and non-verbal expressions while communicating with others.
  3. They are good speakers and good listeners.
  4. They are skilled at assessing the emotions, motivations, desires, and intentions of those around them.
  5. They understand social dynamics in an effective way.
  6. They are flexible in their approach while dealing with others.
  7. They are goal orientated, persistent and self- confident.
  8. They can resolve conflicts in social contexts.
  9. They are successful negotiators.
  10. They enhance personal and professional relationships with others.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Class 12 Psychology Chapter 2 Intelligence Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITY (Textbook Page. No. 12)

Activity 1
Read the following sentences and decide whether the given sentences are the facts or just beliefs about intelligence :
(i) Intelligence is something that is inborn.
(ii) Students who are intelligent can get good marks in examinations.
(iii) Students who do not get good marks in examinations are less intelligent.
(iv) People who are intelligent are very smart.
(v) Intelligent people can impress anyone by their talk.
Answer:
[All the statements are just beliefs, not facts.]

Activity 2 (Textbook Page. No. 15)
Read the following examples. Using the formula, calculate the I.Q. of the following students:
(i) Aabha is a genius girl. Her chronological age is 8 years and her mental age is 14 years. Find out her I.Q.
(ii) Mayur has learning disabilities. His chronological age is 8 years and his mental age is 6 years. Find out his I.Q.
Answer:
(i) In case of Aabha – Mental Age (MA) = 14 years
Chronological Age (CA) = 8 years, IQ = ?
IQ = \(\frac {MA}{CA}\) × 100 = \(\frac {14}{10}\) × 100 = 175
IQ = 175.

(ii) In case of Mayur – Mental Age (MA) = 6 years.
Chronological Age (CA) = 8 years, IQ = ?
MA 6
IQ = \(\frac {MA}{CA}\) × 100 = \(\frac {6}{10}\) × 100 = 75
IQ = 75.

Activity 3 (Textbook Page. No. 16)

Make a chart listing the advantages and disadvantages of individual tests of intelligence.
Answer:
(i) Advantages-

  1. The test administrator can establish a rapport with the client.
  2. The test administrator can get additional information about the client’s feelings, moods and expressions during testing.
  3. Individual tests are more capable of measuring creative thinking, compared to group tests.

(ii) Disadvantages-

  1. Individual tests are time consuming and costly to administer.
  2. Individual tests require a trained and skillful examiner to administer, score and interpret them.
  3. These tests cannot be used for mass testing.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Activity 4 (Textbook Page. No. 16)

Make a chart listing the advantages and disadvantages of group tests of intelligence.
Answer:
(i) Advantages-

  1. Group tests are less time consuming and economical to administer.
  2. In administrating group tests, the role of the examiner is minimal. So, he/she need not go through any specialized training.
  3. These tests can be used in cases where mass testing is needed.

(ii) Disadvantages-

  1. The test administrator has much less opportunity to establish rapport, obtain cooperation and maintain interest of the clients.
  2. Compared to individual tests, group tests are less capable of measuring creative aspect of intelligence.

Activity 5 (Textbook Page. No. 17)

Verbal test of intelligence Choose the correct option:
(i) Shoe – Foot : : Hat – ……………..
(a) Kitten
(b) Head
(c) Knife
Answer:
Shoe – Foot: : Hat – Head

(ii) Eye – Head : : Window – ………………
(a) Key
(b) Floor
(c) Room
Answer:
Eye – Head : : Window – Room

Activity 6 (Textbook Page. No. 19)

Read the examples given in Activity 6 on textbook page no. 18 and decide the positions of Chetan, Sagar and Anil on the following spectrum of behaviour:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence 3
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence 4

Activity 7 (Textbook Page. No. 20)

Study the differences between the characteristics of people having high emotional intelligence and low emotional intelligence and think about what you can do to develop your emotional intelligence?

Characteristics of people having high emotional intelligence Characteristics of people having low emotional intelligence
Emotionally stable, Patient Emotionally unstable, Impatient
Optimistic, Independent Pessimistic, Dependent
Happy, Enthusiastic Sad, Apathetic
Calm, Satisfied Restless, Dissatisfied

Answer:
I will try to develop emotional intelligence by adopting the following ways-

  1. active listening skills .and effective style of communication.
  2. practice self-evaluation and self-awareness.
  3. respond instead of reacting in conflict situations.
  4. stay motivated, rational and have a positive outlook.
  5. show empathy, be approachable.
  6. adopt effective stress management techniques.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 2 Intelligence

Activity 8 (Textbook Page. No. 20)

Discuss how the following devices use Artificial Intelligence:
(i) Computers
(ii) Self-driving cars
(iii) Robots
(iv) Medical diagnostic tools
(v) Translation devices
(vi) Automatic Missiles
(vii) Chatbots, etc.
Answer:
(i) Computers – AI is the ability of a computer programme to think and learn. It makes computers smart, i.e., work without being encoded with commands.

(ii) Self-driving cars – Autonomous driving is a key application of AI. Self-driving cars are equipped with multiple sensors such as cameras, radars, etc., which generate massive amount of data and simulate human perceptual and decision making processes in driving.

(iii) Robots – AI gives robots the computer vision to navigate, sense and calculate their reaction accordingly. Robots learn to perform tasks from humans through machine learning which is a part of computer programming and AI.

(iv) Medical diagnostic tools – Abnormalities in body fluids and tissue can be automatically detected using AI in medical diagnosis solutions. AI can help to speed up process of diagnosis, i.e., biomarkers.

(v) Translation devices-AI uses Neural Machine Translation (NMT), i.e., an electronic, neural network trained to recognize patterns in the input data set and translate it into desired output data, for e.g., a sentence in Japanese into English. It is more accurate than simple machine translation.

(vi) Automatic Missiles – AI is leading the world towards a battlefield that has no boundaries, may not even have humans involved and will be impossible to control across the human ecosystem in Cyberspace, Geospace and Space (CGS). It refers to the weaponisation of AI, i.e., a weapon system that can select human/ non-human targets without further intervention by a human operator.

(vii) Chatbots – AI makes it possible for chatbots to ‘learn’ by discovering patterns in data. A chatbot is a computer programme that imitates spoken and written conversation, i.e., voice commands and texts, for e.g., Siri.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

1. Choose the correct option and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
Till 1879, psychology was a branch of ……….
(a) physics
(b) philosophy
(c) physiology
Answer:
(b) philosophy

Question 2.
Psychology is a science.
(a) natural
(b) social
(c) biological
Answer:
(b) social

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 3.
…………………. is considered as founder of Psychoanalysis.
(a) Wilhelm Wundt
(b) Carl Rogers
(c) Sigmund Freud
Answer:
(c) Sigmund Freud

2. Match the pair

Group A Group B
(1) Structuralism (a) John Watson
(2) Functionalism (b) Carl Rogers
(3) Behaviourism (c) Ulric Neisser
(4) Cognitivism (d) William James
(e) Wilhelm Wundt

Answer:

Group A Group B
(1) Structuralism (e) Wilhelm Wundt
(2) Functionalism (d) William James
(3) Behaviourism (a) John Watson
(4) Cognitivism (c) Ulric Neisser

3. State whether the following statements are true or false.

Question 1.
Psychology is a study of mental processes.
Answer:
True

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 2.
Case study method is quite often used by clinical psychologists.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
An experimenter is a person on whom the experiment is conducted.
Answer:
False

4. Answer the following in one sentence each.

Question 1.
In which year was the first psychology laboratory established?
Answer:
The first psychology laboratory was established in 1879 by Wilhelm Wundt, at the University of Leipzig in Germany.

Question 2.
Who is considered as the ‘Father of American Psychology’?
Answer:
William James, founder of Functionalism school of thought of psychology is considered ‘Father of American Psychology’.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 3.
What is meant by an experimenter?
Answer:
The person who conducts the experiment is called the experimenter.

5. Define / Explain the concepts in 25 – 30 words each.

Question 1.
Replicability
Answer:
Replicability is one of the key features of science. Scientific knowledge can be replicated under the same circumstances as the original experiment. This ensures reliability of results towards establishing a scientific theory.

Question 2.
Correlation coefficient.
Answer:
Correlation coefficient is the measurement of the correlation between two or more variables. Its value extends between -1.00 to +1.00. The concept was first introduced by Sir Francis Galton. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient is the most commonly used type of correlation coefficient.

6. Write short notes on the following in 50 – 60 words each.

Question 1.
Observation method
Answer:
Observation method is a research method that is employed in conditions where experiments may not be possible or even necessary. Observation is used by child psychologists and social psychologists. It may be carried out in a natural setting, for e.g., observing candidates waiting their turn for an interview. It may also be carried out in controlled conditions.
The following factors should be kept in mind while carrying out the observation

  1. it should be done systematically.
  2. a comprehensive list of behaviours to be observed must be prepared.
  3. the persons should not be aware of being observed.

The disadvantages of observation are:

  1. it is a time consuming method.
  2. objectivity is difficult to maintain during observation.
  3. it is difficult to establish cause-effect relationships.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 2.
Survey method
Answer:
A survey is a research method used to collect data from a pre-determined group of respondents, i.e., a sample. It is used to obtain information about the preferences, opinions, etc., of the ‘sample’ population. It makes use of tools like questionnaire, checklist, interviews, etc. Survey method is employed by social psychologists, industrial psychologists, etc. The researcher must ensure that-

  1. sample of respondents is representative of the population.
  2. questions should not be ambiguous.

The disadvantages of survey method are:

  1. it is a very subjective method,
  2. it lacks reliability.

Question 3.
Case study method
Answer:
Case study method is a qualitative research method employed by clinical psychologists. It provides intensive, descriptive information about an individual from multiple sources such as family, peers, school, academic and health records, etc. This helps to assess the person’s level of psychological and social functioning. Researchers may employ techniques like observation, interview, psychological tests, etc. Psychologist such as Sigmund Freud and Jean Piaget made extensive use of case study method. However, this method is very time consuming and subjective.

Question 4.
Importance of rationality
Answer:
Rationality implies being agreeable to reason. According to Stanovich, “Rationality involves adaptive reasoning, good judgement and good decision making.”
According to Dr. Albert Ellis, rationality helps a person to successfully attain goals and be happy. He proposed Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT), which is a popular intervention method in counselling psychology.
Rationality is important because:

  1. It allows us to make decisions in new or unfamiliar situations by helping us to gather and process relevant information.
  2. It enables the person to exhibit tolerance and flexibility.
  3. A rational person accepts oneself unconditionally and assumes responsibility for their own behaviour.
  4. Rationality helps to understand and respect the views and interests of others.

7. Define / Explain the concepts in 25 – 30 words each.

Question 1.
Science
Answer:
The word science is derived from the Latin word ‘Scientia’ which means ‘knowledge’. Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world, following a systematic methodology based on evidence. The key features of science are empirical evidence, objectivity, scientific causality, systematic exploration and replication.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 2.
Objectivity
Answer:
Objectivity is one of the key features of science. It refers to the ability to observe and accept facts as they exist setting aside all sources of expectations, values, prejudices, etc. Science objectively studies some particular phenomenon.

8. Answer the following questions in detail.

Question 1.
Explain the types of correlation.
Answer:
A correlation refers to a statistical tool used to measure the relationship between two or more variables.
If the change in one variable is accompanied by a change in the other variable, this interdependence is called correlation. It is measured by correlation coefficient which extends between -1.00 to + 1.00.
The types of correlation are:
(i) Positive correlation – Both variables either increase or decrease at the same time, for e.g., extent of rehearsal (revision)↑ and recall score↑.
The value of positive correlation from 0.00 to + 1.00. It is represented as: variable 1 variable 2
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology A Scientific Discipline 1

(ii) Negative correlation – An increase in one variable is associated with a decrease in the other and vice-versa. The value of the correlation is between 0.00 to -1.00, for e.g., bunking of lectures (↑) and score in exams (↓).
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology A Scientific Discipline 2

(iii) Zero correlation – A change in one variable leads to no significant change in the other variable, for e.g., height and intelligence.

Question 2.
Explain some of the challenges in establishing psychology as a science.
Answer:
Many criticisms of psychology as a science have been made on practical, philosophical and ethical grounds. The challenges in establishing psychology as a science are:
(i) It is in preparadigmatic state – According to American philosopher, Thomas Kuhn, psychology is still in a preparadigmatic state as it has not succeeded in producing a cumulative body of knowledge that has a clear conceptual cove.

(ii) Issues related to objectivity and validity – Methods used in psychology such as introspection, surveys and questionnaires are subjective. Due to this, psychology lacks two criteria of science, i.e., objectivity and validity.

(iii) Issues related to predictability and replicability – In psychology it is difficult to make exact predictions as people respond differently in different situations. Test result are more varied and hence difficult to replicate.

(iv) Objectifying humans – According to some psychologists, subjecting human behaviour to experimentation amounts to objectifying individuals.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 3.
Explain the key features of science.
Answer:
The word science is derived from the Latin word ‘Scientia’ which means ‘knowledge’. Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world, following a systematic methodology based on evidence.
They key features of science are:

  1. Empirical evidence – It refers to acquiring information through direct observation or experiments. Scientific knowledge is based on verifiable evidence.
  2. Objectivity – This refers to the ability to observe and accept facts as they exist, setting aside all sources of expectations, values, prejudices, etc.
  3. Scientific causality – Science aims to establish a cause-effect relationship between the variables under consideration, i.e., the effect of the Independent Variable on the Dependent Variable.
  4. Systematic exploration – Science adopts a sequential procedure for studying various phenomena. It includes scientific steps like formulating a hypothesis, collection of facts, scientific generalisation etc.
  5. Replication – Scientific knowledge can be replicated under the same circumstances as the original experiment. This ensures reliability of results towards establishing a scientific theory.
  6. Predictability – Science involves describing and explaining phenomena as well as to make predictions accordingly.

Question 4.
Write detailed information of the experimental method in psychology.
Answer:
The systematic observation about a certain problem under controlled laboratory conditions is called an experiment.
For example, Albert Bandura conducted experiment to investigate if social behaviours i.e., aggression can be acquired by observation and imitation. The steps involved in an experiment are:

  1. identifying the problem
  2. formulation a hypothesis
  3. selecting an experimental design
  4. conducting the experiment and data collection
  5. data analysis
  6. drawing conclusions

The key terms of experimental method with examples are:

  1. Problem: To study the effect of music on the level of blood Pressure.
  2. Hypothesis: The music will help in regulating the level of blood pressure.
  3. Independent variable: Music.
  4. Dependent variable: Level of blood pressure.
  5. Intervening variables: Age, gender, all other sounds other than music, etc.
  6. Experimenter : A person who will be conducting this experiment. (May be you or your psychology teacher.)
  7. Participant : A person on whom this experiment will be conducted. (May be your family member/ friend.)

The two variables in an experiment are:

  1. Independent Variable (I.V.) – It is the variable that the experimenter manipulates or changes systematically to study it’s effect on the D.V. (Cause).
  2. Dependent Variable (D.V.) – the variable that may change due to manipulation of the I.V. (effect).

The features of the method are:

  1. it is the most objective and scientific method of studying behaviour
  2. it helps to establish cause-effect relationship between two or more variables
  3. the findings of an experiment are verifiable

The limitations of the method are:

  1. it may not be possible to control all intervening variables
  2. it has a limited scope, i.e., there may be ethical constraints or risk factors
  3. experimenter’s expectations or participant attitude may influence the conclusions

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 5.
Explain the characteristics of a rational individual.
Answer:
One of the significant aims of individuals is attainment of happiness. However, in the pursuit of happiness, one should not be driven by irrational influences or compromise on social norms and ethics. Psychology helps to improving life quality by applying the concept of rationality in daily life. According to Stanovich, “Rationality involves adaptive reasoning, good judgement and good decision making.”
According to Dr. Albert Ellis, rationality helps a person to successfully attain goals and be happy. He proposed Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT), which is a popular intervention method in counselling Psychology.

According to Ellis, rational people possess characteristics such as:

  1. Understanding both self-interest and social interest – Rational people understand what choices help them to grow and take responsibility for their actions. They are also careful not to violate other’s rights.
  2. Self-direction – The person does not demand excessive attention or support from others as he/she assumes the responsibility for his/her own life.
  3. Tolerance – It is the willingness to accept beliefs and behaviour patterns of others that may differ from our own way of thinking.
  4. Flexibility – Rational people tend to be flexible and unbiased in their thoughts and actions.
  5. Self-acceptance and self-responsibility – A rational person accepts him/herself unconditionally as well as responsibility for his/her thoughts, emotions and behaviour.

The concept of rationality can be explained as:

B (Balance) Balance between self-interest and interest of others
E (Estimate) Estimate the time, efforts, gains and losses
R (Respect) Respect oneself and others
A (Affiliate) Affiliate with others
T (Tolerate) Tolerate oneself and others
I (Intergrate) Integrate personal wellbeing with social wellbeing
0 (Optimize) Optimize potential fully
N (Navigate) Navigate path of success
A (Accept) Accept the limitations and overcome them
L (Live) Live life fully

How Rational Am I?

Question 1.
Identify the strongest and the weakest characteristics in you from those explained by Dr. Albert Ellis.
Answer:
Rational people are psychologically healthy and show adaptive reasoning and good decision making.
According to Dr. Albert Ellis, some characteristics of rational persons are:

  1. Understanding self-interest and social interest
  2. Self-direction
  3. Tolerance
  4. Flexibility
  5. Self-acceptance and self-responsibility.

The strongest characteristic in me is self-direction. The weakest characteristic in me is flexibility.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Question 2.
How will you work on your weakest characteristic? Write two strategies.
Answer:
Two strategies that I can use to improve the flexibility in my life is:

  1. Adopt an unbiased perspective and non-judgmental thinking
  2. Practicing meditation and mindfulness.

(A) Identify the Independent Variable and Dependent Variable.

  1. To study the effect of colour on moods.
  2. To study the effect of positive feedback on self-confidence.
  3. To study the effect of loud noise on concentration levels.
  4. To study the effect of exposure to classical music on reading skills.
  5. To study the effect of a type of diet on weight loss.
  6. To study the effect of a fertilizer on crop growth.
  7. To study the effect of solving previous years exam papers on scores in the exam.
  8. To study the effect of worker’s participation in decision making on job satisfaction.

Answer:

Independent Variable Dependent Variable
1. Colour Moods
2. Positive feedback Self confidence
3. Loud noise Concentration levels
4. Classical music Reading skills
5. Type of diet Weight loss
6. Fertilizer Crop Growth
7. Previous year question papers Scores in the exam
8. Workers participation in decision making Job satisfaction

(B) Identify the type of correlation.

  1. Gender and Intelligence.
  2. Cold weather and sales of air conditioners.
  3. Low income and standard of living.
  4. Consuming foods with antioxidants and immune system.
  5. Speed and time taken to cover a distance.
  6. Heads/tails,on flipping a coin and result when you flip another time.
  7. Colour of the hair and learning a dance form.
  8. Average temperature in a city and ice cream sales in it.
  9. Chain smoking and lifespan.
  10. Intelligence and language development.
  11. Increasing age after 60 years and physical agility.
  12. Level of water in a fish tank and area of fish habitat.
  13. Large number of trees felled and probability of soil erosion.
  14.  More hours spent at work and available leisure time.

Answer:

Positive Correlation 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 13.
Negative Correlation 2, 5, 9, 11, 14.
Zero Correlation 1, 6, 7.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Class 12 Psychology Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITIES (Textbook Page. No. 1)

Activity 1

Read the following statements. Think and discuss whether the given statements are facts or myths and misconceptions about psychology:
(i) Psychology is just common sense and not a real science.
(ii) Psychology is simply a pseudoscience.
(iii) Psychologists are simply mind readers or the face readers.
(iv) Psychology is related only to the study of crazy people who are in need of therapy.
(v) Psychologists, psychiatrists and counsellors have the same professional qualifications and their jobs are almost of the same nature.
(vi) Anyone with a degree in psychology can provide counselling to a need person. Answer:
Answer:
All the statements are misconceptions.
Statement 1, 2 are misconceptions because Psychology is a social science that fulfils the criteria of a science, e.g., it employs the scientific method.

Statement 3 is a misconception. Psychologists are trained professionals in some field of psychology, e.g., counselling psychology. They employ tools like observation, case study, experiments, etc.

Statement 4 is a misconception. There are numerous branches of psychology such as Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Environmental Psychology, etc.

Statement 5 is a misconception. Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors and focus on medication management. Psychologists employ psychotherapy such as CBT, REBT, etc.

Statement 6 is a misconception. A counsellor is a person who has academic qualifications as well as professional training in counselling techniques.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Activity 2 (Textbook Page. No. 3)

Read the following statements and discuss about the same in the classroom:
(i) Psychology is a science because it fulfils many conditions of science.
(ii) Psychology is not an exact science like physics or chemistry.
(iii) Psychology is a social science that studies human (and animal) behaviour and mental processes.
(iv) Psychology uses some objective research methods, it examines cause-and-effect relationships to produce laws governing human behaviour and its findings can be verified.
(v) Psychology can be distinguished from pseudoscience and folk wisdom as psychology has evidence against its theories.
(vi) The subject matter of psychology is complex as human behaviour is dynamic and the mental processes are abstract. Therefore, the theories of psychology are not as universal, exact and precise as those in physics and chemistry.
Answer:

  1. Psychology fulfils conditions of science such as acquiring empirical evidence, objectivity, predictability, scientific causality, etc.
  2. Psychology is a social science which deals with human beings. It is not a physical science.
  3. Psychology is defined as the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes.
  4. Psychology uses objective methods like controlled laboratory experiments and aims to establish scientific causality and verifiable theories.
  5. Psychology is not based on folk wisdom, pseudo knowledge or myths. It is based on systematic exploration and acquisition of empirical evidence.
  6. Psychology is a social science so its theories cannot be universal or exact as in the physical science. Human behaviour is constantly evolving and unpredictable.

Activity 3 (Textbook Page. No. 4)

Visit the website given below and collect information about various schools of thought of psychology: https://www. verywellmind.com/psychology-schools-of-thought-2795247
Answer:

  1. Structuralism – Focused on breaking down mental processes into the basic elements using techniques like introspection.
  2. Functionalism – Focused on the mind’s functions and adaptations.
  3. Gestalt school – Focused on looking at the ‘whole’ rather than individual elements.
  4. Behavioural school – Focused on study of observable behaviour.
  5. Psychoanalytic school – Emphasized the influence of the ‘unconscious’ on behaviour.
  6. Humanistic school – It developed as a response to psychoanalysis and behaviourism. It focused on individual free will, personal growth and concept of self-actualization (achieving one’s full potential).
  7. Cognitive school (Cognitivism) – Focused on the study of mental processes like learning, perception, memory etc.

In recent times, Behavioural school, Cognitive school and Humanistic school remain influential. Most psychologists adopt an eclectic approach drawing upon different perspectives.

Activity 5 (Textbook Page. No. 5)

Find out the Independent Variable and Dependent Variable from the experiment ideas given below:
(i) To study the effect of practice on memory.
(ii) To study the effect of mental set on problem solving.
(iii) To study the effect of noise pollution on the speed of writing.
(iv) To study the effect of colour on perception.
(v) To study the effect of feedback on decision making.
Answer:

Independent Variable Dependent Variable
(1) Practice Efficient memory
(2) Mental set Problem solving
(3) Noise pollution Speed of writing
(4) Colour Perception
(5) Feedback Efficient decision making

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 1 Psychology: A Scientific Discipline

Activity 6 (Textbook Page. No. 8)

Discuss about the following topics that can be studied using correlation study method:
(i) Bunking lectures and score in exams
(ii) Weight and intelligence
(iii) Amount of salary and level of job satisfaction
(iv) Rehearsal and forgetting
(v) Height and aptitude in music
(vi) Urbanization and pollution
(vii) Speed of vehicles and road accidents
Answer:
(a) Positive correlation

  1. Urbanization and pollution
  2. Speed of vehicles and road accidents

(b) Negative correlation

  1. Bunking lectures and score in exams
  2. Rehearsal and forgetting

(c) Zero correlation

  1. Weight and intelligence
  2. Height and aptitude in music

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

1. Choose the correct option and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
A person who is shy and reserved is called an ……………..
(a) introvert
(b) extrovert
(c) ambivert
Answer:
(a) introvert

Question 2.
The Ink-Blot test was developed by psychologist ………………….
(a) Murray
(b) Rorschach
(c) Morgan
Answer:
(b) Rorschach

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Question 3.
……………….. traits are the dominant characteristics of a person.
(a) Cardinal
(b) Secondary
(c) Central
Answer:
(a) Cardinal

2. Match the Pair

Question 1.

Group A Group B
(1) Self-report technique (a) Interview
(2) Behavioural analysis (b) MMPI
(3) Projective methods (c) Permanent characteristics
(d) TAT

Answer:

Group A Group B
(1) Self-report technique (b) MMPI
(2) Behavioural analysis (a) Interview
(3) Projective methods (d) TAT

3. State whether the following statements are true or false.

Question 1.
Personality is merely related to external appearance.
Answer:
False

Question 2.
People with high neuroticism are emotionally reactive.
Answer:
True

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Question 3.
Children from families having a warm emotional atmosphere are well adjusted.
Answer:
True

4. Explain the concepts in 25 – 30 words each.

Question 1.
Personality
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which was used to refer to masks worn by actors during a stage performance, Thus, the meaning of personality was interpreted as ‘projected behaviour’ of an individual.

According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.” According to Norman Munn, “Personality is a unique combination of individual’s physical structure, needs, interests, abilities and aptitudes.”

Question 2.
Trait
Answer:
A trait is a relatively enduring and consistent way of thinking, feeling and acting. It is some distinctive characteristic of the person that leads him/her to behave in more or less consistent ways across situations and over a period of time. Allport categorised traits as: (i) Cardinal Traits (single, dominant trait) (ii) Central Traits (core or basic traits) (iii) Secondary Traits

Question 3.
Sentence Completion Test
Answer:
Sentence Completion Test (SCT) is a type of projective technique used to assess personality. The individual is given a series of incomplete sentences and is asked to complete them in his/her own words, for e.g., My mother, My greatest fear is It is assumed that the endings provided by the person will reflect their motivation, urges, internal conflicts etc.

Question 4.
Structured interview
Answer:
Interview is a process in which the interviewer collects information about the personality of an interviewee by asking him/her specific questions. The main types of interview depending on the purpose of assessment are – structured and unstructured interview.

In structured interview, the number, type and sequence of questions to be asked are pre-determined. The answers expected from the interviewee are also specific. This type of interview is used where exact quantification is required, for e.g., industrial psychologists use structured interviews to select employees for a job.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Question 5.
Unstructured interview
Answer:
Interview is a process in which the interviewer collects information about the personality of an interviewee by asking him/her specific questions. The main types of interview depending on the purpose of assessment are – structured and unstructured interview.

In unstructured interview, the type and sequence of questions to be asked by the interviewee are not pre-determined. Detailed answers can be given and scoring is often subjective. It is employed by clinical psychologists, counsellors, etc.

5. Write short notes on the following in 50 – 60 words each.

Question 1.
Gordon Allport’s trait theory of personality.
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’. According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.”

A trait is a relatively enduring and consistent way of thinking, feeling and acting. It is some distinctive characteristic of the person that leads him/her to behave in more or less consistent ways across situations and over a period of time. Allport categorised traits as Cardinal traits, Central traits and Secondary traits.
(i) Cardinal Traits – It is a single trait that dominates the individual’s personality. Every action of the person can be traced to the influence of this trait, for e.g., in case of Gandhiji honesty is the cardinal trait, in case of Napoleon, the cardinal trait was ambition.

(ii) Central Traits – These traits are ‘core’ traits or ‘basic’ characteristics that form the building blocks of personality. There are about 5-10 traits such as sensitivity, sociability, diligence, etc., that can best describe an individual’s personality.

(iii) Secondary Traits – These traits play a minor role in personality as they appear only in specific situations or under specific circumstances. They are sometimes related to preferences or attitudes.

Question 2.
Effect of mass media on personality development.
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which was used to refer to masks worn by actors during a stage performance, Thus, the meaning of personality was interpreted as ‘projected behaviour’ of an individual.

According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.”

The psycho-social factors that have an effect on personality include heredity, family, peer group, culture and mass media. Mass media includes print media e.g., newspapers; audio-visual media e.g., T.V. and new media e.g., internet. Media is a source of information, education, entertainment and even socialization. It has a considerable effect on our value system, behaviour patterns and personality. However, excessive dependence on media may lead to egocentrism, poor academic performance, difficult in concentration, sleep disturbance, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

6. Answer the following questions with given points in 100 – 150 words each.

Question 1.
Explain the Big Five Factors model of Personality.
Points:
(i) Openness to experience
(ii) Conscientiousness
(iii) Extroversion
(iv) Agreeableness
(v) Neuroticism
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which was used to refer to masks worn by actors during a stage performance, Thus, the meaning of personality was interpreted as ‘projected behaviour’ of an individual.

According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.” According to Norman Munn, “Personality is a unique combination of individual’s physical structure, needs, interests, abilities and aptitudes

The Five Factor Model of or Big Five Personality theory, based on the trait perspective proposed by Robert McCrae and Paul Costa. The five broad trait factors are-

  1. Openness to Experience
  2. Conscientiousness
  3. Extroversion
  4. Agreeableness
  5. Neuroticism.

1. Openness to Experience – People who are open to experience are intellectually curious imaginative, appreciative of art, sensitive to beauty. They sometimes tend to think and act in nonconforming, adventurous ways. Individuals who score low on openness to experience tend to be conventional, resistant to change and prefer familiarity and routine. They may lack creativity and aesthetic sense.

2. Conscientiousness – It concerns the way in which people control, regulate and direct their impulses. People high in conscientiousness are hardworking, disciplined, responsible, dependable, etc, while those low on conscientiousness tend to be careless, unorganised, spontaneous, undisciplined, etc.

3. Extroversion – Extroversion is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. People high on this trait are assertive, talkative, sociable, enthusiastic, etc. Individuals showing low extroversion tend to be shy, reserved, lack the activity levels of extroverts. They are low-key and disengaged from the social world.

4. Agreeableness – It refers to the ability of a person to get along with others and show a concern for social harmony. People high on this trait tend to be friendly, cooperative, generous and believe that people are basically decent and trustworthy. Persons low on agreeableness tend to be uncooperative, suspicious, even hostile and jealous.

5. Neuroticism – It refers to a tendency to experience negative emotions such as anger, anxiety or depression more intensely and for longer periods than normally experienced by others. Those who score high on neuroticism tend to be irritable, fearful, emotionally unstable and interpret ordinary situations as threatening and hopeless. People who score low in neuroticism are less emotionally reactive and hence tend to be calmer, emotionally stable and experience more of positive feelings.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Question 2.
Explain the factors influencing personality.
Points:
(i) Family
(ii) School
(iii) Peer group
(iv) Culture
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which was used to refer to masks worn by actors during a stage performance, Thus, the meaning of personality was interpreted as ‘projected behaviour’ of an individual.

According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.” According to Norman Munn, “Personality is a unique combination of individual’s physical structure, needs, interests, abilities and aptitudes

Personality is shaped by biological factors such as heredity and hormones secreted by endocrine glands as well as psychosocial factors such as family, school, peer group, culture, mass media, etc.

(i) Family – As the first agency of socialization, the family exerts a strong influence on personality. Aspects of family such as family structure, atmosphere, and relationships, family interactions and childrearing practices influence personality, for e.g., if parents show rejection or over protection, etc., towards the child it leads to low self-esteem and adverse effects on the personality. A family with a warm emotional atmosphere and where parents adopt democratic discipline and show love, respect and concern for the children will positively influence the child’s personality, i.e., boost self-esteem.

(ii) School – Various aspects of school such as teaching-learning process, academic and co- curricular facilities, role of the teachers, school location, management and discipline, etc., influence the child’s personality, for e.g., teachers who are well qualified, creative, build a rapport which the students, tend to motivate students and help them to develop a good personality.

(iii) Peer group – It refers to individuals of the same age group, e.g., classmates or sharing the same interests, e.g., members of a sports club. Influence of the peer group is most noticed in adolescence since it serves as a reference group. The influence of peer group on the person may be positive such as developing healthy gender attitudes, skills of communication, etc., or it may be negative e.g., developing aggressive tendencies, prejudices, etc.

(iv) Cultural factors – Culture refers to the customs, values and social behaviour of a particular society. Every culture has its own set of beliefs, norms, expectations, etc., which influence the thoughts, feelings and behaviour of its members.

Question 3.
Explain the various methods of personality measurement.
Points:
(i) Behavioural analysis
(ii) Self-report technique
(iii) Projective method
Answer:
The word personality is derived from the Latin word ‘persona’ which was used to refer to masks worn by actors during a stage performance, Thus, the meaning of personality was interpreted as ‘projected behaviour’ of an individual.

According to Gordon Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determines his unique adjustments to the environment.”

According to Norman Munn, “Personality is a unique combination of individual’s physical structure, needs, interests, abilities and aptitudes. Personality can be assessed using techniques such as Self Report measures (inventories), Behavioural Analysis Techniques and Projective techniques.

(i) Behavioural Analysis Techniques
Behavioural Analysis techniques such as Interview and Observation can provide information about an individual’s personality in a variety of situations.
(a) Interview – It is a process in which the interviewer collects information about the personality of an interviewee by asking him/her specific questions. The main types of interview depending on the purpose of assessment are- Structured and unstructured interview.

  • Structured interview – The number, type and sequence of questions to be asked in the interview are pre-determined. The answers expected are also specific. This type of interview is used where exact quantification is required, for e.g., industrial psychologists use structured interviews to select employees for a job.
  • Unstructured interview – The type and sequence of questions to be asked by the interviewer are not pre-determined. Detailed answers can be given and scoring is often subjective. It is employed by clinical psychologists, counsellors, etc.

(ii) Self-Report Technique (Inventories)
The individual provides information about his/her personality by responding to statements/ questions on the inventory, for e.g., Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PFQ), etc. Responses are scored in quantitative terms and interpreted on the basis of norms that are developed for the test.

(iii) Projective Techniques
Projective techniques emerged from the psychoanalytic perspective. The individual responds freely to relatively unstructured or ambiguous stimuli/material. It is assumed that individuals project their own personality onto these stimuli, often revealing personal conflicts, coping styles, etc. Projective techniques cannot be scored in an objective manner. They use various materials like ink-blots, ambiguous pictures, incomplete sentences, word associations, etc. Main projective techniques include Rorschach’s Ink-Blot Tests, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Sentence Completion Test, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Class 12 Psychology Chapter 3 Personality Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITIES (Textbook Page. No. 23)

Activity 1

Read the following examples and express your opinion about the concept of personality:
(i) Rohan is a good looking boy. He is a genius, but extremely arrogant. He always shouts at his friends. He always talks very rudely to his parents.
(ii) Ruchi is a girl with ordinary looks. She is poor in her studies but always gets along nicely with her friends. She always talks in a polite manner to everyone.
Answer:
[Information based question – refer textbook page no. 23 (3.1)]

Activity 2 (Textbook Page. No. 24)

Look at the list given below and discuss which of these factors have a stronger influence in shaping personality :
(i) Nutritious diet (ii) Junk food (iii) Physique (iv) Exercise (v) Technology (vi) Peer group (vii) Parents (vii) Neighbours (ix) Relatives (x) Childhood experiences.
Answer:
All the given factors tend to shape our personality. However, parents, peer group, physique, childhood experiences tend to exert greater influence.

Activity 3 (Textbook Page. No. 25)

Think how the peer group may influence you with respect to factors given below:
(i)Hairstyle (ii) Dressing style (iii) Eating habits (iv) Study habits (v) Communication skills (vi) Attitudes (vii) Decision making (viii) Likes and dislikes, etc
Answer:
The peer group refers to individuals who are of the same age or who tend to share similar interests. Peer group influences personality tremendously in late childhood and in adolescence. This may be in regard to physical appearance like hairstyle and dressing style. Peer group also influences how we interact with others i.e., interpersonal aspects like communication skills, decision-making, attitudes as well as personal preferences eating habits, study habits, like/dislikes, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Activity 4 (Textbook Page. No. 27)

Make two separate lists of jobs requiring more need of talking and jobs requiring less need of talking. Try to find out which of your friends will be suitable for these two types of jobs.
Answer:
Jobs requiring more need of talking.

  1. Teacher
  2. Salesperson
  3. Human resource manager
  4. Lawyer
  5. Event planner

Jobs requiring less need of talking.

  1. Writer
  2. Computer programmer
  3. Librarian
  4. Accountant
  5. Researchers.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Psychology Solutions Chapter 3 Personality

Activity 5 (Textbook Page. No. 29)

Use observation method and try to get few ideas of the personalities of the following individuals:

  1. Traffic controller
  2. News reporter
  3. Private detective
  4. Interior designer
  5. Nurse
  6. Teacher

Answer:

  1. Traffic controller – He/she must have physical stamina, mental agility, negotiation skills, organizational skills.
  2. News reporter – He/she must have curiosity, alertness, courage, language skills, empathy.
  3. Private detective – He/she must be trustworthy, persistent, sociability, technological skills.
  4. Interior designer – He/she must have creativity, interpersonal skills, aesthetic skills, communication skills.
  5. Nurse – He/she must show empathy, stamina, communication skills, diligence, interpersonal skills.
  6. Teacher – He/she must have good interpersonal and communication skills, be patient, creative.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 12th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
The core of nonalignment was
(a) Independent understanding of world affairs
(b) Participation in cold war
(c) Democratic socialism as policy
(d) Policy of regionalism
Answer:
(a) Independent understanding of world affairs

Question 2.
Farakka Agreement about sharing of river waters is between India and
(a) Bangladesh
(b) Pakistan
(c) China
(d) Nepal
Answer:
(a) Bangladesh

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 3.
The vision for India Ocean Rim Association (IORA) originated in 1995 during the visit of to India.
(a) Nelson Mandela
(b) Yasser Arafat
(c) Pervez- Musharraf
(d) President Jayewardene
Answer:
(a) Nelson Mandela

Question 4.
The main building at NDA, Pune is named to reflect cooperation between India and
(a) Indonesia
(b) Russia
(c) Sudan
(d) Nepal
Answer:
(c) Sudan

Question 5.
Objective of India Foreign Policy is incorporated in DPSP as Article
(a) 44
(b) 356
(c) 370
(d) 51
Answer:
(d) 51

Question 6.
The First Summit meeting of NAM in 1961 was held at
(a) Bandung
(b) Belgrade
(c) Dhaka
(d) Jakarta
Answer:
(b) Belgrade

Question 7.
After India’s nuclear test in 1998, took the lead in imposing sanctions on India.
(a) USA
(b) France
(c) China
(d) Russia
Answer:
(a) USA

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 8.
In 2008, India signed a Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with
(a) Russia
(b) France
(c) USA
(d) Canada
Answer:
(c) USA

Question 9.
In 1971, India signed a Friendship Treaty with
(a) USA
(b) Soviet Union
(c) China
(d) Pakistan
Answer:
(b) Soviet Union

Question 10.
The war in 1962 was between India and
(a) China
(b) Pakistan
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) Bangladesh
Answer:
(a) China

Question 11.
In the late 1990s, Foreign Minister Primakov mooted the idea of a Trilateral Summit between Russia, India and
(a) USA
(b) Pakistan
(c) China
(d) Vietnam
Answer:
(c) China

Question 12.
Status of Kashmir has been a cause of tension between India and
(a) Bangladesh
(b) China
(c) Afghanistan
(d) Pakistan
Answer:
(d) Pakistan

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 13.
In 1972, Shimla Agreement was signed between India and
(a) USA
(b) Russia
(c) Pakistan
(d) China
Answer:
(c) Pakistan

Question 14.
In 1975, the Himalayan Kingdom of opted to integrate with India.
(a) Nepal
(b) NEFA
(c) Sikkim
(d) Bhutan
Answer:
(c) Sikkim

Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Myanmar – Aung San Suu Kyi
(b) Bangladesh – Mujibur Rahman
(c) Pakistan – Jayewardene
Answer:
(b) ANZUS – Australia, New Zealand, USA

Question 2.
(a) Lahore Agreement (1999) – Pakistan
(b) Friendship Treaty (1971) – Bangladesh
(c) Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (2008) – USA
Answer:
(b) Friendship Treaty (1971) – Soviet Union

Complete the following sentences by selecting the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
Relations with West Asian countries are important for India because ……………..
(a) they work as a counter against Pakistan.
(b) they are important trade partners.
(c) they are important dialogue partners in SAARC.
Answer:
(a) they work as a counter against Pakistan.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 2.
Jawaharlal Nehru is called ‘architect of India’s foreign policy’ because ……………….
(a) he was the first Foreign Minister of India.
(b) his speech in September 1946 spelt out core features of India’s foreign policy.
(c) he was instrumental in signing of treaties with China.
Answer:
(b) his speech in September 1946 spelt out core features of India’s foreign policy.

Question 3.
Relations between India and China have been strained due to …………………
(i) border disputes such as Aksai Chin.
(ii) China’s support to Pakistan.
(iii) India has given political asylum to the Dalai Lama.
(a) none of the above.
(b) only (i) and (ii)
(c) all of the above.
Answer:
(c) all of the above.

Question 4.
The Sagarmala project is aimed at ………………….
(a) countering piracy and securing trade routes.
(b) promoting port-led development in India.
(c) promoting exclusive economic zone in the India Ocean.
Answer:
(b) promoting port-led development in India.

State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
2008, India-US Agreement.
Answer:
Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

Question 2.
Rebel, militant Tamil group in Sri Lanka.
Answer:
LTTE

Question 3.
Policy due to which India began significant relations with South-East Asian nations.
Answer:
Look East, Act East

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 4.
It was created in March 1997 to promote balanced and sustained development in India Ocean region.
Answer:
Indian Ocean Rim Association.

Find the odd word.

Question 1.
Sukhoi fighter aircraft, Brahmos missiles, Sakhalin-1 oil fields, BIMSTEC.
Answer:
BIMSTEC (not included in Indo-Russia relations)

Question 2.
NEFA, Nepal, Tibet, BRI.
Answer:
Nepal (not an issue in China-India relations)

Question 3.
PLO, ARF, SCO, SAARC.
Answer:
P. L. O (India is not associated)

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 4.
Nepal, Sikkim, Myanmar, Bhutan.
Answer:
Myanmar (not a Himalayan kingdom)

Expand the following abbreviations.

(1) SEATO
(2) IAEA
(3) NEFA
(4) LTTE
(5) PLO
(6) ARF
(7) IORA
(8) ONGC
(9) LAC
(10) AFRICA Fund
Answer:
(1) SEATO – South East Asia Treaty Organisation
(2) IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency
(3) NEFA – North East Frontier Agency
(4) LTTE – Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(5) PLO – Palestine Liberation Organisation
(6) ARF – ASEAN Regional Forum
(7) IORA – The Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation
(8) ONGC – Oil and Natural Gas Commission
(9) LAC – Line of Actual Control
(10) AFRICA Fund – The Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism and Apartheid Fund

Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 2

Question 2.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 3
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 4

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 3.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 5
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 6

Observe the maps in textbook and answer the following questions.

1.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 7
Question 1.
Name the three water bodies bordering India.
Answer:
Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea.

Question 2.
Name three countries bordering India to the North.
Answer:
China, Nepal, Bhutan.

Question 3.
Name three countries bordering Afghanistan.
Answer:
Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan

Question 4.
Name three countries lying in the Indian Ocean.
Answer:
Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

2.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World 8
Question 1.
Name three countries around South China Sea.
Answer:
Philippines, Vietnam, China, Taiwan.

Question 2.
Name three African countries bordered by Indian Ocean.
Answer:
Somalia, Mozambique, Tanzania.

Question 3.
Name two West Asian countries bordered by water on the east.
Answer:
Yemen, Oman bordered by waterbody on the east.

State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
In the past two decades Indo-US relations have improved considerably.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. During the Cold War and even immediately after that, Indo-US relations were strained mainly due to India’s nonaligned policy and US support to Pakistan.
  2. However, India supported US war on terrorism and later the signing of India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (2008) led to bettering of ties between USA and India. US regards India as a major trade and defence partner.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 2.
International situation has played a significant role in determining India’s Foreign Policy.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Factors like geography, history, economy, political leadership have impacted India’s foreign policy. During the Cold War, superpower politics impacted India’s policy.
  2. There were many significant changes in India’s foreign policy when the Cold War ended.
  3. India’s relations with world powers like USA and with its own neighbours like China and Pakistan have influenced its foreign policy.

Question 3.
Indian foreign policy has undergone a change post 1990s
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. During the Cold War era, Indian foreign policy had evolved around three pillars viz. nonalignment in international relations, preservation of autonomy in domestic affairs and solidarity among developing nations.
  2. After 1991, Indian economy opened under economic liberalisation. India developed relations with different nations based on realistic understanding of national interest. Thus, India emerged as a significant economic and technological power post 1990s.

Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Political leadership – India’s foreign policy.
Answer:
The principles of India’s foreign policy include respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, belief in peaceful coexistence and peaceful resolution of international disputes. One of the main factors influencing foreign policy is the political leadership of the country. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech spelt out the core feature of India’s foreign policy i.e., friendly relations with England, USA and Soviet Union.

He was a co-founder of the Non- Aligned Movement and opted not to be a part of any military alliance. Prime Ministers who have played an important role in India’s foreign policy include Lai Bahadur Shastri (Indo-Pak war 1965 and Tashkent Agreement) Indira Gandhi (Indo-Pak war, 1971 and Shimla Agreement) Rajiv Gandhi (peacekeeping force to Sri Lanka, 1987), Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
India-US relations.
Answer:
During the Cold War, relations between India and US were strained due to several reasons

  1. India kept out of US led military alliances like CENTO, etc., and co-founded Non-Aligned Movement.
  2. India’s criticism of US intervention in Vietnam.
  3. US position on the Kashmir issue and constant support to Pakistan.

Even after end of the Cold War, Indo-US relations did not immediately improve. The US brought pressure on the new State of Russia to stop supply of space technology to India. After India carried out its second nuclear testing in 1998 at Pokhran, the US not only imposed economic sanctions on India but also pressurized other nations like Canada, Japan, etc. to impose sanctions as well. However, towards the end of the last century Indo-US ties have improved due to the following reasons-
1. Anti-terrorism stance – India supported President George W. Bush’s “war on terrorism” similarly, after the 2001, terrorist attack on Indian Parliament by Pakistan supported terrorist groups, US demanded that Pakistan should stop sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

2. Partnership apd Agreements – The US regards India as a major partner in the Indo- Pacific region. India regards the USA as a major source of investment and partner in trade and defence as well as in multilateral fora like India-US-Japan forum. In 2008, the India-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed by which India became the only country outside NPT that has nuclear capabilities.

Answer the following questions in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Elaborate on India’s “Look East, Act East” policy.
Answer:
After independence, Jawaharlal Nehru attempted to weave unity among countries of Asia. One of the major partners in this effort was Indonesia. During the Cold War period, India’s relations with most of the South-East Asian nations was nominal. In 1991, India under Prime Minister P. V. Narsimha Rao propounded the “Look East” Policy as an effort to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the South-East Asian countries and bolster it’s standing as a regional power. Subsequent Prime Ministers such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr. Manmohan Singh also pursued this policy.

In 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi a more outcome-based policy of Act East was announced to focus more on relations with ASEAN and other East Asian countries especially Vietnam and Japan. India has particularly good relations with Singapore which is a major investor in India. Relations with Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia have also improved. India has a Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN and is a partner in ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) a regional security group. India has promoted regional cooperation groups like BIMSTEC.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 2.
Describe India-Pakistan relations.
Answer:
1. There have been tensions and military standoffs between India and Pakistan since 1947 for e.g., Conflict of 1947-48, Kargil conflict (1999) as well as two-wars (1965, 1971). The main problem areas between India and Pakistan is over the Kashmir issue. India has accused Pakistan of sponsoring cross border terrorism in Indian territory.

2. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a route for Chinese investments in Pakistan. China has extended support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue while Pakistan recognizes China’s claims to Aksaichin.

3. Disputes over sharing of the Indus river waters and Baglihar Dam issue. Efforts have been made to improve bilateral relations between India and Pakistan such as the Shimla Agreement (1972) signed between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Z. A. Bhutto. In 1999, Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan signed three agreements. Both countries have launched several mutual confidence building measures such as the Delhi-Lahore bus service, hotlines between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, etc.

Answer the following question with reference to the given points.

Question 1.
Elaborate on India’s relations with
(a) USA
(b) Russia / Soviet Union
(c) China
Answer:
India has played an active role in international relations even before independence for e.g., as a signatory at the San Francisco Conference that gave shape to the United Nations Charter.
The primary objectives of India’s Foreign Policy are:

  1. Maintenance of international peace and security.
  2. Protection of the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
  3. Maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries and with regional groups such as ASEAN.
  4. Greater integration with the world economy in order to sustain a high growth rate.

(a) USA – During the Cold War, relations between India and US were strained due to a number of reasons:

  1. India kept out of US led military alliances like CENTO, etc., and co-founded Non- Aligned Movement.
  2. India’s criticism of US intervention in Vietnam.
  3. US position on the Kashmir issue and constant support to Pakistan.

Even after end of the Cold War, Indo-US relations did not immediately improve. The US brought pressure on the new State of Russia to stop supply of space technology to India. After India carried out its second nuclear testing in 1998 at Pokhran, the US not only imposed economic sanctions on India but also pressurized other nations like Canada, Japan, etc. to impose sanctions as well.

(b) Russia / Soviet Union – During the Cold War era, Soviet Union provided aid to India in the form of technology, weapons and low-interest credit to India’s heavy industry projects in the public sector. Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty (1971) is considered a milestone in their bilateral relations. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia agreed to provide reactors for India’s Kudankulam nuclear power plant and for joint ventures to produce Sukhoi fighter aircraft and Brahmos missiles. Both India and Russia have major Stakes in Russia oil fields such as Sakhalin-1 highlighting the importance of energy security.

(c) China – In 1949, the Communist revolution took place in China. India was among the first nations to recognize the People’s Republic of China. In 1954, India and China signed the Panchsheel Agreement and India also recognised Chinese Suzerainty on Tibet. The main hindrances in Sino-Indian relations are-

  1. 1962 Indo-China war and 2017 Dokhlam skirmish.
  2. Border disputes in AksaiChin and NEFA region.
  3. China has been critical of India offering political asylum to the Dalai Lama.
  4. Chinese support to Pakistan.
  5. India’s apprehensions about China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

On the positive side India-China relationship has improved

  1. Agreement on maintenance of peace and tranquility along the LOC.
  2. China has become among the largest trading partners of India.
  3. India and China are part of BRICS and SCO.
  4. In the late 1990s, Russia mooted the idea of a Trilateral Summit of Russia, China, India which was a recognition of India’s status as a major regional power.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 6 India and the World

Question 2.
Elaborate on India’s relations with
(a) Pakistan
(b) Bangladesh
(c) Sri Lanka
Answer:
India has played an active role in international relations even before independence for e.g., as a signatory at the San Francisco Conference that gave shape to the United Nations Charter. The primary objectives of India’s Foreign Policy are:

  1. Maintenance of international peace and security.
  2. Protection of the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
  3. Maintaining good relations with neighbouring countries and with regional groups such as ASEAN.
  4. Greater integration with the world economy to sustain a high growth rate.

(a) Pakistan-
1. There have been tensions and military standoffs between India and Pakistan since 1947 for e.g., Conflict of 1947-48, Kargil conflict (1999) as well as two wars (1965, 1971). The main problem areas between India and Pakistan is over the Kashmir issue. India has accused Pakistan of sponsoring cross border terrorism in Indian territory.

2. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a route for Chinese investments in Pakistan. China has extended support to Pakistan on the Kashmir issue while Pakistan recognizes China’s claims to Aksai Chin.

3. Disputes over sharing of the Indus river waters and Baglihar Dam issue.

Efforts have been made to improve bilateral relations between India and Pakistan such as the Shimla Agreement (1972) signed between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Z. A. Bhutto. In 1999, Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan signed three agreements. Both countries have launched several mutual confidence building measures such as the Delhi-Lahore bus service, Samjhauta Express, hotlines between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, etc.

(b) Bangladesh – India played a major role in securing independence for Bangladesh in 1971. Major issues in Indo-Bangladesh relations were about distribution of waters of Teesta river, land and maritime boundaries, Chakma refugees, etc. Cross border terrorism is a concern for both countries.

(c) Sri Lanka – India is the only neighbour of Sri Lanka, separated by the Palk Strait. They share deep racial and cultural links. For most of Tamils in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) their ancestors were from India. Ties between the two countries have been tested by the Civil War in Sri Lanka and Indian intervention during the war (1983-2009). It was caused by insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which aimed to create an independent Tamil State in the north and east of Sri Lanka.

The LTTE was formed in 1976 under leadership of V. Prabhakaran as Tamils began to feel alienated in Sri Lanka due to Sinhala being made official language and Tamil migrant plantation workers being disenfranchised. Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi deployed the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) under Operation Pawan to disarm different militant groups in Sri Lanka. The Indo-Sri Lanka Accord (1987) was signed to provide a political solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict.

Today, India is Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner. Both India and Sri Lanka are members of SAARC and BIMSTEC. Sri Lanka’s leaning towards China e.g., Hamabantota port being built in Sri Lanka by China is a major concern for India.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 12th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
The concept of ‘citizens charter’ is part of
(a) POSDCORB
(b) development administration
(c) good governance
(d) NGO activity
Answer:
(c) good governance

Question 2.
The good governance model looks at inter-linkages between the government and
(a) civil society
(b) political parties
(c) public administration
(d) human rights
Answer:
(a) civil society

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Question 3.
The culture of ‘secrecy’ in administration has been challenged by the good governance value of
(a) effectiveness
(b) transparency
(c) accountability
(d) equity
Answer:
(b) transparency

Question 4.
The Consumer Protection Act was passed in the year
(a) 1986
(b) 1990
(c) 2000
(d) 2012
Answer:
(a) 1986

Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Lokayuktas – States
(b) Fundamental duties – good governance
(c) E-governance – Digitisation of records
(b) Directive Principles of State Policy – good governance
Answer:
(b) Fundamental duties – good governance

Complete the following sentences by selecting the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
Governance is a broader view of public administration because ………………
(a) it includes not only formal institutions of government but also informal institutions.
(b) it is based on e-governance.
(c) it was introduced after the second ARC.
Answer:
(a) it includes not only formal institutions of government but also informal institutions.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
Wide range of organisations such as labour unions, NGO’s etc.
Answer:
Civil Society

Question 2.
Institution created in India in 2013 to inquire into allegations of corruption against officials at union level.
Answer:
Lokpal

Question 3.
Governance facilitated by I.C.T.
Answer:
e-governance

Question 4.
Act of 2005 that enables citizens to seek important public information from the government.
Answer:
Right to Information Act

Find the odd word.

Question 1.
Religious groups, Bur6aucracy, Professional groups, NGO’s.
Answer:
Bureaucracy (not included in civil society / non-state actors)

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Question 2.
Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains.
Answer:
Hindus (not included in religious minorities in India)

Question 3.
Secrecy, Efficiency, Responsiveness, Inclusiveness.
Answer:
Secrecy (not a core value of good governance)

Question 4.
Policy framework, Funding framework, Institutional framework, Redressal and grievances framework
Answer:
Redressal and grievances framework (not a pillar of e-governance)

Complete the concept maps

Question 1.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India Good Governance 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India Good Governance 2

State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Good governance approach is a break from the traditional model of public administration.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Good governance approach aims to improve the performance of public institutions by making administration citizen-centered and not merely rule-bound.
  2. It aims to replace traditional administration that was archaic and riddled with red tapism and corruption with participative, responsive, equitable and transparent administration.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Question 2.
E-governance has brought administration closer to people.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. E-governance refers to good governance which is facilitated using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) This helps in the instantaneous transmission, processing, storage and retrieval of data.
  2. The objective of the National e-governance Plan of Government of India is to bring public service closer home to citizens. This can be done by building a countrywide infrastructure and large scale digitisation of records to enable easy, reliable access over the Internet for e.g., passport application can be done online.

Question 3.
Right to Information is the key to strengthening participatory democracy.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Right to Information Act, 2005 has enabled citizens to seek important public information from the government and helps to usher in people-centered governance.
  2. R.T.I is a basic necessity of good governance as it helps to bring transparency in government organisations and makes them function in an efficient, responsive manner.

Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Good Governance – Traditional model of administration.
Answer:
The concept of development administration brought in changes in the traditional role of administration. Governance refers to the cooperative effort of government as well as non¬government bodies in public administration. Since the traditional approach of public administration was archaic, riddled with red tapism and corruption it would not satisfy the requirements of the citizens. The good governance model is based on core values of efficient, effective, responsible, responsive, transparent and accountable public administration.

Question 2.
Citizen participation – Good governance.
Answer:
In development administration, not only the government but also citizens and NGO’s play a vital role. The term ‘governance’ is used to describe this cooperative effort of the government and non¬governmental bodies in public administration.
The Good Governance approach aims at the following-

  1. to reform the traditional, huge-sized public administration which was riddled with red tape and corruption
  2. to replace the archaic systems with responsible, participative and equitable systems
  3. to look at interlinkages between government and civil society
  4. to make the administration citizen-centered and not rule bound.

Citizen participation refers to the following aspects-

  1. the development process is a ‘bottom-up’ approach in which citizens are not recipients but participants in this process
  2. citizens have a right in making decisions pertaining to themselves
  3. there are modalities by which citizens can take control of resources and influence decision making
  4. it contributes to a responsive, participative democracy.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Question 3.
Good Governance – Right to Information. (RTI)
Answer:
In development administration, not only the government but also citizens and NGO’s play a vital role. The term ‘governance’ is used to describe this cooperative effort of the government and non¬governmental bodies in public administration.
The Good Governance approach aims at the following-

  1. to reform the traditional, huge-sized public administration which was riddled with red tape and corruption.
  2. to replace the archaic systems with responsible, participative and equitable systems.
  3. to look at interlinkages between government and civil society.
  4. to make the administration citizen-centered and not rule bound.

The R. T. I became operative w.e.f. 12th October 2005. The main objectives of the R.T.I is for citizens to secure access to information under control of public authorities so as to increase citizens awareness and ability to exercise their other rights. It is a basic necessity of good governance which enables citizens to seek important public information from the government i.e., about public policies and actions Transparency in government institutions makes them function more objectively and enables citizens to participate effectively in the governance process.

R.T.I. is an implied fundamental right under the constitution i.e., a part of Article 19 (1) (a) as well as of Article 21. It grants access to information held by a public authority so as to promote openness, transparency and accountability in administration. According to the UN Commission on Human Rights, “Good governance creates an enabling environment conducive to the enjoyment of human rights and prompts growth and sustainable development”. Thus R.T.I. helps in good governance.

Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is an important institutional mechanism towards good governance.
Answer:
I agree with this statement.
The NCM was set up by the Union Government under National Commission for Minorities Act (1992). It monitors the working of safeguards for religious minorities (i.e. Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Zoroastrian (Parsis) and Jain). It looks into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights of the minorities and takes up such matters with the appropriate authorities. The NCM enables that benefits of good governance must be available to all sections of society, especially to minorities.

Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Elaborate on e-Governance.
Answer:
In the last few decades, governance has become more complex and varied. Citizens expectations from the government have also increased. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is used in governance. This is called ‘e-governance’. It helps in-

  1. instant transmission and processing information and efficient storing and retrieval of data.
  2. increasing the reach of government both geographically and demographically.
  3. speeding up decision making and increasing transparency and accountability of government processes. E-governance in India has evolved from computerisation of departments to initiatives which are citizen centric and service oriented.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India Good Governance Q 3

The Government of Maharashtra has identified six priority pillars to use e-governance so as to become proactive and responsive to its citizens’ needs.
Pillar – 1: Establishment of Policy/Legal Frameworks: Legal Framework has to be updated regularly with changing times and technologies.
Pillar – 2: Develop Strong Capacity Building Framework: Capacity Building of employees is necessary.
Pillar – 3: Facilitate abundant Funding: Ensure mechanisms for provision of adequate and timely funds.
Pillar – 4: Institutional Framework: Develop administrative structures that are capable of envisioning and guiding the e-Governance programs.
Pillar 5 – Build Core e-Governance Common Infrastructure: Develop the core e-Governance infrastructure like Data Centre, Common Service Centres and State Wide Area Network etc.
Pillar 6 – Develop Common Statewide Projects: Develop applications like e-Tendering, e-Office, SMS gateway, payment gateway etc. that are common to majority of State departments to ensure coordination.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Question 2.
Discuss the initiatives for good governance in India.
Answer:
After independence, India adopted a socialist model of development aimed at achieving a Welfare State. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances looks after administrative reforms in India. It’s objectives are-

  1. to promote administrative reforms in government policies and processes.
  2. to promote citizen-centric governance.
  3. to conduct innovations in e-governance.

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was set up in 2005 to prepare a blueprint for revamping the public administration system in India. It looked at the following issues.

  1. To make public administration accountable, transparent, efficient, responsive and result- oriented.
  2. Citizen centric, participative administration.

There have been a large number of reform measures which have sought to bring administration closer to the people. Broadly these initiatives include :

  1. Enacting laws giving certain rights to people.
  2. Setting up of new institutional mechanisms to redress citizens’ grievances.
  3. Improving accessibility to citizens by setting up units closer to people.
  4. Simplifying procedures to reduce bureaucratic delays.
  5. Using technology to improve internal efficiency.
  6. Reducing regulatory control.
  7. Holding public contact programmes etc.

Question 3.
Find out examples of the reforms that have been initiated for each of the measures stated below.
Answer:

  1. Enacting laws giving rights to people – Reform initiated – Right to Information (2005).
  2. Setting up of new institutional mechanisms to redress citizens’ grievances – Reform initiated: Creating commissions like NHRC, NCW, NCM, etc.
  3. Improving accessibility to citizens by setting up units closer to people – Reform initiated: Building a countrywide infrastructure reaching down to the remotes areas.
  4. Simplifying procedures to reduce bureaucratic delays – Reform initiated: Formulation of Citizen’s Charters to specify service standards.
  5. Using technology to improve internal efficiency – Reform initiated: e-governance i.e., use of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) to enable easy access over the internet.
  6. Improving discipline within the organisation – Reform initiated: Establishing body of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for States.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

Answer the following question with reference to the given points.

Question 1.
Discuss in detail the following specific programmes aimed at bringing good governance in India.
(a) Lokpal and Lokayukta
(b) Right to Information
(c) E-Governance
(d) Citizen’s Charters
Answer:
After independence, India adopted a socialist model of development aimed at achieving a Welfare State. The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances looks after administrative reforms in India. Its objectives are-

  1. to promote administrative reforms in government policies and processes.
  2. to promote citizen-centric governance.
  3. to conduct innovations in e-governance.

The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) was set up in 2005 to prepare a blueprint for revamping the public administration system in India. It looked at the following issues.

  1. to make public administration accountable, transparent, efficient, responsive, and result-oriented.
  2. citizen-centric, participative administration.

(a) Lokpal and Lokayukta – The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act (2013) provides for the establishment of Lokpal (central government) and Lokayuktas (States) to inquire into allegations of corruption against public officials in a commitment to responsive, clean governance. The Maharashtra Lokayukta Institution came into being in 1972.

(b) Right to Information – It is a basic necessity of good governance which enables citizens to seek important public information from the government i.e., about public policies and actions. Transparency in government institutions makes them function more objectively and enables citizens to participate effectively in the governance process.

(c) E-Governance In the last few decades, governance has become more complex and varied. Citizens’ expectations from the government have also increased. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is used in governance. This is called ‘e-governance’. It helps in-

  1. instant transmission and processing information and efficiently storing and retrieval of data.
  2. increasing the reach of government both geographically and demographically.
  3. speeding up decision-making and increasing transparency and accountability of government processes. E-governance in India has evolved from the computerization of departments to initiatives that are citizen-centric and service-oriented.

(d) Citizen’s Charters – The exercise to formulate citizen’s charters began in 1996. Each organization must spell out the services it has to perform and the standards/norms for these services. If these standards are not met then that agency can be held accountable.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 12th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
‘Unity in diversity is one of the important Indian values associated with
(a) Panchayati Raj
(b) National integration
(c) Concept of a nation
(d) Concept of ‘melting pot’
Answer:
(b) National integration

Question 2.
Charu Majumdar is associated with the
(a) JKLF
(b) Naxal movement
(c) Hizb-ul-Mujahideen
(d) Assam Oil Blockage
Answer:
(b) Naxal movement

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 3.
States in India were reorganised in 1956 on the basis of
(a) language
(b) religion
(c) region
(d) caste
Answer:
(a) language

Question 4.
In 1947-48, India had a conflict with
(a) Jammu and Kashmir
(b) England
(c) Pakistan
(d) China
Answer:
(c) Pakistan

Question 5.
In 1980, an oil blockade agitation was in to focus on the demand for economic development.
(a) Jharkhand
(b) Nagaland
(c) Kashmir
(d) Assam
Answer:
(d) Assam

Question 6.
………………. signed the Instrument of Accession with India in 1947.
(a) Maharaja Hari Singh
(b) Amanullah Khan
(c) Kanu Sanyal
(d) Hafiz Saeed
Answer:
(a) Maharaja Hari Singh

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru – Discovery of India
(b) Struggle for rights of Tamil – LTTE
(c) National Integration Council – Article 370
Answer:
(c) ‘Special status’ for State of Jammu and Kashmir – Article 370

Complete the following sentences by selecting the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
In 1962, the N. I. C was created in India to ……………….
(a) review all matters pertaining to national integration.
(b) oversee the integration of Princely States into India.
(c) deal with insurgency in North-East India.
Answer:
(a) review all matters pertaining to national integration.

Question 2.
The freedom movement played an important role in national integration because …………….
(a) it provided a platform to express democratic views.
(b) it brought Indians together in a common framework of political identity and loyalty.
(c) it provided nationalistic symbols like the National Flag and common citizenship.
Answer:
(b) it brought Indians together in a common framework of political identity and loyalty.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 3.
India can be described as the ‘Salad bowl’ identity because ………………….
(a) it recognizes every culture, religion, etc., of a pluralistic society and it’s importance in national integration.
(b) it stresses on a system of assimilation towards a homogeneous society.
(c) it recognizes the right to self-determination of diverse groups in the country.
Answer:
(a) it recognizes every culture, religion, etc., of a pluralistic society and it’s importance in national integration.

State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
A sense of political identity.
Answer:
Nationalism

Question 2.
Concept used to describe American society based on a process of assimilation.
Answer:
Melting pot

Question 3.
The concept that argues that all aspects of diversity should be maintained in a pluralistic society.
Answer:
Salad bowl

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 4.
Secessionist movement in the Punjab in 1980s.
Answer:
Khalistani movement

Question 5.
A militant movement that originated in the communist ideology
Answer:
Naxalism or Left Wing Extremism

Find the odd word.

Question 1.
CPI (M-L), PWG, MCCI, NIC.
Answer:
NIC (not a Naxal organisation)

Question 2.
Lashkar-e-Taiba, JKLF, IRA, Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Answer:
IRA (not a terrorist group operating in India)

Question 3.
Kerala, Jharkhand, Telangana, Chhattisgarh.
Answer:
Kerala (not affected by Naxalism)

Observe the maps in the textbook and answer the following questions.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration 1
Question 1.
Which two union territories have been created due to the bifurcation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir (2019)?
Answer:

  1. Jammu and Kashmir
  2. Ladakh

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 2.
Name two Indian States that border Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer:

  1. Punjab
  2. Himachal Pradesh

Question 3.
Name two districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Answer:

  1. Kargil
  2. Leh

Question 4.
Name two district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer:

  1. Udhampur
  2. Kupwara

Question 5.
Name two countries that were neighbours of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer:

  1. China
  2. Pakistan

State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Cross Border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is a major threat to nation building in India.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. There are many terrorist outfits operating out of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) or Pakistan such as LET, Hizbul. This has led to frequent terrorist violence in the region since the last two and half decades.
  2. Terrorists indulge in acts like bombings, assassinations, etc. They try to radicalise people through ‘fake news’ and vested social groups as well as to encourage local insurgent groups. Terrorists have even indoctrinated children to hate the country and indulge in criminal acts like stone throwing and arson.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 2.
Left-Wing Extremism has spread over many States in India.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Left-Wing Extremism or Naxalism has it’s ideological foundations in communism and the writings of Charu Majumdar. It’s main purpose is to show existing government structures and process as being ineffective.
  2. Maoist operations are primarily in rural underdeveloped areas with support base among landless and dalits across the Red Corridor i.e., States like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, etc.

Question 3.
The Khalistan movement occurred in the State of Kashmir
Answer:
This statement is False.

  1. The Khalistan movement occurred in the State of Punjab as a separatist movement for an independent homeland for Sikhs i.e., The Khalistan or the Land of the Khalsa.
  2. The Jammu and Kashmir region has been subjected to terrorism due to local militant outfits as well as cross border terrorism.

Question 4.
Modern day terrorism is State-centric.
Answer:
This statement is False.

  1. Modern day terrorism is not State-centric but is a global abstract fight for religious or ideological goals e.g., 2001 attacks by the A1 Qaeda in USA.
  2. Traditional form of terrorism was State-centric i.e., a specific section of people fighting for their rights against the State e.g., LTTE in Sri Lanka.

Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Insurgency in North East India and Neglect of the region
Answer:
North-East India comprises of eight States which are ethnically and culturally very diverse. Many of these States share boundaries with other countries like China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh. Many of these States are not well connected with mainland India. Some regions of the states in North-East India are not well developed. Ensuring industrial and economic development has been a major issue. Various insurgent groups have created havoc in States like Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, etc., In Assam, the ‘anti-foreigner’ movement was about it’s resources being diverted elsewhere, leading to lack of development.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
Naxal operations are primarily prevalent in underdeveloped areas of the country.
Answer:
Naxalism is a movement based on Maoist ideology that began in 1967 at Naxalbari (West Bengal) as a protest against the feudal order and oppression by the landlords. Naxalites target existing infrastructure and aim to show government programmes as ineffective. Naxalites find support amongst landless agricultural labour, tribals and dalits. They are based in inaccessible, underdeveloped areas of India which lack communication facilities, are heavily forested or have difficult terrain where the security forces find it difficult to operate.

Question 2.
National unity is not homogeneity.
Answer:
National unity refers to solidarity among citizens of a country. It advocates a ‘community of communities’ with respect to diversity, shared values and experiences. It is ethnic, religious, linguistic acceptance towards peace and stability. National unity is a major step towards social peace i.e., it is essential in maintaining a stable, functional and harmonious society. National unity in India reflects the ‘salad bowl’ concept i.e., it is not an assimilation of diverse groups but the maintenance of distinctive beliefs in a plural society.

Question 3.
India went into an economic transformation in the 1990s.
Answer:
After independence, India adopted a socialistic pattern of society with mixed economy and Five Year Plans. However, keeping in view, socio-political changes in the world such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, India went into an economic transformation in the 1990s. It opted for economic liberalisation to tackle the problem of economic stagnation. This led to economic recovery of the country.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Question 4.
The National Integration Council (N. I. C) plays an important role in nation building.
Answer:
In 1961, the first National Integration Conference was held to find ways to combat evils like casteism, communalism, regionalism, etc. Based on it’s recommendations, National Integration Council was set up in 1962, to review all matters pertaining to national integration. It dedicates itself to achieving values like equality, justice, fraternity, secularism and unity in diversity.

Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Trace the changes that have taken place in Article 370.
Answer:
Article 370 gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J & IQ conferring it with the authority to have a separate constitution, separate State flag and autonomy over it’s internal administration. The article was drafted in Part XXI of the Indian constitution : Temporary, Transitional and special provisions. Along with Article 35A, this article defined that residents of Jammu and Kashmir had separate laws related to citizenship, ownership of property, etc. The Constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was empowered to recommend articles of the India constitution that should be applied to the State and a subsequent. Presidential Order (1954) was issued.

On 5th August 2019, the Government of India revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Art. 370. President Ramnath Kovind issued an order nullifying all provisions of autonomy granted to the State. Both houses of Parliament passed the Reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir bill. As of now the following changes are apparent;

  1. People of the State have access to all government schemes like Reservations, RTE, RTI, etc.
  2. The State was bifurcated into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

Answer the following question with reference to the given point in 150 to 200 words.

Question 1.
Challenges to nation building in India.
(a) Terrorism
(b) Communalism
(c) Left Wing Extremism
Answer:
Nation building means constructing a national identity which aims at uniting the people within a country so that it remains politically stable. It is closely related to the concept of national integration. It demands a democratic government and participative civil society. Nation building in India faces several challenges such as casteism, regionalism, communalism, insurgency, extremism and terrorism.

(a) Terrorism – It is the actual use or threat to use violence with an intention to disrupt life and create panic. It is called ‘asymmetric’ or ‘indirect’ warfare. It may take the form of assassination of political figures, hijackings, bombings and attacks on civilians etc. Earlier, terrorism was State-centric e.g., LTTE in Sri Lanka. However, modern day terrorism aims for abstract ideological or religious goals at the global level e.g., Taliban, Boko Haram. India has been the target of numerous terrorist attacks e.g., bomb blasts in Mumbai (1993, 2006) and LET attack on 26th November 2008 in Mumbai, attack on Parliament (2001), attacks on security forces at Uri (2016) and Pulwama (2019).

(b) Communalism refers to excessive pride in and attachment to one’s own religion/sect that leads to religious orthodoxy or fundamentalism and promotes intolerance and hatred of other religious groups. In India, roots of communalism can be traced to-

  1. British policy of ‘Divide and Rule’.
  2. Hindu and Muslim revivalist movements.
  3. Rise of communal, fundamentalist parties and other vested interests that aim to radicalise members of their communities.
  4. Politics of appeasement by various political parties.
  5. psychological factors – history of communal violence has led to lack of trust between Hindus and Muslims.
  6. Role of media and ‘fake news’ which may indulge in sensationalism aimed to incite communal hatred.

Some of the prominent cases of communal violence in India are:

  1. 1947-49 there was mass bloodshed in the wake of the Partition of India.
  2. 1969 Ahmedabad riots.
  3. 1983 in Assam against Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh.
  4. 1984 Anti-Sikh riots broke out after the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi especially in Delhi.
  5. 1992-93 saw the worst riots post independence following demolition of the Babri Masjid especially in Mumbai, Surat, etc.
  6. 2002 Gujarat riots especially in Godhra.
  7. 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in UP.

(c) Left Wing Extremism – Left Wing Extremism (also called Maoist movement or Naxalism) has major support base among landless labourers, dalits and tribals who experience a sense of oppression, injustice and neglect. The first attempt to promote a peasant struggle was the Telangana Movement (1946-51). The Naxal Movement originated in 1967 in Naxalbari (West Bengal) led by Kanu Sanyal and writings of Charu Majumdar.

Since 1980s the movement has taken a militant turn. In 2004 CPI (M-L), People’s War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre of India merged to form CPI (Maoist) which aims to overthrow the government, Naxal activities aim to and destroy public property and attack police and officials. The Red Corridor of Naxal activities extends across States like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 12th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
The world order was dominated by the in the early part of the post-cold war area.
(a) UK
(b) Soviet Union
(c) USA
(d) EU
Answer:
(c) USA

Question 2.
The term ‘New World Order’ was first used by
(a) Woodrow Wilson
(b) Jawaharlal Nehru
(c) Joseph Nye
(d) George H. Bush
Answer:
(d) George H. Bush

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 3.
In 1993, the World Conference on Human Rights was held in
(a) Vienna
(b) Belgrade
(c) Paris
(d) New York
Answer:
(a) Vienna

Question 4.
Market reforms were introduced in People’s Republic of China in the mid 1970s under leadership of
(a) Mao-Tse-Tung
(b) Deng Xiaoping
(c) Jinping
(d) Chou-en-Lai
Answer:
(b) Deng Xiaoping

Question 5.
Shenzhen Area is related to the region.
(a) Asia
(b) South Asia
(c) European Union
(d) South America
Answer:
(c) European Union

Question 6.
In 2007, became a member of SAARC.
(a) China
(b) Maldives
(c) India
(d) Afghanistan
Answer:
(d) Afghanistan

Question 7.
…………………. acts as a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia.
(a) BIMSTEC
(b) BRICS
(c) ASEAN
(d) SAARC
Answer:
(a) BIMSTEC

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Kosovo – Serbia
(b) Catalonia – France
(c) Chechnya – Russia
Answer:
(b) Catalonia – Spain

Question 2.
(a) Nepal – SAARC
(b) Myanmar – BIMSTEC
(c) SCO – Afghanistan
Answer:
(c) SAARC – Afghanistan

Complete the following sentences by selecting the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
There were revolutions in East European States because ………………….
(a) they desired more freedom and economic wellbeing
(b) they were now aligned to the USA.
(c) of the rise of multipolarity.
Answer:
(a) they desired more freedom and economic wellbeing

Question 2.
Schengen Visa in significant because ………………….
(a) it is a kind of trade bloc.
(b) it allows individuals to travel freely in 26 Schengen area countries.
(c) it allows all European Union States free trade and travel.
Answer:
(b) it allows individuals to travel freely in 26 Schengen area countries.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
When a State gets other countries to act in ways contrary to their preferences, using coercion.
Answer:
Hard power

Question 2.
The use of violence or threat of violence with an intention to create panic in society.
Answer:
Terrorism

Question 3.
The military campaign launched by then US President, George W. Bush in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Answer:
War on Terror

Question 4.
The agreement which resulted in abolition of internal borders between five European nations in 1985.
Answer:
Schengen Agreement

Question 5.
The executive-bureaucratic arm of the EU.
Answer:
European Commission

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 6.
This forum acts as a platform for discussion between developed and developing nations.
Answer:
G-20

Question 7.
Group of nations make special agreements regarding their economic relationships.
Answer:
Trade Bloc.

Find the odd word.

(1) Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Latvia
(2) Belgium, France, Spain, Germany.
(3) China, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine.
(4) Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, India.
Answer:
(1) Latvia (was not created due to disintegration of Yugoslavia)
(2) Spain (not a signatory to Schengen Agreement in 1985)
(3) Ukraine (not a member of SCO)
(4) Cambodia (not a member of BIMSTEC)

Expand the following abbreviations.

BIMSTEC
SAARC
SAFTA
NATO
UNTAC
ASEAN
EEC
ECSC
Answer:
BIMSTEC – The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
SAARC – South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
SAFTA – South Asian Association Free Trade Area.
NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
UNTAC – United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia.
ASEAN – Association of South East Asian Nations.
EEC – European Economic Community.
ECSC – European Coal and Steel Community.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 2

Question 2.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 3
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 4

Question 3.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 5
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 6

Observe the maps in the textbook and answer the following questions.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 7
Question 1.
Name any four countries in the Schengen area.
Answer:
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France.
Question 2.
Name any two non-European Union countries within Schengen area.
Answer:
Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia.

Question 3.
Name any two countries who are EU members but not Schengen member.
Answer:
Belarus, Ukraine Serbia

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 8
Question 1.
Write two neighbouring countries of Iraq.
Answer:
Syria, Jordan, Iran, Kuwait.

Question 2.
Write two African nations bordered by the Red Sea
Answer:
Sudan, Eritrea

Question 3.
Write two countries bordered by the Gulf of Aden.
Answer:
Yemen, Somalia, Djbouti.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 4.
Write two ‘seas’ bordering Turkey.
Answer:
Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea.

State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
‘New World Order’ described by US President George H. Bush was the first expression of the unipolar world order.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. During the Gulf war (Iraq invasion of Kuwait), the USA led a multinational force to free Kuwait from Iraqi control. Countries of the NATO, Arab States, as well as Israel, China, Soviet Union, etc., supported the US in this action.
  2. Eventually, the meaning of the term ‘New World Order’ came to imply US dominance in matters of security at the global level i.e. unipolarity.

Question 2.
Terrorism in the world today is different from traditional forms of terrorism.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Traditional forms of terrorist activity included hijackings, bombings, assassinations of political leaders, etc. This mainly targeted institutions of the government and was associated with separatist movements or struggles for the rights of some specific people e.g., I.R.A.
  2. Modern day terrorism is motivated by an abstract ideology towards abstract goals and the operations are global in nature e.g., 9/11 attacks in the USA were carried out by Osama Bin Laden led Al-Qaeda based in Afghanistan.

Question 3.
There has been a shift from unipolar to multipolar world order in recent times.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. In the post Cold War era, due to it’s military, technological and economic might, the USA was the only superpower.
  2. However, in recent times, the dominant position of USA has been directly or indirectly challenged by factors such as
    (a) European Union, (b) military resurgence of Russia (c) rise of Asia through the presence of China, Japan and India in the global world order, (d) new regional organisations like BRICS, BIMSTEC, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Rise of China and Russia and Multipolarity
Answer:
After the end of the Cold War, USA emerged as the only super power due to it’s technological and military superiority and the use of‘Soft Power’. However, this dominant position of the USA has been challenged in recent times by China and Russia.

China’s rise to global prominence began in the mid 1970s due to market reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping. China aims to create a sphere of influence in Central and East Asian regions through ambitious projects like One Belt One Road and China Pakistan Economic Corridor. China is also building up it’s naval and air power in order to back up it’s claims in the South China Sea.

Russia has emerged as an energy superpower due to its progress in oil and gas production and military assertiveness. It continues to influence Central and Eastern Europe. Both China and Russia are founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Thus, China and Russia have also become significant centres of power, challenging US dominance.

Question 2.
UN Peacekeeping – Conflict zones.
Answer:
One of the main tasks of the UN Peacekeeping is to prevent conflicts from escalating or recurring, to maintain peace and to protect human rights of the affected people. The UN thus intervened in Cambodia, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, etc.

The United Nations does not have its own army. But in order to maintain international peaee and security, member States of the United Nations, have created a peacekeeping force out of their own military resources. This force known as UN Peacekeeping Force. The Peacekeepers are sent to conflict-prone or war zones, based upon UN Security Council recommendations, often when ceasefires are established.

Answer the following

Question 1.
Elaborate on ‘Self determination based on ethnic identity’ that arose after the end of the cold war.
Answer:
In 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated leading to the creation of many new States. The revolutions in the East European countries also led to many new countries being formed. All this was against communist regimes, as the people within these regions desired freedom and economic progress. Ethnic identity of various people in the region became stronger, leading to the demand for creation of new States based on ethnic identity. Some examples of this trend are-

  1. Yugoslavia split into Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia, etc.
  2. Czechoslovakia split into Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993.
  3. Former Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen States such as Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, etc.

Creation of new States based on ethnic nationalism was also seen in other parts of the world for e.g.

  1. East Timor (became independent from Indonesia).
  2. Eretria (became independent from Ethiopia).
  3. South Sudan (became independent from Sudan).
  4. Chechnya (wants independence from Russia).

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 2.
Describe how USA became the only superpower after the end of the cold war.
Answer:
In 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated and the Cold War ended. This led to the end of an international order dominated by the two superpowers i.e., USA and Soviet Union. Bipolarity gave rise to unipolarity. During the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, the USA took the initiative and led a multinational force to free Kuwait. The US President, George H. Bush used the term ‘New World Order’ to describe the existing global situation. The US initiative was supported by China, Israel, Arab States, Soviet Union and countries of the NATO. Soviet Union was facing internal problems so not much opposition was possible against the USA. Thus, the term ‘New World Order’ implied American dominance and it’s leadership in matters of security was accepted at the global level. This was the first expression of the unipolar world order.

Answer the following question in detail with help of given points.

Question 1.
Discuss the European Union with help of given points.
(a) History
(b) European Commission
(c) European Parliament
(d) European Council
(e) European Court of Justice
Answer:
(a) History – The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and European Economic Community (EEC) were created to foster economic interdependence. On 7th February 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed to create the European Union. This led to expansion of spheres of cooperation to include internal affairs, judicial matters, foreign policy, etc. The Euro (€) is the official currency of 19 out of 28 countries of the EU. These nations are collectively called ‘Eurozone’.

(b) European Commission – The Commission is the executive bureaucratic arm of the EU. It is mainly responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation,and it implements the policy decisions of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

(c) European Parliament – The European Parliament is composed of 751 Members, who are directly elected every five years. It is a body entrusted with legislative, supervisory, and budgetary responsibilities.

(d) European Council – The structure of the European Council consists of the Presidents or Prime Ministers of each member State, accompanied by their foreign ministers, and a full¬time President of the European Council. The European Council meets four times a year and provides strategic leadership for the EU.

(e) European Court of Justice (ECJ) – The ECJ interprets, and adjudicates on, EU law and treaties. As EU law has primacy over the national law of EU member States.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 2.
Elaborate on developments in the post-cold war period.
(a) Rise of new States
(b) Emergence of unipolarity
(c) Humanitarian intervention
(d) Terrorism
(e) Multipolarity and Regionalism
Answer:
The disintegration of the Soviet Union ended the era of the Cold War as well as the East-West division of the world. Developments in the post-Cold War period can be analyzed through five dimensions.
(a) Rise of new States – The East European revolution of 1989, led to assertion of ethnic nationalism based on the right to self determination. It was an expression of the middle class for freedom and economic well being as well as for autonomy and eventually for independence. Many new States were created based on ethnic identity for e.g., Yugoslavia split into States like Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, etc. Similarly, 15 new States were created after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

(b) Emergence of unipolarity – In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The USA led a multinational force to free Kuwait from Iraqi control. The US President, George H. Bush had described this victory as ‘New World Order’ as the multinational support to the USA came from NATO, Israel, Soviet Union, China and many Arab countries. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the world became unipolar and the New World Order implied US dominance and leadership in matters of global security. They had political and economic dimensions. The US employed “Soft Power” method i.e., without use of coercion or military force but through socio-cultural and economic influence.

(c) Humanitarian intervention – There have been many instances of ethnic conflicts and bloodshed in the creation of new States particularly in Bosnia, East Timor, Somalia, Cambodia, etc. The UN Peacekeeping Force has intervened in a number of conflict situations to bring about peaceful resolution of the conflict as well as to maintain peace and protect human rights. Humanitarian intervention refers to an increasing awareness about the significance of human rights and the need for their protection.

(d) Terrorism – Terrorism is defined as the use of violence, or the threat to use violence with an intention to create panic in society, in the pursuit of political/religious/ideological goals. Terrorist groups indulge in hijackings, bombings, etc., and are usually associated with separatist movements. Modern day terrorist operations are global in nature. Some instances of terrorist attacks post 1991, include Al-Qaeda attacks on 11th September 2001 in Washington D.C, Bali (2002), Mumbai (2008), etc.

(e) Multipolarity and Regionalism – In the post cold war era, the USA emerged as the only superpower. However, in recent times, the dominant position of the USA has been challenged due to the rise of Asian nations like China, Japan and India creation of the European Union; military resurgence of Russia and growing importance of regional organisations like SAARC, etc.

Regionalism refers to creation of regional organisations based on geographical proximity or on common ideological, political, economic concerns in areas like communication, health, energy, education, etc. In the 1960s organisations like ASEAN focused on economic issues.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

Question 3.
Describe the following regional organisations in the post cold war era.
(a) European Union
(b) SAARC
(c) BIMSTEC
(d) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(e) G-20
Answer:
(a) EuropeanUnion-The European CoalandSteel Community (ECSC) and European Economic Community (EEC) were created to foster economic interdependence. On 7thFebruary 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed to create the European Union. This led to expansion of spheres of cooperation to include internal affairs, judicial matters, foreign policy, etc. The Euro (€) is the official currency of 19 out of 28 countries of the EU. These nations are collectively called Eurozone.

The Schengen Agreement (1985) was signed by France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. Today 22 countries are part of the Schengen Area which is an area without internal borders. The EU functions on four key institutions viz. European Commission, European Parliament, European council and European court of Justice. The UK formally ended it’s membership of the EU on 31st January 2020.

(b) SAARC – It was formed in 1985 at Dhaka with seven members viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In 2006, SAFTA was activated. Afghanistan joined SAARC in 2007. There are also nine observers such as EU, China, UK, USA, etc.

(c) BIMSTEC – The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation was established in 1997. It comprises of five countries from South Asia viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and two countries from South-East Asia viz. Myanmar, Thailand. BIMSTEC aims to facilitate collaboration and rapid economic development among countries lying in adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.

(d) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) – It was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2016, India and Pakistan joined the SCO. The focus of SCO is to bring about peace, stability and cooperation in the Eurasian region.

(e) G-20 – This forum was created in 1999 with the aim to discuss policies relating to financial stability. It includes developed countries like USA, UK, France, Germany the EU as well as developing countries like Argentina, Brazil, India.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 12th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
The Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (1992) focused on
(a) Environment and development
(b) Nuclear non-proliferation
(c) International trade
(d) Gender issues
Answer:
(a) Environment and development

Question 2.
The 2002 Earth Summit recognised as the most important goal at all level.
(a) poverty
(b) socio-economic develop
(c) sustainable development
(d) gender issues
Answer:
(c) sustainable development

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 3.
The 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development was adopted in the year
(a) 2015
(b) 2002
(c) 1992
(d) 2019
Answer:
(a) 2015

Question 4.
The Second UN Decade for poverty eradication was in
(a) 1997-2006
(b) 1971-1980
(c) 2008-2017
(d) 1992-2003
Answer:
(c) 2008-2017

Question 5.
The Revolution aimed to make India self-sufficient in food grains.
(a) Import substitution
(b) Green
(c) White
(d) Infrastructural
Answer:
(b) Green

Question 6.
The is a scheme introduced in 1978-79 to create opportunities for self-employment in
the rural sector.
(a) MGNREGA
(b) JRY
(c) IRDP
(d) KVY
Answer:
(c) IRDP

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Complete the following sentences by selecting the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
Green Revolution was introduced in India in the 1960’s to ………………
(a) make India self sufficient in food grains.
(b) generate employment and tackle poverty.
(c) to combine economic growth with social justice.
Answer:
(a) make India self sufficient in food grain

Question 2.
The Department of Women and Child Development was set up as a separate Ministry in 2006 to …………..
(a) facilitate health and education programmes for women.
(b) provided political representation to women
(c) empower women to live with dignity and contribute as equal partners in development.
Answer:
(c) make India self sufficient in food grains.

State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
Introduction of high yielding variety of seeds and irrigation methods.
Answer:
Green Revolution

Question 2.
Think tank of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs.
Answer:
NITI Aayog

Question 3.
The responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or degradation of natural resources.
Answer:
Sustainable development

Question 4.
Deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life.
Answer:
Poverty

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 5.
A view that free market economy promotes development.
Answer:
Capitalism

Question 6.
Blueprint for prosperity for people and planet adopted by the UN in 2015.
Answer:
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Question 7.
Agency set up in 1950 to formulate a plan for effective and balanced utilisation of India’s resources.
Answer:
Planning Commission

Question 8.
India’s policy towards poverty and development.
Answer:
Growth with Social Justice and Equity

Question 9.
The process by which oppressed persons gain control over their own lives.
Answer:
Empowerment

Question 10.
Socially constructed characteristics of women and men such as behaviour, norms, roles and relationships.
Answer:
Gender

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Find the odd word.

Question 2.
Pollution, Deforestation, Poverty, Water Scarcity.
Answer:
Poverty (not a direct environment concern)

Question 2.
Brundtland Commission, Rio+20 Summit, Johannesburg Earth Summit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Answer:
UNDP (not a commission/ summit associated with sustainable development)

Expand the following abbreviations.

(1) UNCED
(2) ECOSOC
(3) UNDP
(4) IRDP
(5) JGSY
(6) MPI
Answer:
(1) UNCED – United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(2) ECOSOC – Economic and Social Council of the UN.
(3) UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
(4) IRDP – Integrated Rural Development Programme
(5) JGSY – Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana
(6) MPI – Multidimensional Poverty Index

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 1
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 2

Question 2.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 3
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 4

Question 3.
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 5
Answer:
Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991 Humanitarian Issues 6

State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Rio Earth Summit (1992) was a landmark in environment issues.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (1992) sought to raise public awareness on the need to integrate environment and development.
  2. It’s objective was to create a partnership between developing and more industrialized nations to ensure a healthy future for the planet.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 2.
The perception of poverty has undergone a change in recent times.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. The traditional perception of poverty focused on the deprivation of the basic necessities of life such as food, shelter, etc.
  2. The new perception of poverty as expressed by the ECOSOC, considers poverty as lack of basic capacity to participate effectively in society.
  3. It is perceived as a denial of choices, opportunities and human dignity.

Question 3.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015) is a significant document.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015) adopted by the UN, provides a blueprint for prosperity of the people and planet for now and in the future
  2. It mentions seventeen Sustainable Development Goals for action by all countries in a global partnership for e.g., No Poverty, Climate action, Gender equality, etc.

Question 4.
The economic reforms initiated in India after 1991 had far-reaching implications.
Answer:
This statement is True.

  1. After 1991, India introduced the policies of economic liberalisation and privatisation of the public sector and brought an increase in economic and industrial growth rate.
  2. These reforms changed the role of the State to focus more on social development such as in heath care, sanitation, education, etc.

Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Department of Women and Child Development – Women’s empowerment.
Answer:
The Department of Women and Child Development, Government of India came into existence as separate ministry in 2006. Before this, it was a department under HRD ministry: The Department of Women and Child Development was constituted with the intention of addressing gaps in State action for women and children and to create gender equitable and child-centered legislations, policies and programmes.

It aims to achieve the empowerment of women i.e., to live in dignity and to contribute as equal partners in development in an environment free from discrimination, injustice and violence. The Ministry has prepared the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women (2001). The Draft of the National Policy for women (2016) aims at women’s empowerment by following a socially inclusive rights-based approach.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
There is a need to protect the environment.
Answer:
I agree with this statement.
The environment refers to all living and non-living things that make up our surroundings. Many environmental problems result due to unplanned management, human activities and technological development that interfere with the environment. Protection of environment refers to conservation and preservation of environment by reducing pollution, soil erosion, global warming, deforestation etc.

Main environmental concerns hence are climate change, water scarcity, pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc. Environmental degradation and depletion of resources will result in spread of pests and vector diseases, extinction of species, natural disasters like floods; acid rain, melting of glaciers, etc. Life on this earth cannot exist unless we restore environmental balance.

Question 2.
Poor political representation of women is a major concern.
Answer:
I agree with this statement.
Poor political representation of women is a significant gender concern in India. The first Lok Sabha had only 24 women of total 489 members i.e., 5%, and the 17th Lok Sabha (2019) has 78 women (14%). This is the highest representation of women in Lok Sabha till date. The Women’s Reservation Bill which proposes to reserve 33% of all seats in Lok Sabha and in State Assemblies for women is pending in the Lok Sabha. This bill was first introduced in Parliament in 1996, by the United Front government of Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

As per the bill, seats will be reserved for women on a rotational basis. The UPA-I government (2004-2009) again introduced the bill in May 2008 and it was passed in May 2010 by the Rajya Sabha. Currently, the bill is still pending in Lok Sabha. However, there exists 33% reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies (as per 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts).

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
What is the Green Revolution?
Answer:
Green Revolution refers to a large increase in crop production that is achieved by the use of high yielding crop varieties, pesticides, artificial fertilizers, machines and better management of agricultural resources. Norman Borlaug, an agricultural scientist of USA is considered as ‘Father of the Green Revolution’ for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1970). In India, M.S. Swaminathan is credited with introducing the Green Revolution in 1965 especially in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

This was necessitated due to famine and acute food shortages due to low productivity in food production. Green Revolution was mainly in wheat, maize and gram production. During it’s early years, the Green Revolution yielded great economic prosperity leading to significant increases in agricultural output and farmers incomes. However, this did not benefit marginal farmers who could not afford expensive inputs.

Question 2.
What is empowerment? Suggest measures for empowerment of women.
Answer:
Empowerment refers to the process by which oppressed or marginalized sections of the population become stronger, especially in controlling their own life and claiming their own rights. This may happen socially, economically, politically or nationally. The approach to women’s issues has progressed from ‘welfare’ to ‘development’ to ‘empowerment’.

Some of the measures for empowerment of women include-

  1. Political empowerment – giving women better representation in legislative bodies and in the decision making process.
  2. Economic empowerment – such as strengthening women’s access to property inheritance and land rights, skill training, work opportunities, micro-credit, increased right to economic resources and power.
  3. Social empowerment – through literacy/education, training and raising awareness, freedom from domestic violence, access to information, health services and sanitation.

In India, schemes to empower women include Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana (2015), Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP), Mahila Shakti Kendras (2017) etc.

Question 3.
Describe international efforts to deal with environmental concerns.
Answer:
There have been many international efforts to deal with environmental concerns as well as about the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation.
1. UN Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972) The purpose was to encourage and provide guidelines for protection of the environment.

2. World Commission on Environment and Development (1983) also called Brundtland commission put forward the concept of sustainable growth.

3. Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit (1992) sought to raise public awareness on the need to integrate environment and development and to create a partnership between developing and more industrialized nations to ensure a healthy future for the planet.

4. Earth Summit at Johannesburg (2002) recognized sustainable development as the most important goal for institutions at the national, regional and international levels

5. UN Conference on sustainable development (Rio-2012) is also called Rio Earth Summit or Rio+20. Environmental sustainability is defined as responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or degradation of natural resources and allow for long¬term environmental quality. It’s goal is to conserve natural resources, to reduce pollution, to develop alternate sources of power, etc.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 4.
Elaborate on the aspects of development in India.
Answer:
The purpose of development is to ensure welfare of the people and is associated with economic growth. The traditional approaches to development focus on the predominant role of the State in promoting economic growth (Socialist) or role of free market economy (Capitalist). Since the 1990s, the alternative view of development that focuses on both material and non-material aspects has become acceptable. The focus today is development based on equity, participation, empowerment and sustainability.

  1. Modernisation of the economy – During the Nehruvian period, the focus was on land reforms, irrigation and large-scale industrialisation to provide employment and increase productivity.
  2. Self – reliance – This included ‘import substitution’ strategy to develop indigenous industry.
  3. Socialist pattern of society – It was based on promotion of the Welfare State, employment generation and importance ,to the public sector. The Planning Commission (March 1950 to 31st December 2014) was created to chalk out Five Year Plans for development.

“Growth with Social Justice and Equity’ has been India’s policy towards poverty and development. Its development strategy has evolved over the years. In the early stages, government played a dominant role through the public sector.

Question 5.
Describe the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted in 2015 by the UN.
Answer:
In 2015, the United Nations adopted the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It provides a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet for now and into the future. The Agenda mentions 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for action by all developed and developing countries in a global partnership.

The Sustainable Development Goals are:

  1. No Poverty
  2. Zero hunger
  3. Good health and well being
  4. Quality
  5. Gender equality
  6. Clean water and sanitation
  7. Affordable and clean energy
  8. Decent work and economic growth
  9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  10. Reduced inequalities
  11. Sustainable cities and communities
  12. Responsible consumption and production
  13. Climate action
  14. Life below water
  15. Life on land
  16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
  17. Partnership goals

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Answer the following question with reference to the given points.

Question 1.
Explain condition of women in India.
(a) Economic inequality
(b) Trafficking and exploitation
(c) Literacy rate
(d) Political representation
Answer:
All over the world, women have to face serious problems such as discrimination and violence, under representation in economic and political decision-making, inequalities in education, health care, landholdings and workplaces and even in human rights.

Some of the important gender issues:
(a) Economic inequality – Participation of women in the labour market is about 28% only. There is also income inequality due to wide gender wage gaps as well as inequality of opportunities to women e.g., unequal access to education and finance. In many countries, women are either not encouraged to work or employed in the informal sector. Women continue to be underrepresented in high-level, highly paid positions and experience gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. Women experience high levels of poverty, unemployment and other economic hardships.

(b) Trafficking and exploitation – Women are often exploited and denied basic rights. They are trafficked for purpose of sexual and economic exploitation particularly prostitution, ‘sold’ as brides, subjected to sexual crimes, forced labour, street begging, etc. Trafficking in women means that they are deceived or forced/sold, physically confined, abused with no access to protection or health care.

(c) Literacy rate – low literacy among women is acute in India. As per 2011 census report, female literacy rate is only 65.46% while for males it is 82.14%. The reasons for the low female literacy are-

  1. traditional patriarchal notions that do not consider female education as economically advantageous
  2. Schools in rural areas are not easily accessible and travel may not safe or easy.
  3. Benefits of schemes like R.T.E have not reached many rural females.
  4. Social evils like child marriage, female foeticide, dowry, etc.

(d) Political Representation – Poor political representation of women is a significant gender concern in India. The First Lok Sabha had only 24 women of total 489 members i.e., 5% and the 17th Lok Sabha (2019) has 78 women (14%). This is the highest representation of women in Lok Sabha till date. The Women’s Reservation Bill which proposes to reserve 33% of all seats in Lok Sabha and in State Assemblies for women is pending in the Lok Sabha. However, there exists 33% reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 2.
Describe the following poverty alleviation programmes in India.
(a) Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP)
(b) Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY)
(c) Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY)
(d) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. (MGNREGA)
(e) Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.
Answer:
The poverty alleviation programmes in India have been designed for both rural areas and urban areas. Most of the programmes are designed to target the rural poverty as prevalence of poverty is high in rural areas.
(a) Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) – It was first introduced in 1978¬79. The main objective of IRDP is to create sustainable opportunities for self-employment in the rural sector.

(b) Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) – It is the revised version of the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY). It was started in 1999. The main aim of this programme was development infrastructure like roads to connect the villages to different areas and other social, education (schools) and infrastructure like hospitals in the rural areas.

(c) Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana – It was started in 1985. This scheme aimed at creating housing for everyone.

(d) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. (MGNREGA) – It was launched in 2005. It provides 100 days assured employment every year to every rural household.

(e) Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana – It was started in 2014. According to this yojana, each Member of Parliament will take the responsibility of developing three villages by 2019. The idea is to make India’s villages to be fully developed with physical and institutional infrastructure.

Question 3.
Discuss the following humanitarian issues.
(a) Environmental degradation
(b) Poverty
(c) Gender issues
Answer:
Humanitarian issues refer to concerns about issues affecting human welfare with the aim of alleviation of sufferings. Examples of humanitarian issues include natural disasters, famine, epidemics, armed conflicts, poverty, inequalities and injustice, environmental problems, etc.

(a) Environmental degradation – Indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources had resulted in environmental depletion and degradation. This results in significant environmental concerns such as deforestation, soil erosion,loss of biodiversity, climate change, endangerment of species, water scarcity, acid rain, pollution, spread of diseases etc. The relationship between economic development and environmental degradation has been considered at various international conferences like Rio Earth Summit, etc.

Environmental degradation has serious consequences for humans, animals, plants as well as the ecological balance. The causes of degradation include resource depletion due to overuse, landfills and illegal dumping, waste production, overpopulation and consumption behaviour, etc.

(b) Poverty – The traditional perception of poverty is where people are unable to provide for their basic necessities of life. It is the deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water. The alternative view of poverty focuses on both material and non-material aspects i.e., focus on community ties, values and availability of common resources, participatory decision making and political and economic decentralisation.

The purpose of development is to ensure welfare of the people and is associated with economic growth. The traditional approaches to development focus on the predominant role of the State in promoting economic growth (socialist) or role of free market economy (capitalist). Since the 1990s, the alternate view of development that focuses on both material and non material aspects has become acceptable. The focus today is development based on equity, participation, empowerment and sustainability.

(c) Gender issues – There is a distinct link between poverty and unsatisfactory conditions of women. In most parts of the world women are poor due to cultural norms, unequal power equations between men and women. In the 1970s, women empowerment came to be accepted as an important philosophy to bring about gender justice. The UN ‘Decade for Women’ began in 1976 to-

  1. link women’s issues with developmental issues
  2. promote equal rights and opportunities for women across the globe.

Maharashtra Board Class 12 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

Question 4.
Discuss the vision of the development process in India.
(a) Modernisation of the economy
(b) Self-reliance
(c) Socialist pattern of society
Answer:
The purpose of development is to ensure welfare of the people and is associated with economic growth. The traditional approaches to development focus on the predominant role of the State in promoting economic growth (Socialist) or role of free market economy (Capitalist). Since the 1990s, the alternative view of development that focuses on both material and non material aspects has become acceptable. The focus today is development based on equity, participation, empowerment and sustainability. India’s vision of development had three aspects:

(a) Modernisation of the economy – This implied industrialization to provide employment to a growing labour force and to increase productivity During the Nehruvian period, the focus was on large scale industrialization and factory production. Land reforms and irrigation were looked at as the means to achieve agricultural growth and productivity.

(b) Self-reliance – This included ‘import substitution’ strategy to develop indigenous industry. Aid taken from Soviet Union, France, etc. was utilised mainly in the public sector and for infrastructure.

(c) Socialist pattern of society – The approach of planning for development was based on promotion of the welfare State, employment generation and importance to the public sector. The Planning Commission (March 1950 31st December 2014) was created to chalk out Five Year Plans for development.

“Growth with Social Justice and Equity” has been India’s policy towards poverty and development. Its development strategy has evolved over the years. In the early stages, government played a dominant role through the public sector.