Psychology 2023 Paper II 50 marks Design

Q7

(a) Discuss the psychological and social effects of pornography addiction. (15 marks) (b) Discuss the strategies for promoting positive mental health among defence personnel. (15 marks) (c) What is pro-environmental behaviour? Design an intervention plan for developing pro-environmental behaviour among schoolchildren. (20 marks)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

(a) पॉर्नोग्राफी की लत के मनोवैज्ञानिक तथा सामाजिक प्रभावों की विवेचना कीजिए। (15 अंक) (b) सुरक्षा कर्मियों में सकारात्मक मानसिक स्वास्थ्य बढ़ाने हेतु रणनीतियों की चर्चा कीजिए। (15 अंक) (c) पर्यावरण-अनुकूल व्यवहार क्या है? स्कूली बच्चों में पर्यावरण-अनुकूल व्यवहार को विकसित करने के लिए एक हस्तक्षेप योजना तैयार कीजिए। (20 अंक)

Directive word: Design

This question asks you to design. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'design' in part (c) demands a structured, actionable intervention plan, while 'discuss' in parts (a) and (b) requires comprehensive coverage with multiple viewpoints. Allocate approximately 30% time/words to part (a) on pornography addiction effects, 30% to part (b) on defence personnel mental health strategies, and 40% to part (c) which carries higher marks and requires both conceptual definition and practical intervention design. Structure with brief introductions for each part, detailed body sections addressing specific demands, and integrated conclusions that synthesize across parts where possible.

Key points expected

  • For (a): Psychological effects of pornography addiction including desensitization, escalation patterns, and impact on reward circuitry; social effects including relationship dysfunction, intimacy deficits, and occupational consequences
  • For (b): Multi-level strategies for defence personnel mental health—individual level (resilience training, mindfulness), organizational level (de-stigmatization, peer support programs like MANAS in Indian Army), and systemic level (family welfare services, post-deployment reintegration)
  • For (c): Clear definition of pro-environmental behaviour drawing from Stern's typology or Kaiser et al.'s ecological behaviour model; distinction between private-sphere and public-sphere environmental actions
  • For (c): Intervention plan components: knowledge-based (environmental education curriculum), attitudinal (nature connectedness activities), behavioural (commitment strategies, feedback mechanisms), and structural (green school infrastructure, student-led eco-clubs)
  • For (c): Age-appropriate design elements for schoolchildren—experiential learning, gamification, social modelling, and involvement of teachers/parents as change agents; evaluation metrics for intervention effectiveness

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Concept correctness20%10Precise definitions across all parts: for (a) distinguishes compulsive sexual behaviour disorder from casual use per ICD-11; for (b) correctly identifies positive mental health beyond absence of illness; for (c) accurately defines pro-environmental behaviour and operationalizes it for developmental stageGenerally accurate definitions with minor conflations; may miss diagnostic criteria for behavioural addiction or conflate pro-environmental behaviour with general environmental awarenessSignificant conceptual errors such as treating pornography effects as purely moral rather than psychological, confusing stress management with positive mental health promotion, or equating pro-environmental behaviour with environmental knowledge alone
Theory & studies cited20%10Integrates relevant theoretical frameworks: for (a) cites incentive salience model (Robinson & Berridge), Coolidge effect research, or neuroimaging studies on structural brain changes; for (b) references military psychology literature (Bartone's hardiness theory, Indian studies on Siachen/Galwan deployment stress); for (c) applies theory of planned behaviour, value-belief-norm theory, or Stern's ABC model with Indian studies on environmental educationMentions some relevant theories but with superficial application; generic references to stress theories or learning theories without specific defence/environmental psychology groundingAbsence of theoretical framework; relies on commonsense explanations or outdated models; no reference to Indian defence context or school-based environmental interventions
Application examples20%10Rich contextualization: for (a) discusses treatment protocols like CBT for compulsive sexual behaviour; for (b) specifics of Indian Armed Forces initiatives (AFMC mental health services, Operation Sadbhavana, MANAS helpline); for (c) detailed intervention components—curriculum integration, school gardens, waste audit projects, with implementation timeline and stakeholder rolesSome relevant examples but lacking specificity; mentions defence stress or school eco-activities without concrete program details or Indian institutional contextVague or inappropriate examples; generic suggestions without application to specified populations; intervention plan lacks actionable structure or feasibility consideration
Multi-perspective analysis20%10Demonstrates analytical depth: for (a) balances neurobiological, psychological, and sociocultural perspectives; addresses gender dynamics and ethical debates; for (b) considers unique stressors across service branches, rank hierarchies, and deployment contexts; for (c) integrates developmental psychology with environmental psychology, considers barriers to behaviour change, and addresses urban-rural school differencesLimited perspective range; may cover individual and social levels without institutional analysis for (b), or cognitive and behavioural without emotional/motivational factors for (c)Single-dimension analysis; ignores biopsychosocial model; presents intervention as universally applicable without contextual adaptation; no critical examination of proposed strategies
Conclusion & evaluation20%10Synthesizes across parts to highlight common themes (behaviour change mechanisms, resilience-building, preventive approaches); evaluates limitations of current knowledge and interventions; proposes future directions for research and policy in Indian context; for (c) includes specific evaluation framework for intervention (Kirkpatrick levels or similar)Summarizes main points without synthesis; generic concluding statements; minimal self-evaluation of proposed intervention's feasibility or scalabilityAbsent or abrupt conclusion; mere restatement of points; no evaluation component for intervention design; fails to address question's integrative potential across mental health and environmental psychology domains

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