Past questions
Past questions
Try these 10 questions from past papers and tap an option to see the answer and why.
Motivation is best understood as a state that:
Not quite. The answer is D.
Why: Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, directs, and sustains goal-oriented behaviour. A complete definition must include both the energizing component that gets behavior started and the directive component that guides it toward a specific goal.
In the Drive Reduction Theory given by Hull, SHR stands for:
Not quite. The answer is C.
Why: In Clark Hull's (1943) formal drive reduction theory, SHR stands for Habit Strength. It quantifies the strength of the learned association between a specific stimulus (S) and response (R), which is built up through successive drive-reducing reinforcements.
Which one of the following does not describe the state of flow?
Not quite. The answer is B.
Why: A key characteristic of the 'flow' state, as described by Csikszentmihalyi, is the loss of self-consciousness. The individual becomes so absorbed in the activity that self-monitoring and the 'internal talk' of the inner narrator cease, leading to a feeling of oneness with the action.
Which of the following is the characteristic of Mastery-Oriented Students?
Not quite. The answer is A.
Why: Mastery-oriented students, as described in achievement motivation research, hold an incremental theory of intelligence. They believe that ability is not a fixed entity but can be improved through effort and practice, which encourages them to embrace challenges and persist after setbacks.
When students study and practice hard with interest and enjoyment, it is called:
Not quite. The answer is A.
Why: Studying with interest and enjoyment points to emotional engagement, which involves positive affective states during a task. While it also involves cognitive and behavioral engagement, the experience of 'interest and enjoyment' specifically highlights the emotional component of the student's involvement.
Which of the following sequence is correct in case of steps in a goal-setting program for students?
Not quite. The answer is A.
Why: A systematic goal-setting program, based on Locke and Latham's theory, follows a logical progression. It starts with specifying the broad objectives, then defining the specific difficulty and time frame for the goal, and finally devising the strategies needed for attainment.
McClelland’s theory basically focuses on _____ needs whilst Maslow’s theory focuses on _____ needs.
Not quite. The answer is C.
Why: David McClelland's theory focuses on three learned psychogenic needs: the need for Achievement (nAch), Affiliation (nAff), and Power (nPow). In contrast, Abraham Maslow's famous hierarchy of needs proposes five levels of innate needs, from physiological needs at the base to self-actualization at the top.
According to self-determination theory, which of the following form the bases of intrinsic motivation?
Not quite. The answer is B.
Why: According to Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT), intrinsic motivation flourishes when three innate psychological needs are met. These needs are for Autonomy (feeling volitional), Competence (feeling effective), and Relatedness (feeling connected).
In graphical representations showing stress levels on X axis and performance on Y axis, best performance can be expected at
Not quite. The answer is B.
Why: The Yerkes-Dodson Law describes the relationship between arousal (stress) and performance as an inverted-U curve. Optimal performance is achieved not at minimal or maximal stress, but at a moderately high level of arousal where a person is fully engaged and alert but not yet overwhelmed by stress.
Which of the following have been explained by Freud in his psycho- analytic theory of motivation?
- a)Homeostasis
- b)Drives
- c)Hedonism
- d)Instincts
Not quite. The answer is B.
Why: Freud explained motivation through instincts (the life and death instincts, sometimes translated as drives), through the pleasure principle (hedonism: seek pleasure, avoid pain) and through the aim of reducing tension to restore a calm, balanced state (homeostasis). This item treats (a) homeostasis, (c) hedonism and (d) instincts as the Freudian concepts, which is option B.