CSS 2019 – Psychology: Examiner’s Feedback and Student Guide
Introduction
Psychology is a popular CSS optional because of its manageable syllabus, practical nature, and overlap with everyday human behavior. Many aspirants select it thinking it is scoring and “easy.” However, the examiner’s report for CE-2019 revealed that most candidates underperformed because they treated it superficially. Weak understanding of theories, poor application, and absence of examples and experiments led to disappointing results.
Examiner Feedback (2019)
The examiner observed:
- Overall performance was unsatisfactory.
- Candidates wrote general essays on human behavior instead of psychological analyses.
- Many failed to explain key theories and experiments (Freud, Skinner, Pavlov, Piaget, etc.).
- Some confused basic concepts like personality vs character, learning vs conditioning, or intelligence vs aptitude.
- Diagrams, models, and case studies were rarely used.
- A handful of well-prepared candidates who combined theories + experiments + application to Pakistan performed very well【Examiner-Reports-CE-2019.pdf†L239-L246】.
Common Mistakes by Candidates
- Superficial understanding
- Writing about “happiness” or “motivation” without referencing psychological theories.
- No mention of experiments
- Ignoring classical and modern studies: Pavlov’s dog experiment, Skinner’s operant conditioning, Milgram’s obedience study.
- Confusion in concepts
- Candidates mixed up cognitive psychology, behaviorism, psychoanalysis, and humanistic psychology.
- Weak application to Pakistan
- Few connected psychology to mental health, education, extremism, or workplace productivity in Pakistan.
- No visuals
- Lack of diagrams (e.g., brain parts, learning models) weakened answers.
Practical Preparation Strategies
- Study core areas thoroughly
- Biological psychology (nervous system, brain), Learning & Memory, Personality, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology.
- Incorporate key theories and experiments
- Freud (psychoanalysis), Skinner (behaviorism), Piaget (cognitive development), Bandura (social learning).
- Apply psychology to Pakistan’s context
- Mental health awareness, suicide rates, education reforms, extremism, workplace stress.
- Use diagrams and visuals
- Neat brain diagrams, memory models, and conditioning flowcharts make answers clearer.
- Balance theory with practice
- Define → explain theory → cite experiment → apply to Pakistan → conclude.
- Use authentic references
- David Myers – Psychology
- Hilgard’s Introduction to Psychology
- Morgan & King – Introduction to Psychology.
- Practice analytical writing
- Attempt past paper questions under timed conditions.
Encouraging Closing Note
The CSS 2019 examiner’s report makes it clear: Psychology is scoring only if you prepare scientifically. Candidates who wrote general knowledge essays failed, while those who used theories, experiments, and applications excelled.
Remember: Psychology is about explaining behavior with evidence. Every theory you study, every experiment you cite, every real-world application you provide strengthens your answers.
Stay motivated: by mastering psychology, you not only secure good marks but also gain insights into human behavior that help in interviews, daily life, and public service.