Psychology Books for UPSC: Download Psychology Optional Books for UPSC Mains
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
The Psychology Books for UPSC cover topics such as Methods of Psychology, the development of human behavior, learning, research methods, and many more. Psychology optional subject is favored among Civil Services aspirants. Psychology is a scientific study of the human mind and its functions.
Let’s check out the best Psychology books for UPSC optional that will help you complete the syllabus well in time and in an effective manner. Candidates can also download the complete Psychology Optional Booklist for future reference.
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Psychology Books for UPSC
For the civil service mains exam, psychology is one of the most favored optional subject. Psychology is referred to as the scientific study of the human mind and its processes, particularly those that influence conduct in a particular situation. To start preparing for Psychology optional, candidates must first sort out the books relevant from the syllabus perspective. Keep the list of Psychology Books for UPSC concise, and revise them at regular intervals.
To start with, aspirants can refer to the NCERT Psychology Books for UPSC to understand the basic concepts, definitions, etc. At this point of time, cross-reference with the UPSC Psychology Syllabus should be made from time to time.
Psychology Optional Books for UPSC – Paper 1
Paper-1 of the UPSC Psychology Syllabus deals with the foundation of psychology. It includes topics like introduction to psychology, methods of psychology, thinking and problem solving, etc. Here are some of the best psychology books for UPSC Mains.
- NCERTs 11th and 12th
- Introduction to Psychology Morgan & King
- Systems & Theories of Psychology Krawiec & Chaplin
- Psychology by Morgan and King
- Textbook of Psychology by Morgan and King
- Textbook of Psychology (Indian adaptation) by Robert Baron
- Psychology by Ciccarelli
- Social Psychology Baron & Byrne
- Theories of Personality Hall & Lindzey
UPSC Psychology Optional Books – Paper 2
Psychology optional paper-2 mainly focusses on psychological issues and application. Candidates must pick the right UPSC psychology books to cover the topics well in detail. A good rank in the exam depends all upon the score obtained in the UPSC Mains. The most referred Psychology Books for UPSC are:
- Smarak Swain- Applied Psychology
- Statistics for Psychology by Aron, Aron, Coups
- Social Psychology by Robert Baron, Branscombe, Gopa Bhardwaj, Byrne
- Tests, Measurements, and Research Methods in Behavioral Sciences by A K Singh – Bharti Bhawan publications
- Social Psychology by Robert Baron, Branscombe, Gopa Bhardwaj, Byrne
- The Psychology of Small Groups Shaw
Best Psychology Books for UPSC Optional
We have segmented the Psychology books for UPSC category-wise below. These are highly recommended books by IAS toppers, that will give you an in-depth understanding of the sub-topics mentioned in the Psychology syllabus.
Important Books | Publisher |
Textbook of Psychology (Indian adaptation) | Robert Baron |
Social Psychology textbook | Baron and Branscombe |
Research book | AK Singh |
Applied Psychology | Smarak Swain |
Social Psychology | Baron & Byrne |
Statistics for Psychology | Aron, Aron, Coups |
Theories of Personality | Hall & Lindzey |