BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper for the June 2026 term end exam gives you complete answers to all 8 questions of IGNOU's Psychology for Living paper, written in the 400 word style examiners expect. Two answers are open below so you can judge the quality, and the full file comes to you on WhatsApp.
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living key facts for the June 2026 solved paper
- Course code: BPCG 175 (printed as BPCG-175)
- Subject: Psychology for Living
- Programme: IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General), BAG; generic elective
- Credits: 6
- Blocks and units: 5 blocks, 16 units
- Maximum marks: 100 (term end exam 70 percent, assignments 30 percent)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Exam session: June 2026 TEE
- Questions in the paper: 8 (attempt any 5; Q8 has two 10 mark short notes)
- Solved samples on this page: 2 (Q1 and Q6)
- Questions in the full file: All 8, of which 6 are not shown on this page
What the BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper June 2026 covers
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living is a 6 credit generic elective in IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (General) that applies psychology to the self, stress, emotions and well-being across the life span.
Section A of the June 2026 paper stayed close to the self: self-concept and self-esteem, motivation, stress and the classification of personality disorders. Section B moved to well-being, with emotional intelligence, mindfulness and gratitude, ageing and ageism, and two short notes.
Many students meet this course while going through their BAG Question Paper set, and soon notice that it rewards clear definitions, named thinkers such as Rosenberg or Kabat-Zinn, and a tidy conclusion more than long stories.
Our solved file follows that pattern for every question, including the paired short notes in Q8, so you can see exactly how a 20 mark answer should look.
BPCG 175 sample answers from the June 2026 paper
Two full answers are shown below, Q1 from Section A and Q6 from Section B, and the other 6 questions are answered only in the full file.
Each question appears exactly as printed in the June 2026 paper, with its own number and marks. The answers are written at roughly the 400 words the paper asks for.
Q1. Describe the meaning and characteristics of self-concept and self-esteem. (20)
Q1. Describe the meaning and characteristics of self-concept and self-esteem. (20)
Answer
Introduction
Psychologists use the word self for the picture each of us carries about who we are. William James (1890) split it into the 'I', the self that knows and acts, and the 'Me', the self that is known. Two parts of this 'Me' matter most for daily living: self-concept, which describes the person, and self-esteem, which evaluates the person.
Meaning of self-concept
Self-concept is the organised set of beliefs, ideas and images a person holds about themselves, covering their body, abilities, roles, relationships and values. It answers the question 'Who am I?'. Carl Rogers described a real self, the way we actually see ourselves, and an ideal self, the person we wish to be. When the two are close, a person feels congruent and settled; a wide gap brings tension and anxiety.
Characteristics of self-concept
Shavelson, Hubner and Stanton (1976) described self-concept through a set of features that still guide research:
- Organised: people sort experiences about themselves into categories, so new information is filtered rather than stored at random.
- Multifaceted: there are separate academic, social, emotional and physical self-concepts.
- Hierarchical: a general self-concept sits at the top, with more specific views, such as 'good at mathematics', beneath it.
- Stable yet changeable: the general self-concept is fairly stable, while specific self-views shift with new experiences.
- Developmental: it becomes more differentiated with age, from simple labels in childhood to abstract self-descriptions in adolescence.
- Socially learnt: Cooley's (1902) idea of the 'looking-glass self' shows that we partly see ourselves through how others react to us.
Meaning of self-esteem
Self-esteem is the evaluative side of the self. Morris Rosenberg (1965) defined it as a positive or negative attitude towards oneself as a whole. While self-concept says 'I am a student who likes music', self-esteem says how much I value and accept that person. William James expressed it as the ratio of our successes to our pretensions, so self-esteem rises when achievements match what we aim for.
Characteristics of self-esteem
- Global and specific: a person may have high overall self-esteem but feel weak in one area, such as public speaking.
- Trait and state: it is a fairly lasting trait, yet it rises and falls with daily events, praise and failure.
- Built from experience: Coopersmith (1967) linked it to four sources, namely significance, competence, power and virtue.
- Linked to well-being: healthy self-esteem goes with life satisfaction, persistence and resilience, while low self-esteem is associated with anxiety and depression.
- Can be fragile: very high but unstable self-esteem that depends on constant approval may turn into defensiveness when it is threatened.
Conclusion
In short, self-concept is what we know about ourselves and self-esteem is how we feel about it. The two shape each other: a clear, realistic self-concept supports steady self-esteem, and steady self-esteem helps a person take on challenges, learn from failure and live a balanced life.
Q6. Discuss the importance of mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness in promoting mental health and well-being. (20)
Q6. Discuss the importance of mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness in promoting mental health and well-being. (20)
Answer
Introduction
Positive psychology, shaped by Martin Seligman from the late 1990s, moved attention from treating illness to building strengths. Mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness are three such strengths. Each is a skill that can be practised, and each protects mental health while raising well-being.
Mindfulness
Jon Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and without judgement. Its roots lie in Buddhist meditation, including vipassana, which began in India. In 1979 Kabat-Zinn started Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Later, Segal, Williams and Teasdale developed Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to prevent relapse in recurrent depression.
- It reduces rumination and worry by bringing attention back to the present.
- It weakens automatic stress reactions, so people respond to problems instead of reacting at once.
- It improves emotion regulation and attention, which helps in study and work.
Gratitude
Gratitude is the habit of noticing and appreciating the good in life and recognising that its source often lies outside oneself, in other people, nature or chance. Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough (2003) asked participants to keep weekly lists of things they were grateful for. Compared with groups who listed hassles or neutral events, they felt better about their lives and more optimistic.
- It shifts attention from what is missing to what is present, which slows the fading of joy known as hedonic adaptation.
- It strengthens relationships, because thanking others invites trust and support.
- In a 2005 study by Seligman and colleagues, the 'gratitude visit', writing and delivering a thank-you letter, raised happiness for about a month.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a voluntary decision to let go of resentment and the wish for revenge towards someone who caused hurt. It does not mean excusing the wrong, forgetting it or always reconciling. Robert Enright's process model moves through uncovering the hurt, deciding to forgive, working to understand the offender and finding deeper meaning.
Everett Worthington's REACH model asks a person to Recall the hurt, Empathise with the offender, offer forgiveness as an Altruistic gift, Commit to it and Hold on to it. Forgiveness reduces anger, hostility and repeated brooding, lowers the stress of holding grudges and helps repair ties in families, friendships and workplaces.
Conclusion
Together, these practices change how a person relates to the present moment, to what they already have and to those who hurt them. They cost little, can be learnt at any age and sit comfortably with Indian traditions of meditation and forbearance. That is why they now form the core of many positive interventions for mental health and well-being.
Questions answered only in the full file
These are the remaining June 2026 questions in their printed wording. Their answers are not shared on this page.
- Q2. Explain the concept of motivation. Describe the types and theories of motivation. (8+12)
- Q3. Discuss the concept of stress. Describe the effects of stress on health and management of stress. (6+14)
- Q4. Describe the classification of personality disorders. Discuss treatments of personality disorders. (10+10)
- Q5. Explain the concept of emotional intelligence. Discuss the role of emotions in mental health and well-being. (20)
- Q7. Differentiate between ageing and ageism. Describe the theoretical paradigms of ageing. (6+14)
- Q8. Write short notes on the following in about 200 words each : (a) Familial influence on self and identity (b) Nature and components of attitude (10+10)
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living syllabus by block and unit
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living has 5 blocks and 16 units in the official IGNOU self learning material, and by our mapping the June 2026 paper drew on 9 of those units.
The block and unit titles below follow the course listing on eGyanKosh, IGNOU's official repository. The topics in each row are the ones IGNOU has actually examined from that unit since June 2022.
If you want the unit texts next to the answers, our BPCG 175 Study Material page keeps them in the same order as this table.
| Block | Unit | Topics IGNOU has examined |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1: Psychology and Self | Unit 1 Psychology and Mind-Body Relationship | Mind-body relationship; biopsychosocial model of health; branches of psychology and psychology in India |
| Block 1: Psychology and Self | Unit 2 Self and Identity Development | Erikson's psychosocial theory; socio-structural influences on identity; familial influence on self |
| Block 1: Psychology and Self | Unit 3 Components of Self | Self-concept and self-esteem; self-efficacy and ways to enhance it |
| Block 2: Self and Its Correlates | Unit 4 Attitude, Personality and Thinking | ABC components of attitude and dysfunctional attitudes; theories of personality; types of thinking and cognitive rigidity |
| Block 2: Self and Its Correlates | Unit 5 Emotions and Motivation | Emotions, moods and feelings; intrinsic and extrinsic motivation |
| Block 2: Self and Its Correlates | Unit 6 Problem Solving, Decision Making and Creativity | Problem solving; nature, stages and aspects of creativity; ways to enhance creativity |
| Block 3: Self, Maladjustment and Mental Disorders | Unit 7 Self and Maladjustment | Types of stress and stressors; effects of stress on health; stress management |
| Block 3: Self, Maladjustment and Mental Disorders | Unit 8 Mental Disorders | Anxiety and mood disorders; eating and substance use disorders; classification of personality disorders |
| Block 4: Self and Positive Growth | Unit 9 Correlates of Mental Health and Well-being-I | Concept of mental health and well-being; factors affecting mental health; emotional intelligence |
| Block 4: Self and Positive Growth | Unit 10 Correlates of Mental Health and Well-being-II | Optimism and hope; savoring; mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness |
| Block 4: Self and Positive Growth | Unit 11 Self in a Changing World | Culture and self; Hofstede's dimensions of culture; Triandis' cultural syndromes |
| Block 5: Role of Psychology in Positive Growth Across Life Span | Unit 12 Positive Growth in Childhood | Theories of child development; risk and protective factors; building resilience in children |
| Block 5: Role of Psychology in Positive Growth Across Life Span | Unit 13 Positive Youth Development | Principles of positive youth development; its theoretical frameworks |
| Block 5: Role of Psychology in Positive Growth Across Life Span | Unit 14 Successful Ageing | Ageing and ageism; theoretical paradigms of ageing; predictors of successful ageing |
| Block 5: Role of Psychology in Positive Growth Across Life Span | Unit 15 Promoting Growth and Wellness: Positive Interventions | Types of positive interventions with exercises; Seligman's PERMA model |
| Block 5: Role of Psychology in Positive Growth Across Life Span | Unit 16 Counselling and Psychotherapy | Counselling versus guidance and psychotherapy; basic skills and core conditions; ethics and culture in counselling |
BPCG 175 Question Paper pattern and marks split
The BPCG 175 Question Paper carries 100 marks over 3 hours, and you attempt any 5 of the 8 questions with at least two from each section.
If you have the IGNOU BPCG 175 Question Paper for June 2026 in front of you, notice the printed splits such as 8+12, 6+14 and 10+10. They tell you how to share your 400 words between the parts of a question.
The same 8 question, two section layout appears in every IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper for this course from June 2022 onwards, so it is a safe base for planning your time.
| Part | Questions | Choice rule | Marks | Length | June 2026 detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A | Q1 to Q4 | Attempt at least 2 | 20 each | About 400 words | Q2 split 8+12, Q3 split 6+14, Q4 split 10+10 |
| Section B | Q5 to Q7 | Attempt at least 2 from Section B (Q5 to Q8) | 20 each | About 400 words | Q7 split 6+14 on ageing versus ageism and paradigms |
| Section B short notes | Q8 (a) and (b) | Counts as one Section B question | 10+10 | About 200 words per note | Familial influence on identity; nature and components of attitude |
| Whole paper | 8 questions | Attempt any 5 | 100 marks, 3 hours | Roughly 2,000 words in total | Term end exam carries 70 percent of the final result |
Psychology for Living topics that keep coming back
Across 8 official BPCG 175 papers from June 2022 to December 2025, the mind-body relationship, counselling, and emotions with emotional intelligence each appeared in 5 sessions.
We read every paper IGNOU has published for this course in that period and counted a topic once per session, even when it filled both a full question and a short note. The last column shows whether it came back in June 2026.
Treat the top rows as your shortlist of IGNOU Important Questions for this course before the December 2026 exam, starting with anything asked 4 or 5 times.
| Topic | Unit | Sessions asked | Count | In June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mind-body relationship and biopsychosocial model | Unit 1 | June 2022, December 2023, December 2024, June 2025, December 2025 | 5 of 8 | Not asked |
| Counselling: meaning, skills, ethics and settings | Unit 16 | June 2022, December 2022, December 2023, June 2024, June 2025 | 5 of 8 | Not asked |
| Emotions and emotional intelligence | Units 5 and 9 | June 2022, June 2023, December 2023, December 2024, June 2025 | 5 of 8 | Q5 |
| Self-concept, self-esteem and self-efficacy | Unit 3 | June 2023, June 2024, December 2024, June 2025 | 4 of 8 | Q1 |
| Attitude components and dysfunctional attitudes | Unit 4 | June 2022, June 2023, June 2024, June 2025 | 4 of 8 | Q8(b) |
| Theories of personality, including the Indian perspective | Unit 4 | December 2022, June 2024, June 2025, December 2025 | 4 of 8 | Not asked |
| Risk, protective factors and resilience in childhood | Unit 12 | June 2022, June 2024, December 2024, June 2025 | 4 of 8 | Not asked |
| Ageing, its paradigms and successful ageing | Unit 14 | December 2023, June 2024, December 2024 | 3 of 8 | Q7 |
| Creativity: nature, stages and enhancement | Unit 6 | June 2022, December 2024, December 2025 | 3 of 8 | Not asked |
| Mood disorders and their treatment | Unit 8 | June 2022, December 2023, June 2025 | 3 of 8 | Not asked |
| Positive youth development | Unit 13 | December 2022, June 2024, December 2025 | 3 of 8 | Not asked |
| Culture and self (Hofstede, Triandis) | Unit 11 | December 2023, June 2024, June 2025 | 3 of 8 | Not asked |
| Stress, stressors and stress management | Unit 7 | June 2023, December 2024 | 2 of 8 | Q3 |
| Motivation: concept and types | Unit 5 | December 2022, December 2023 | 2 of 8 | Q2 |
| Self, identity and influences on identity | Unit 2 | December 2022, December 2025 | 2 of 8 | Q8(a) |
| Optimism, hope and savoring | Unit 10 | June 2023, December 2025 | 2 of 8 | Not asked |
| Personality disorders | Unit 8 | June 2024 | 1 of 8 | Q4 |
| Mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness | Unit 10 | None before June 2026 | 0 of 8 | Q6 (first time) |
Two patterns stand out. The attitude short note in June 2026 nearly repeats a June 2025 note, and mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness appeared for the first time, which is why we chose it as an open sample.
How our BPCG 175 answers are written and checked
Every BPCG 175 answer is drafted by Prateek Talwar's team from the official unit text and checked by Sheetal Kirola before it goes into the file.
Writers start from the SLM unit that the question comes from, so the terms match what your evaluator expects. Where the course names a thinker, such as Rosenberg on self-esteem or Worthington on forgiveness, the answer names them too.
Marks decide length. In Q7, for example, the 6+14 split means a short contrast of ageing and ageism, followed by a fuller account of the paradigms. Each answer ends with a short conclusion that ties it back to the question.
The review then checks facts, dates and spelling, and confirms that the IGNOU BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper reads as one consistent file from Q1 to Q8.
BPCG 175 solved file index for all 8 questions
The full BPCG 175 file covers all 8 questions, and only Q1 and Q6 are open on this page.
BPCG 175 is a theory course with no practical record, so this index shows every answer in the solved file, the unit it draws on and where you can read it.
| Question | Topic | Unit | Marks | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Meaning and characteristics of self-concept and self-esteem | Unit 3 | 20 | On this page |
| Q2 | Concept, types and theories of motivation | Unit 5 | 8+12 | Full file only |
| Q3 | Stress, its effects on health and its management | Unit 7 | 6+14 | Full file only |
| Q4 | Classification and treatment of personality disorders | Unit 8 | 10+10 | Full file only |
| Q5 | Emotional intelligence and emotions in mental health | Unit 9 | 20 | Full file only |
| Q6 | Mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness in well-being | Unit 10 | 20 | On this page |
| Q7 | Ageing versus ageism and paradigms of ageing | Unit 14 | 6+14 | Full file only |
| Q8(a) | Short note: familial influence on self and identity | Unit 2 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q8(b) | Short note: nature and components of attitude | Unit 4 | 10 | Full file only |
Programmes that offer Psychology for Living
Psychology for Living is listed under the psychology discipline of IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (General) on eGyanKosh, and its assignment booklet calls it a generic elective.
If you are enrolled in the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General), you can take it as one of your elective papers, and it pairs well with other psychology courses such as BPCG 171 General Psychology.
BPCG 175 is offered under the BAG scheme only, so check that your hall ticket shows BPCG-175 before you order the file. Its sister elective BPCG 171 General Psychology has a different paper and a separate solved file.
How to get the full BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 with the code BPCG 175 and the session June 2026, and we share the complete file with all 8 answers.
The full BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper contains the 6 answers that are not on this page, including both Q8 short notes, in the same clear format as Q1 and Q6. The previews below show how the file looks.
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living FAQs
These answers cover the questions students ask most about the BPCG 175 June 2026 solved paper.
What is the BPCG 175 Solved Question Paper June 2026?
It is a complete answer file for the June 2026 term end paper of BPCG 175 Psychology for Living. Our team answered all 8 questions in the 400 word format IGNOU asks for, with the two Q8 short notes written at 200 words each. Two answers are open on this page, and the full file is shared on WhatsApp 9899436384.
How many questions were in the BPCG 175 June 2026 paper?
The BPCG 175 June 2026 paper had 8 questions, four in Section A and four in Section B. You had to attempt any five, with at least two from each section, and every question carried 20 marks. Q8 was a pair of short notes worth 10 marks each, on familial influence on identity and on the nature and components of attitude.
Which BPCG 175 answers can I read on this page?
You can read Q1 and Q6 in full on this page. Q1 covers the meaning and characteristics of self-concept and self-esteem, and Q6 covers mindfulness, gratitude and forgiveness in mental health. The other six questions, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q7 and Q8, are listed with their exact printed wording but are answered only in the full file.
How do I get the full BPCG 175 Psychology for Living solved file?
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 with the course code BPCG 175 and the session June 2026. Our team replies with the details and shares the complete PDF, which answers all 8 questions, including the 6 not shown on this page and both Q8 short notes. You can also ask about other psychology electives in the same chat.
Which Psychology for Living topics repeat most in BPCG 175 exams?
In 8 official BPCG 175 papers from June 2022 to December 2025, three topics appeared in 5 sessions each: the mind-body relationship with the biopsychosocial model, counselling, and emotions with emotional intelligence. Self-esteem, attitude, personality theories and childhood resilience followed with 4 sessions each. The June 2026 paper again asked about self-esteem, attitude and emotional intelligence.
How many credits and blocks does BPCG 175 Psychology for Living have?
BPCG 175 Psychology for Living is a 6 credit course, as stated in IGNOU's assignment booklet for it. Its self learning material on eGyanKosh is arranged in 5 blocks and 16 units, starting with psychology and the self and ending with positive growth across the life span. Assignments carry 30 percent of the final result and the term end exam carries 70 percent.
Can BPCG 175 June 2026 answers help in the December 2026 exam?
Yes, they make useful revision for December 2026, because BPCG 175 often brings its themes back. The June 2026 short note on attitude matched a June 2025 note almost exactly, and the ageing paradigms question had already appeared in December 2023. Studying all 8 answers with the repeat topic table gives you a strong base, though IGNOU can always set new questions.