BPCG 171 Solved Question Paper June 2026 is the complete set of answers to the official IGNOU General Psychology term-end paper, written to the 400-word length the paper itself asks for. Two answers sit open on this page so you can judge the quality, and the other six come in the full file on WhatsApp 9899436384.
BPCG 171 General Psychology key facts for the June 2026 term-end exam
- Course code: BPCG 171 (printed BPCG-171)
- Subject: General Psychology
- Programme: IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General), BAG; the June 2026 paper is also printed for BAM and BAPCH. BCOMG and BSCG learners can opt for it as a generic elective
- Course type and credits: Generic Elective / Inter Disciplinary Course, 6 credits
- Blocks and units: 4 blocks, 10 units
- Maximum marks: 100 in the term-end paper (term-end 70% and assignments 30% of the final result)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 8 (Section A: Q1 to Q4, Section B: Q5 to Q8); attempt any 5, at least 2 from each section
- Samples shown on this page: 2 (Question 1 and Question 5)
- Questions in the paid file: All 8, including 6 not shown on this page
What the BPCG 171 Solved Question Paper June 2026 includes
BPCG 171 General Psychology is a six-credit generic elective of IGNOU's School of Social Sciences, studied in the Bachelor of Arts (General), and its June 2026 paper was printed for BAG, BAM and BAPCH learners.
The June 2026 paper has eight questions worth 20 marks each, and you attempt five of them in three hours with at least two from each section. Three questions (2, 6 and 8) are pairs of 200-word short notes, and Question 7 is split 5+15, so planning the length of each part matters as much as knowing the theory.
Section A stays on biological and cognitive ground: the nervous system, neurons, the scientific nature of psychology, learning theories and motivation theories. Section B moves to emotions, emotional and social intelligence, Freud's psychosexual stages, the critical period hypothesis, contextual influences on development and applied fields such as sports and forensic psychology.
If you only have the IGNOU BPCG 171 Question Paper printout, you know what was asked but not how much depth earns full marks. Our file answers every question in the paper's own order, in plain English, with headings you can copy into your answer booklet.
BPCG 171 General Psychology sample answers from the June 2026 paper
Two complete BPCG 171 General Psychology answers are shown below, one from each section: Question 1 on the central and peripheral nervous system and Question 5 on emotions.
Both follow the paper's instruction of about 400 words, with a short introduction, clear sub-headings and a conclusion. The question text is exactly as printed in the June 2026 paper, with IGNOU's own numbering.
Question 1. Describe the central and peripheral nervous system. (20 marks)
Question 1. Describe the central and peripheral nervous system. (20 marks)
Answer
The nervous system is the body's communication and control network. It is built from neurons, which carry electrical and chemical signals, and glial cells, which support and protect them. Structurally it has two main divisions: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).
Central nervous system
The CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord. Both are protected by bone (the skull and the vertebral column), three membranes called the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid. The CNS receives information from the body, integrates it and sends out commands. The brain is usually described in three parts:
- Hindbrain: the medulla controls breathing, heart rate and swallowing; the pons links brain regions and helps regulate sleep; the cerebellum coordinates balance, posture and smooth movement.
- Midbrain: it handles visual and auditory reflexes, such as turning towards a sudden sound. The reticular formation, running through the brainstem, keeps us alert and attentive.
- Forebrain: the thalamus relays sensory signals to the cortex, the hypothalamus regulates hunger, thirst and body temperature and controls the pituitary gland, and the limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus) supports emotion and memory.
The cerebral cortex, the folded outer layer of the forebrain, is split into two hemispheres joined by the corpus callosum. Each hemisphere has four lobes: frontal (planning, decisions, voluntary movement and Broca's area for speech production), parietal (touch and body sense), temporal (hearing and Wernicke's area for understanding language) and occipital (vision).
The spinal cord runs from the medulla down the vertebral column. It carries sensory messages up to the brain and motor commands down to the body. It also controls simple reflexes such as the knee-jerk through a reflex arc of sensory neuron, interneuron and motor neuron, without waiting for the brain.
Peripheral nervous system
The PNS includes all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord: 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. It links the CNS with the sense organs, muscles and glands, and it has two divisions:
- Somatic nervous system: afferent (sensory) nerves bring information from the skin, eyes and ears to the CNS, and efferent (motor) nerves carry commands to skeletal muscles. It controls voluntary actions such as writing or walking.
- Autonomic nervous system: it regulates the involuntary work of the heart, smooth muscles and glands. Its sympathetic branch prepares the body for fight or flight by raising heart rate, dilating the pupils and slowing digestion, while its parasympathetic branch restores rest and digest by slowing the heart and stimulating digestion.
Conclusion
The two systems work as one unit. When you touch a hot pan, the PNS signals the spinal cord, a reflex pulls the hand back and the brain then registers the pain. The CNS interprets and decides, and the PNS connects it to the body and the world, which is why the nervous system is called the biological base of behaviour.
Question 5. Explain emotions and describe the components and functions of emotions. (20 marks)
Question 5. Explain emotions and describe the components and functions of emotions. (20 marks)
Answer
Emotion is a complex psychological state that involves physiological arousal, a subjective feeling, a cognitive appraisal of the situation and an outward expression. The word comes from the Latin emovere, meaning to stir up or move out, which captures how emotions move us to act. Emotions are short, intense and triggered by a specific event, unlike moods, which last longer and are milder.
Psychologists have tried to list basic emotions. Paul Ekman identified six that are recognised across cultures from facial expressions: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. Robert Plutchik proposed eight primary emotions arranged on a wheel, which blend to form more complex feelings such as love or guilt.
Components of emotions
Most textbooks describe three components that work together:
- Physiological component: the autonomic nervous system, mainly its sympathetic branch, raises heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and sweating, and adrenaline is released. Brain structures such as the amygdala and hypothalamus drive these changes, which is why fear can be measured through heart rate or galvanic skin response.
- Cognitive or subjective component: this is the personal feeling and the way we interpret the event. Richard Lazarus explained it through appraisal: in primary appraisal we judge whether an event matters to us, and in secondary appraisal whether we can cope with it. The same event can cause fear in one person and excitement in another.
- Behavioural or expressive component: emotions show through facial expressions, tone of voice, posture and actions such as running away or hugging. Basic facial expressions are largely universal, but each culture sets display rules about when and how strongly emotions may be shown.
Functions of emotions
- Survival and adaptation: Charles Darwin argued that emotions evolved because they helped survival. Fear prepares escape and disgust keeps us away from harmful food.
- Motivation: emotions energise and direct behaviour. Anxiety before an exam can push a student to study, and moderate arousal improves performance, as the Yerkes-Dodson law suggests.
- Communication and social bonding: expressions tell others what we feel and intend, invite help and build empathy and attachment.
- Thinking and decisions: emotional events are remembered better, and Antonio Damasio's somatic marker hypothesis holds that bodily feelings guide everyday choices.
- Self-regulation and social order: guilt and shame discourage behaviour that breaks social norms, while pride rewards effort.
Conclusion
Emotions are therefore not disturbances of reason but organised responses that combine body, mind and behaviour. Knowing their components and functions explains why people act as they do, and the idea is used widely in counselling, education and workplace training.
Questions answered only in the full file
The six questions below are answered in full only in the paid file. They are listed exactly as printed in the June 2026 paper.
Question 2
- Write short notes on the following in about 200 words each :
- (a) The scientific nature of psychology
- (b) Neurons
Question 3
- Describe the different theories of learning. (20)
Question 4
- Describe various theories of motivation. (20)
Question 6
- Write short notes on the following in about 200 words each :
- (a) Emotional and social intelligence
- (b) Psychosexual stages of development by Freud
Question 7
- Elucidate critical period hypothesis. Describe the contextual influence on development. (5+15)
Question 8
- Describe the application of psychology in the following areas :
- (a) Education and Sports
- (b) Criminal and Forensic
BPCG 171 General Psychology course areas and blocks
BPCG 171 General Psychology has 4 blocks and 10 units: Orientation to Psychology, Psychology of Individual Differences, Developmental Processes and Applications of Psychology, and the June 2026 paper drew on eight of the ten units.
| Block | Unit | Topics specific to this unit | Asked in June 2026 as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1: Orientation to Psychology | Unit 1: Nature of psychology and sociocultural processes of behaviour | Scientific nature of psychology; scope, methods and applications; socio-cultural processes behind behaviour | Q2(a) |
| Block 1: Orientation to Psychology | Unit 2: Biological basis of behaviour | Central and peripheral nervous system; structure and types of neurons; endocrine glands | Q1 and Q2(b) |
| Block 1: Orientation to Psychology | Unit 3: Cognitive processes: attention, perception, learning, memory and thinking | Gestalt laws of organisation; classical, operant and observational learning; Atkinson-Shiffrin and levels-of-processing models | Q3 |
| Block 1: Orientation to Psychology | Unit 4: Affective processes: motivation and emotions | Motivation theories including Maslow's hierarchy; James-Lange and Cannon-Bard theories; components and functions of emotions | Q4 and Q5 |
| Block 2: Psychology of Individual Differences | Unit 5: Individual differences and intelligence | Nature vs nurture debate; Gardner's and Sternberg's theories; IQ, intelligence tests, emotional and social intelligence | Q6(a) |
| Block 2: Psychology of Individual Differences | Unit 6: Theories of personality | Trait theories; Freud's psychoanalytic and Adler's individual psychology; assessment of personality | Not asked |
| Block 3: Developmental Processes | Unit 7: Nature and principles of human development | Issues and periods of development; critical period; contextual and ecological influences | Q7 |
| Block 3: Developmental Processes | Unit 8: Stages of development | Freud's psychosexual stages; Erikson's psychosocial stages; lifespan periods | Q6(b) |
| Block 3: Developmental Processes | Unit 9: Cognitive and moral development | Piaget's stages; Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory; Kohlberg's moral development | Not asked |
| Block 4: Applications of Psychology | Unit 10: Applications of psychology | Education and sports; criminal and forensic; work and organisation, clinical and health, environment | Q8 |
Units 6 and 9 were skipped in June 2026, and inside Unit 3 only learning was asked, even though memory models came up in four papers between June 2023 and December 2024. If you are building notes from the BPCG 171 Study Material, keep personality, cognitive development and memory on your list for the next session.
The official course booklets sit on the IGNOU eGyanKosh generic elective listing, which lists BPCG-171 General Psychology under Semester I generic electives. Use them to check unit names against your own printed blocks.
BPCG 171 June 2026 paper pattern and marks split
The BPCG 171 June 2026 paper carried 100 marks over 3 hours, with 8 questions of 20 marks each and an instruction to answer any 5, at least 2 from each section.
| Element | June 2026 paper |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 8: Q1 to Q4 in Section A, Q5 to Q8 in Section B |
| Questions to attempt | Any 5, with at least 2 from each section |
| Marks | 20 per question, 100 in total |
| Word guide | About 400 words per answer; about 200 words for each short note |
| Split questions | Q2, Q6 and Q8 at 10+10; Q7 at 5+15 |
| Time per answer | About 36 minutes, including planning |
One change is worth noticing on the BPCG 171 Question Paper cover. Papers from December 2021 to December 2024 printed only BAPCH (and later BFSW), while December 2025 and June 2026 added BAG and BAM, which reflects how widely the course is now taken as a generic elective.
For older sessions, our IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper page collects the official papers so you can compare wording across years.
BPCG 171 topics IGNOU keeps repeating
Across nine official BPCG 171 papers from December 2021 to December 2025, motivation, learning, personality and intelligence each appeared in seven, making them the safest areas to revise.
| Topic | Sessions where it appeared | Count | In June 2026? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theories and types of motivation | Dec 2021, Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 7 | Yes, Q4 |
| Theories of learning and conditioning | Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 7 | Yes, Q3 |
| Personality theories and assessment | Dec 2021, Dec 2022, Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 7 | No, a gap area |
| Intelligence theories and tests | Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 7 | Partly, Q6(a) |
| Nervous system (central, peripheral or whole) | Dec 2021, Jun 2022, Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024, Dec 2025 | 6 | Yes, Q1 |
| Emotions: theories, components, functions | Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 6 | Yes, Q5 |
| Applications of psychology to fields | Dec 2021, Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Jun 2023, Dec 2024, Dec 2025 | 6 | Yes, Q8 |
| Nature, scope and methods of psychology | Dec 2021, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Dec 2024, Dec 2025 | 5 | Yes, Q2(a) |
| Stages of perception and laws of organisation | Dec 2021, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 5 | No |
| Piaget, Vygotsky and Kohlberg | Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Dec 2024, Jun 2025 | 5 | No |
| Neurons: structure and types | Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Dec 2023, Jun 2025 | 4 | Yes, Q2(b) |
| Erikson's psychosocial theory | Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024, Dec 2025 | 4 | No |
| Stages and models of memory | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2024 | 4 | No |
| Human development: issues, periods, factors | Dec 2021, Jun 2022, Dec 2022, Jun 2025 | 4 | Yes, Q7 |
| Critical period | Jun 2023 | 1 | Yes, Q7 |
| Freud's psychosexual stages | Dec 2023 | 1 | Yes, Q6(b) |
Two patterns stand out. The nature, scope and methods of psychology had appeared only in December papers until June 2026 broke the run. Personality theory, asked in seven of nine papers, was missing from June 2026, so it is the strongest gap area for the next session.
For guess-style revision across other courses, see our IGNOU Important Questions page. The June 2021 BPCG 171 paper was not found on IGNOU's site, and the December 2020 cycle (held in February 2021) was left out of the count.
BPCG 171 solved file index, question by question
The BPCG 171 solved file keeps the paper's own numbering: Questions 1 and 5 are answered on this page, and Questions 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 are answered only in the full file.
| Question | Topic as asked | Marks | Course unit | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Central and peripheral nervous system | 20 | Unit 2 | On this page |
| Q2 | Scientific nature of psychology; neurons | 10+10 | Units 1 and 2 | Full file only |
| Q3 | Theories of learning | 20 | Unit 3 | Full file only |
| Q4 | Theories of motivation | 20 | Unit 4 (motivation) | Full file only |
| Q5 | Emotions, their components and functions | 20 | Unit 4 (emotions) | On this page |
| Q6 | Emotional and social intelligence; Freud's psychosexual stages | 10+10 | Units 5 and 8 | Full file only |
| Q7 | Critical period hypothesis; contextual influence on development | 5+15 | Unit 7 | Full file only |
| Q8 | Psychology in education, sports, criminal and forensic work | 10+10 | Unit 10 | Full file only |
The unit column follows the official 4-block, 10-unit structure, so you can open the right booklet straight away. If you are revising several BAG electives together, our BAG Question Paper collection lists the other courses in the same exam cycle.
How our BPCG 171 answers are written and checked
Every BPCG 171 answer in the file is written to the paper's word guide, built from the IGNOU General Psychology course material and checked by reviewer Sheetal Kirola before release.
Each long answer opens with a definition, moves through the theory or structure in clear sub-headings and closes with a short conclusion that links back to behaviour. Short notes stay close to 200 words, so a student can see exactly what fits in ten marks.
Before writing, the team studied nine earlier official BPCG 171 papers. That is why the answer to Question 8 also suits the identical December 2021 Question 6, and why the learning and motivation answers cover the theories IGNOU has named most often.
Names, dates and theories are kept to what can be checked in standard psychology texts, such as Ekman's six basic emotions or Lazarus's appraisal model. Prateek Talwar leads the writing team, and every answer is read once more against the official question wording.
Programmes that study BPCG 171 General Psychology
BPCG 171 General Psychology appears on the June 2026 paper for three IGNOU programmes: BAG, BAM and BAPCH.
- IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) (BAG): taken as a generic elective; the June 2026 paper names BAG first.
- Bachelor of Arts (Multidisciplinary) (BAM): named on the December 2025 and June 2026 papers.
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology (BAPCH): the programme printed on every BPCG 171 paper since December 2021.
- Bachelor of Social Work (BFSW): named on the December 2024, June 2025 and December 2025 papers, but not on June 2026.
B.Com (General) and B.Sc. (General) learners can also take BPCG 171 as a generic elective, but the paper prints only the main programmes for which it is a primary syllabus, so check your programme guide before choosing it.
Get the full BPCG 171 Solved Question Paper on WhatsApp
Message WhatsApp 9899436384 with "BPCG 171 June 2026" to get the full IGNOU BPCG 171 Solved Question Paper with all 8 answers.
The file contains the two answers you have read here plus the six answers not shown on this page: the scientific nature of psychology and neurons, learning theories, motivation theories, emotional and social intelligence with Freud's stages, the critical period with contextual influences, and psychology in education, sports and forensic work.
BPCG 171 General Psychology FAQs
These answers cover the questions BPCG 171 General Psychology students ask us most before the exam.
How many answers does the BPCG 171 Solved Question Paper June 2026 contain?
The full file answers all 8 questions of the June 2026 paper. Two of them, Question 1 on the nervous system and Question 5 on emotions, are shown on this page, and the remaining six come only in the file. To get it, message WhatsApp 9899436384 with the course code BPCG 171 and the session June 2026, and our team will share the details and send the file.
What is the exam pattern of the BPCG 171 General Psychology paper?
BPCG 171 is a three-hour paper for 100 marks with eight questions split into Section A and Section B. You attempt any five, taking at least two from each section, and every question carries 20 marks. Answers should run to about 400 words, while each 10-mark short note needs about 200 words. In June 2026, Questions 2, 6 and 8 were split 10+10 and Question 7 was split 5+15.
Which BPCG 171 topics repeat most often in IGNOU papers?
Across nine official BPCG 171 papers from December 2021 to December 2025, motivation, learning, personality and intelligence each appeared seven times. The nervous system, emotions and applications of psychology appeared six times each. Personality theories did not appear in June 2026 at all, so they are a strong area to revise for the next session alongside memory models and Erikson's psychosocial theory, which were also left out.
How is the June 2026 BPCG 171 paper different from earlier sessions?
The June 2026 BPCG 171 paper repeats familiar areas but with a few twists. Question 8 on education, sports, criminal and forensic psychology almost mirrors Question 6 of December 2021. The scientific nature of psychology, which earlier turned up only in December papers, appeared in a June paper for the first time in our set. Freud's psychosexual stages and the critical period also returned after long gaps.
How long should each BPCG 171 General Psychology answer be?
Each full BPCG 171 answer should be about 400 words, because the paper itself prints that instruction on the cover. Short notes such as Question 2 and Question 6 need about 200 words for each part. Our solved file follows the same limits, so you can practise writing to time. With five answers in three hours, you have roughly 36 minutes for each answer, including planning and a quick check.
Who writes and checks the BPCG 171 solved answers?
BPCG 171 answers in our file are written by Prateek Talwar's subject team at Unnati Educations and reviewed by Sheetal Kirola before release. Every answer is built from the IGNOU General Psychology course material and the official June 2026 question wording. The team also studied nine earlier official papers, so each answer covers the points examiners have asked about repeatedly, with clear headings and a short conclusion.
Which programmes study BPCG 171 General Psychology?
BPCG 171 General Psychology is a six-credit generic elective. The June 2026 paper is printed for the Bachelor of Arts (General), the Bachelor of Arts (Multidisciplinary) and the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Psychology, coded BAG, BAM and BAPCH. Earlier papers in December 2024 and June 2025 also named the Bachelor of Social Work. Check your own programme guide to confirm whether it sits in your semester plan.
Can the BPCG 171 June 2026 solved paper help with the December 2026 exam?
Yes, the BPCG 171 June 2026 solved paper is useful revision for December 2026, because IGNOU repeats its core areas often. Six of the eight June 2026 questions, including the nervous system, learning, motivation and emotions, had appeared in earlier papers. Studying these answers alongside the repeat-topic table on this page shows you both how to write and which areas are most likely to come back.