EXTN 123 PYQs



1) Define Personality. Enlist Factors affecting Personality & Describe Process of Personality 
Development.

Personality is multi-dimensional, heredity, learning, perception, thinking, motivation and emotion combine and interact differently in each of us producing the most complex aspects of human behaviour called 'personality'.

Factors affecting Personality 

(1) Biological factors 
 
(2) Environmental factors

1) Biological factors 
Human nature begins with biology. No feature of personality is developed of hereditary influences, but it is mostly genes. 
 
a) Physical structure 
 The physical structure grows and develops. Within the pattern of this growth may lie some of the elements that affect behaviour traits. A person may be unusually tall or unusually short, overly stout or very thin, large nosed or small footed, or symmetrical or asymmetrical featured. He may even suffer from a definite physical abnormality. The physical factors themselves may little or no effect upon a person's behaviour characteristics. However, the attitude towards him on the part of his associates as a result of that are a part of his personality. 66 

b) Endocrine glands 
 The endocrine or ductless glands discharge their secretions (hormones) directly into the blood stream, appear to influence the behaviour of individuals according to their balance or imbalance. Over-secretion or under-secretion of any of these glands may exert a tremendous influence upon an individual’s development and consequently upon his personality. For example, the secretions of the pituitary, pineal, thyroid and sex glands control growth very definitely. Furthermore, the thyroid, islands of Langerhans, and adrenal influence metabolism and the use of food taken into the body. 


2) Environmental influences 
 The social or environmental factors affect the personality even of young infants is evidenced in the results of studies of their behaviour. 

 a) Home influences: The attitude of parents toward the child, toward one another, and toward other people, events, and objects exercises a potent influence upon the child's developing personality. Factors such as enjoyment of group family life, little if any work done away from home by the mother, amount of punishment, welcoming of the young people's friends to the home, emotional control and good health of the parents, and a sharing with the parents of joys and sorrows seem to lead good adjustment on the part of adolescents. 

 b) School experiences: The influence of school experiences upon a young person's developing personality is greater. Suitability of curricular offerings, teacher attitudes, playground activities, and home background of training that the child brings with him to the school - all are important factors of influence. 

 C) Birth order: The oldest child is said to be domination his position in the family and identify himself with his parents.

Development of personality is influenced by two major factors namely. 

 (i) The organic constitution of the individual - 

The organic constitution determines the personality of the individual. A large man has certain physical advantages over a smaller man. The smaller man may develop behaviour tendencies characteristics in which he is superior and away from his below average physique. 

 (ii) The stimulation provided by the environment - 

Process of Personality Development.
The environment influences that surround a person during the growth and development influence his personality
Development of personality is influenced by two major factors namely. 

(i) The organic constitution of the individual - The organic constitution determines the personality of the individual. A large man has certain physical advantages over a smaller man. The smaller man may develop behaviour tendencies characteristics in which he is superior and away from his below average physique. 

(ii) The stimulation provided by the environment - The environment influences that surround a person during the growth and development influence his personality.

2) Define Body language. State uses of Body language.

Communication Process
The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the form of some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are seven major elements/components of

communication process: 

Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or nonverbal methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The sender's knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success of the message. 

Message: 

Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver. 

Communication Channel: 

The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.

Receiver: 

The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience, trust and relationship with the sender.

Decoding: 

Here, the receiver interprets the sender's message and tries to understand it in the best possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. 
The response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.


3) Define Listening. Enlist various barriers of Listening. Explain Active & Passive listening.

Listening is both a physiological as well as a cognitive process, a sort of qualitative add-on to 
hearing. Listening also helps the cultivation of smooth interpersonal relationships with fellow 
workers, which is essential for efficient functioning of the organization.

Barriers to listening:

i) Adverse physical atmosphere: Proper physical environment induces good listening.

ii) Lack of motivation: The lack of a strong desire to understand, to learn, to acquire skills, or to gain knowledge binders effective listening. 

iii) Improper perception: A distorted or truncated perception of the relevance and usefulness of the topic affects listening adversely.

iv) Negative traits: Studies on the relationship between listening and personality traits show that in general, those persons who are self-centered, boastful and down.

(1) Active Listening 
Active listening is when the listener is fully engaged and reacts to the ideas presented by the speaker. This is usually through non-verbal cues such as nodding, smiling, facial expressions in response to the ideas of the speaker, making eye contact, etc. The listener can also ask questions, clarify ideas, and even comment on certain points that have been presented.

(2) Passive Listening 
In passive listening, the listener does not react to the idea of the speaker but merely listens. In this case, the listener makes no attempt to interrupt the speaker, by asking questions and commenting on the ideas that have been presented. This, however, does not mean that the listener is not paying much attention to the speaker. On the contrary, even though he is listening he makes no attempt to react.

4) What do you mean by Attitude? Explain types of attitude.

Definition-

According to G.W. Allport, "Attitude is a mental and neutral state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individual's response to all objects and situations with which it is related.

"Attitude can be defined as positive or negative evaluation of peoples about object, events and activities or about anything in our environment."

Types of attitude

Positive Attitude: A positive attitude involves having optimistic and favorable views towards people, situations, or objects. Individuals with positive attitudes tend to focus on the bright side of things, look for opportunities, and are more resilient in the face of challenges.

Negative Attitude: A negative attitude is characterized by pessimism and unfavorable opinions. Individuals with negative attitudes may be critical, skeptical, and tend to dwell on problems rather than seeking solutions.

Neutral Attitude: A neutral attitude indicates a lack of strong feelings or emotions towards a particular person, situation, or object. It implies a state of indifference or disinterest.

Ambivalent Attitude: An ambivalent attitude involves having both positive and negative feelings towards the same person, situation, or object. This ambivalence can lead to conflicting emotions and uncertainty in decision-making.

Implicit Attitude: Implicit attitudes are unconscious and automatic evaluations that people may hold, often without being aware of them. These attitudes can influence behavior even when individuals do not consciously endorse them.


5) Define Communication. Enlist different barriers in communication. Explain process of 
communication.

Communication Process
The communication is a dynamic process that begins with the conceptualizing of ideas by the sender who then transmits the message through a channel to the receiver, who in turn gives the feedback in the form of some message or signal within the given time frame. Thus, there are seven major elements/components of

communication process: 

Sender: 

The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or nonverbal methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The sender's knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success of the message. 

Message: 

Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver. 

Communication Channel: 

The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his message to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.

Receiver: 

The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience, trust and relationship with the sender.

Decoding: 

Here, the receiver interprets the sender's message and tries to understand it in the best possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. 
The response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.

6) What is Leadership? Explain types of Leadership.

Leadership is defined as an activity in which effort is made to influence people to cooperate in achieving a goal viewed by the group as desirable - Rogers and Olmsted

Leadership is defined as the role and status of one or more individuals in the structure and functioning of group organizations, which enable these groups to meet a need or purpose that can be achieved only through the co-operation of the members of the group - Hepple




7) How to prepare for a group discussion?

Preparation for group discussion

Ensure you contribute to the group - Ensure you contribute to the conversation. Often candidates take up behaviors or actions that aren't actively contributing to the group's outcome. For example, taking lead of the group, standing up to make notes on a board. Be careful not to fall into the trap of regarding these behaviors as earning you some positive points. In some cases these behaviors can even lead to you being alienated by other group members. Manage your body language - Ensure good body language and maintain relaxed eye contact. Make sure when you are listening to others you are attentive and demonstrate this through nods and gestures of agreement. If you feel uncomfortable in terms of how you are sitting, simply 'mirroring' other people will help. Smiling always helps too. Manage conflicts effectively - Avoid confrontation and ensure you allow everyone a chance to speak. If someone is consistently rude and aggressive, do not resort to this behaviour yourself. Assessors will pick this up. Avoid being forceful or speaking over anybody.

Manage your time - Keeping a check on the time will earn you points. Suggesting that you will keep a check on the time and providing regular updates throughout the discussion will also work well. However, if you commit to this responsibility then make sure you maintain that check. There is nothing worse than the session running out of time when you have appointed yourself as timekeeper.

Include others Keep an eye out for those who do not say anything and take the opportunity to ask them for their opinions. This will gain you both assessors' appreciation and other group member's gratitude. Ensure you are a team player - More often than not, the group discussion exercises

require coming to an agreement on a particular issue. For example, you may be given individual proposals and asked to agree on two of these as a group. In these situations, remember you do not always have to get your ideas accepted. Try to do what is better for the company or organisation as presented in the exercise, rather than what you think might benefit you.


8) Explain in brief important note taking tips for Students. Why to take lecture notes? Suggested 
note taking techniques.

i. Come to class prepared

ii. Start a new page for each new class 

iii. Don't try to write down every word your teacher says

iv. Write down the big ideas

v. Use abbreviations for commonly occurring names and words 

vi. Leave lots of room on the page

vii. Use diagrams and pictures wherever necessary

viii. Write down corresponding page numbers from your textbook

ix. Review your notes for accuracy

x. Obtain notes for missed classes

9) What is Précis? Give guidelines for good Précis writing.

Précis "Précis is a French word and concerned with the English word precise. A good précis is a straight forward condensed statement of the salient features, ideas or information contained in the original passage and it is written in a clear and concise way in the writing own words. A precise is a summary, and précis - writing means summarising. It is the gist or main theme of a passage expressed in as few words as possible. It should be lucid, succinct and full (including all the essential points) so that anyone, on reading it, may be able to grasp the main points and general effect of the passage summarized. It is a clear statement of base facts without any unnecessary frills.

Guidelines for good précis writing.

1. Read the passage at least two times to familiarise yourself with the theme and the main ideas contained in the passage. 

2. Give the passage a little, a suitable title would help you to identify the name of the passage.

3. Write down important points and arrange them in the same sequence as the original passage.

4. Make a rough draft. A précis should not be more than 1/3 of the original unless otherwise directed.

5. Write the precise in the indirect form of narration using only the third person. 

6. Scrupulously avoid all examples figures of speech, illustrations and comments. 

7. Retain all those facts and ideas which are related to the main ideas, reject those which have minor importance. 

8. Drop all redundant words and expressions.

10) What is Presentation? Describe purpose of Presentation. Enlist types and give tips for Effective Presentation.

A presentation is the process of presenting a topic to an audience. It is typically a demonstration, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, or build good will. The practice of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience or learner is known as presentation.

Types of presentation 

(1) Informative presentations 

Include talks, seminars, proposals, workshops, conferences, and meetings where the presenter (s) share their expertise and information is exchanged. 

(2) Persuasive presentations  

These are the presentations in which you might attempt to convince the audience to buy your products or services, to support your goals or concepts, or to change their minds or attitudes. Sometimes called transactional, are often with a motivational. Persuasive presentations are designed and delivered to come out specific goal in mind. 

(3) Goodwill presentations 

Goodwill presentations, which often take the form of speeches which are often designed to be entertaining for example by sharing video highlights of President's 10 years or anecdotes based on some past experiences. The purpose of goodwill presentations for peers, colleagues and superior is pretty obvious to build goodwill, to make people feel good about themselves and to build respect for the organization.

(4) Multipurpose presentations 

Presentations usually have more than one purpose. A presentation to employees may be announced as an informative session on new regulations but in reality may also be an all-out effort to persuade workers to bug into the new rules.

(5) Sales 

Probably the single most prevalent category of presentation is the sale scenario. Throughout our lives we are 'Selling' ourselves to teachers, prospective mates, neighbours, or colleagues. In the business world, we are most often selling our products, services or ideas. Sales techniques are complex and require two essential items for success in sales presentations which are knowing and understanding your audience, and building rapport.

(6) Political presentations 

Presentations in the political arena are primarily grouped in the persuasive category. To be effective they must include lots of information and so build goodwill. 

(7) Motivational presentations  

Motivation is another form of persuasion, that somehow takes on a more fervent, highly charged tone. Presentation must use high energy presentation tactics in order to capture and hold the audience's attention for the entire message.

(8) Interviews 

When a writer, actor, artist, expert, scientists appears on a radio or television talks or is interviews for an online or print article (newspaper / magazine) that person is making a presentation. A Job Interview' is yet another presentation form, one where the presenter should make an effort to identify his or her immediate audience, but also take great pains to know as much as possible about the larger audience.

Suggestions for an effective group presentation 

1. Appoint one of the speakers to be in charge. If this is not done and something unexpected occurs, no one has the responsibility for the group which my lose credibility because of uncertainty in how to respond. In addition, when & question is asked, the speaker-in-charge immediately refers it to the person with the appropriate expertise; thus there is no uncertain pause because no one knows who will answer the question.

2. Each speaker should know what the other speakers are going to say. This knowledge will help them avoid duplication of material and they can make appropriate references to another speaker's coment if it applies. This knowledge helps insure continuity among the different speakers. 

3. The last words of each speaker should synchronize with what the next speaker will cover. This adds unity to the entire presentation and gives the new speaker a smooth opening to his or her material. An example might be, "Now Susan will cover the financial aspects of our proposal and help you understand the benefits this will give you." 

4. If possible, the strongest speaker should end the group presentation. The ending is the most important part of the presentation; people remember best what you say last. You want to have an ending speaker who can show passion and enthusiasm for the topic.

5. Finally, a dress rehearsal is essential. The group members need to get a feel of the complete message to see how they can best contribute. In addition, with several people speaking it is hard to judge the time the speakers will take. This dress rehearsal allows the group to time the presentation and to make adjustments in each portion in order to be under the time limit; the more people involved the more unpredictable the total time. With everyone hearing the other speeches, each speaker can give feedback to the others that will improve the quality of the whole presentation. Extraneous and redundant material can be eliminated as well.

11) What is Public Speaking? Give types & Strategies for Public Speaking. 

Public speaking is the process of communicating information to an audience. It is usually done before a large audience, like in school, the workplace and even in our personal lives. The benefits of knowing how to communicate to an audience include sharpening critical thinking and verbal/non-verbal communication skills.

Public speaking (also called oratory or oration) is the process or act of performing a speech to a live audience. This type of speech is deliberately structured with three general purposes: to inform, to persuade and to entertain. Public speaking is commonly understood as formal, face-to-face speaking of a single person to a group of listeners


12) Give structure of Impromptu speech. Describe techniques for delivering a good impromptu 
speech.

Structure of an impromptu speech

An impromptu speech is simply a mini-speech and therefore it has: 
a. an Opening,

b. Body and

c. Conclusion

1. Opening

-Open by addressing the Chairman or Master of Ceremonies, e.g. Mister / Madam" Chairman
-Brief introduction/opening sentence attention getting

2. Body 

-Cover the main points (Try to find one or two central themes)
-Use clearly worded simple sentences and try to link the themes

3. Conclusion

-Be brief and look for an elegant closing that links back to the opening
-End by acknowledging the Chairman or Master of Ceremonies

Techniques for delivering impromptu speech

1. Give yourself time to prepare 

-Take deep breaths
-Rise slowly from your chair and walk slowly to the lectern (or stand behind and away from your chair)
-Use this time to collect your thoughts and decide on the purpose and plan of your speech
-Think about the opening sentence.
-Always remember that never start the speech immediately.

2. Feel confident

-Look around at audience and smile. Stand tall. Don't slump, don't fidget, don't grasp the lectern/podium, don't put hands in your pockets
-Speak and act in a confident manner 

3. Slow delivery

- Gives you time to think ahead. -The audience has time to absorb and react to what you are saying.
-Helps you reduce 'umms' and 'ahhs'.

4. Focus

-Keep the focus on the subject while talking. -Don't think of any negatives (e.g. being unprepared).
-Talk directly to the audience and adapt to their feedback. -Maintain good eye contact with the audience.
-Be brief and to the point.
-Don't rumble or say too much on the subject. 
-Speak at the audience's level.