Arjun, a 19-year-old in Lucknow, has to choose his college course. He wants to study dance but is also drawn to psychology, and he cannot decide. He keeps telling himself, 'I must do everything perfectly', and pushes himself towards very high marks. When his entrance scores came out low, he felt his goal of a good college seat was blocked. Now he worries all day and feels anxious, and he notices that this worry itself makes him feel more stressed. Last month his family also moved into a new house in another part of the city.
Arjun cannot decide whether to study dance or psychology. Which source of psychological stress is he facing?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Conflict
Option (1) Frustration — Incorrect. Frustration results from the blocking of needs and motives by something or someone. Arjun's low scores blocking his goal show frustration, but his choice of course does not.
Option (2) Conflict — Correct. A conflict occurs between two or more incompatible needs or motives. Arjun wants two courses that he cannot take together, so he is caught between them.
Option (3) Internal pressure — Incorrect. Internal pressure stems from beliefs based on expectations from inside us, such as having to do everything perfectly. It is about a standard.
Option (4) Social pressure — Incorrect. Social pressure comes from people who make excessive demands on us. Arjun's choice is his own; no one is demanding it of him.
NCERT (2026-27): “Psychological Stress … |