GS4 · Topic
Social Influence and Persuasion
Conformity, obedience, group pressure and persuasion, and the use of either by a public servant.
184 UPSC Mains GS4 questions on Social Influence and Persuasion that toppers answered in test series, CSE 2013–2025, most answered first. Open one to see how toppers opened, built and closed it.
It does not take long for conflict to turn violent when deep seeded prejudices and discriminatory attitudes are not addressed. Discuss in the context of communal and caste-based violence in India. What role should the state play in this context?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2018–2019
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
Persuasion plays an important role in public administration. Discuss. Also highlight the various elements of effective persuasion.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2021
Social Influence and PersuasionEmotional Intelligence
Do you agree that excessive use of social media and emerging AI technologies may lead to a decline in emotional regulation and moral sensitivity among adolescents? Justify your answer.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2025
Technology and EthicsEmotional Intelligence
While emotional intelligence is an essential tool for a public servant, it can also be misused to manipulate people to act against their own interests. Discuss with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2022–2023
Emotional IntelligenceSocial Influence and Persuasion
Patriotism encourages ethical questioning, while nationalism often suppresses it. Discuss this statement in light of the formation of political attitudes during high-pressure national events. How can individuals develop moral attitudes that balance national interest with ethical reasoning?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2025
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
You are posted as a District Development officer in a district with a low literacy rate and poor health indicators. As you took charge, your Health Secretary had given express instructions that your priority is to improve health indicators by enhancing the delivery of healthcare services. After taking over, you traveled around the district to study and identify ways of improving healthcare services. During your field trip, you discovered that the issue was not the accessibility of services; it was something else. You found the problem was the myths, misconceptions, and malpractices that hindered the uptake of health care services. For instance, people believed that vaccines caused impotence, immunization was equivalent to birth control, using antenatal care was counterproductive to the health of the mother and baby, and so on. You realize that these beliefs were the behavioral barriers that stood in the way of health and nutrition services. And these behavioral barriers made it difficult for front-line workers to reach out. You discussed your observations with the Health Secretary, and he advised you to seek inputs from the neighboring district DDO who was doing some good work. When you met with the neighboring DDO, you learned he was experimenting with the faith leader's influence and reach to persuade people. You were unsure about roping in faith leaders to help you overcome the behavioral barriers. As a civil servant, you felt it would be a mistake to involve faith leaders in health service schemes. When you shared your apprehensions with the Secretary, he firmly instructed you to try and innovate. (a) What are the issues involved in the above case? (b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Faith leaders as influencers and persuaders? (c) If there are no faith leaders, what other options do you have to break behavioral barriers? (d) Do you think it is ethically right for a civil servant to involve faith leaders in promoting government schemes?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2023–2025
Social Influence and PersuasionEthical Dilemmas in Government
You are posted as a Superintendent of Police (SP) in a district where people of different religious communities are living together peacefully. The district is also famous for its architectural heritage and is regularly visited by tourists from all around the world. However, there has been an incident in the nearby state where people of two different communities have started fighting over religious issues. This incident has a spillover effect over the whole country. In your own area of jurisdiction, you have come to know from various sources about circulation of some hate speech videos, which have the potential to destabilise the law and order situation. You are also aware that some outsiders with dubious intentions have started pouring in your district. In one locality, a shopkeeper who had earlier filed a complaint regarding threats he received for posting something on the internet, is found murdered in cold blood. This incident has stunned the nation. You are being informed that hundreds of people of the community to which the shopkeeper belonged are planning to stage a massive protest in your district. (a) In the given situation, what are the options available to you to ensure that the law and order situation in the district remains stable. Provide a detailed account of your course of action. (b) Do you think the present legal and institutional mechanisms are sufficient to tackle the menace of hate speech in the society?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2022–2023
Crisis Decision MakingEthical Dilemmas in Government
How does the use of social media influence political participation and civic engagement? Discuss with examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
The transgender community has been a part of India's social set up since the very beginning but never recognized as a reputable part of the society. 'Hijra' is a term traditionally used in India for transgender women who were born male. The role and value of this community in accordance with the sacred Hindu texts condenses to the performance of blessings at marriage and birth ceremonies for good fortune. With the advent of the British Raj in the 19th century, the acts of "cross-dressing" were registered as a criminal offence and if such offences were committed repeatedly, imprisonment followed. Thus, began the criminalization of hijras. Today, although legally supported and socially empowered as compared to earlier times, hijras are still subject to transphobic discrimination-associated violence, poverty, and segregation. In light of the above, answer the following: (a) Identify the challenges faced by transgenders during the different stages of their life. (b) Discuss the reasons for the continuing discrimination against trangenders in India despite several initiatives for their upliftment in recent times.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2023–2024
Empathy and CompassionDimensions of Ethics
Social influence is an ambivalent concept. It can be a source for good, bad and even for evil. Discuss with the help of relevant examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2022–2023
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
How does persuasion help achieve a desired change in attitude? What are the elements of an effective persuasive approach?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2025
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
Your 16 year old cousin, Leena, loves to play basketball but her peers mock her short height, so much so that Leena has developed a negative attitude towards all sports. As a responsible elder cousin, how will you convince Leena to take up sports once again?
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 4 toppers · CSE 2017–2018
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
"In contemporary times, social media platforms have emerged as powerful agents in shaping individual and societal attitudes." Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2017
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
With appropriate examples, discuss various ethical challenges associated with the utilization of public funds in India. Suggest strategies to effectively deal with these challenges. 10 (b) With proliferation of social media, people have got the opportunity to express their views anonymously and more freely. (a) What according to you, is its effect on the social and political culture of the country? (b) Discuss the role of social media in changing one's attitude, particularly the youth.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2017–2019
Utilisation of Public FundsCorruption
Examine the ethical challenges administrators face while employing persuasion and social influence techniques to promote social and health interventions in rural India. Illustrate with suitable examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2024–2025
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
You are the District Information Officer (DIO) responsible for managing the official social media handles of the district administration. These accounts are used to disseminate updates, engage with citizens, and provide emergency alerts. During a routine update on a COVID booster drive in a minority-dominated ward, the post attracts a barrage of comments, some hostile, some blatantly communal. Several users accuse the administration of "pampering one community." Others post hate symbols, slurs, and conspiracy theories. You immediately report the worst comments to the platform, but they remain visible for hours. Your junior team suggests turning off comments, but a senior colleague warns: "We don't want to appear like we're silencing citizens, let it run its course." The District Collector advises: "Don't escalate. The post will fade by tomorrow. Don't engage directly, we've been seen worse." The local press begins reporting the online hate as part of "growing digital communalism." Civil society activists tag the district handle, demanding action. Meanwhile, public trust is eroding, and more citizens, especially from the targeted community, have stopped engaging with the administration's page. You are seriously looking for a way to do damage control. 1. What are the ethical issues and administrative responsibilities involved in this case? 2. How should the DIO respond to this situation in a way that upholds public values and protects institutional credibility? 3. Suggest digital communication protocols that can guide public officials in handling hate speech on official platforms.
15 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023–2025
Crisis Decision MakingSocial Influence and Persuasion
Celebrity endorsements raise pertinent ethical concerns about responsibility that delve into the realm of ethical considerations of social influence that run deeper than mere surface appeal. In this context, suggest measures to tackle the ethical challenges of celebrity brand endorsements.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
With the advent of 24x7 news and prevalence of an array of news sources across the board, the media is omnipresent in nature. In this competitive environment, many media professionals who are overcome by deadlines, bottom-line imperatives, and corporate interests are losing sight of the ethical implications of their work. Further, there have been several cases of irresponsible reporting where the reportage has interfered with court proceedings, compromised delicate security situations or led to the spread of fake or unverified news. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) Identify the ethical issues prevalent in the profession of media. (b) How does unethical reporting and sensationalization of news impact the society? (c) What can be done to strengthen the role of ethics in media?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Civil Service ValuesCodes of Ethics and Conduct
Giving examples of some social ills plaguing the society, discuss how social persuasion can be an effective technique to overcome them.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2019–2022
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
Political attitude has as much to do with society as with politics. Discuss with suitable illustrations.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023–2024
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
Do you think it is ethically right for a civil servant to involve faith leaders in promoting government schemes?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023–2025
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentCivil Service Values
Leadership is essentially a task of persuasion. How does ability to persuade others help civil servants in performing their duty? Identify five qualities that make civil servants effective agents of persuasion. Justify your choices.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2023
Social Influence and PersuasionAptitude for Civil Service
Lack of cleanliness in urban areas despite schemes such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan point to difficulties faced in bringing about attitudinal and behavioural changes. Discuss.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2016–2018
AttitudeSocial Influence and Persuasion
In the realm of governance, a crucial aspect is the art of persuasion. The qualities that make civil servants proficient persuaders empower them to fulfill their responsibilities in an effective manner. Discuss with illustrations.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2022–2024
Social Influence and PersuasionCivil Service Values
You are the Municipal Commissioner of a large city, which has witnessed unprecedented increase in biomedical waste. Recently, 15 sanitation workers lost their lives and close to 100 have been seriously infected owing to this increase in waste. Apart from biomedical waste, the city is also facing a major problem in management of household waste. There is a view that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problems of the waste management sector. Despite the fact that the government has notified rules regarding disposal, collection and treatment of waste and has initiated numerous awareness campaigns in the past, still, the problem does not seem to be getting under control. In view of this, answer the following questions: (a) Identify the stakeholders and the significance of their involvement in addressing the issue. (b) In your opinion, what are the reasons behind apathy of people towards issues like waste disposal that affect the larger interests of the society? (c) As the Municipal Commissioner, suggest some practical techniques to bring about an attitudinal change among residents of the city towards this issue.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 3 toppers · CSE 2021–2022
Crisis Decision MakingAttitude
"A well-developed Emotional intelligence is not only an instrumental tool in accomplishing goals, but has a dark side as a weapon for manipulating others by robbing them of their capacity to reason." Analyse.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2022
Emotional IntelligenceSocial Influence and Persuasion
Explore how persuasion impacts public opinion and fosters social change.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2024
Social Influence and PersuasionAttitude
Akhilesh is a young 22-year-old man living in Utsav Nagar, who is preparing for the prestigious Civil Service Examinations, conducted by UPSC. Akhilesh is the younger of the two siblings in the home. The elder sister of Akhilesh, Sarita, is an economic graduate and works as a teacher. Akhilesh and Sarita are from a family of modest means. Their father is a retired government employee and mother is a house wife. Sarita and Akhilesh contribute to the household income by giving tuitions to the children. Recently, Sarita's marriage has been finalized by her parents. Everyone in the family is happy about the prospects of Sarita's marriage. However, the groom's family has expressed their wish for a car and furniture as gifts for the groom. Sarita's father agreed to their demands happily as he did not want to break the prospective alliance. It was also the dream of Sarita's father to wed her daughter in a grand manner. During a dinner conversation at home, he tells his family members that he has decided to sell off their ancestral land in order to arrange for the wedding. Akhilesh and Sarita are well aware that the family has limited means, and a lavish wedding, in addition to the gifts, may further aggravate the already strained financial condition of the family. Akhilesh, in the course of his preparation, has studied about the menace of dowry in the society. He knows that making a demand for dowry, in any form, is illegal and a punishable offence. After consulting his sister, Akhilesh decides to talk to his father. However, when Akhilesh presents his concerns to his father, he gets surprised by his reply. Akhilesh's father tells him that dowry is a social norm and as a member of the society they are duty bound to accept the demands of the groom's family. He also tells Akhilesh that marriage ceremony is a matter of social prestige for the whole family. A lavish wedding will not only appease the groom's family but also increase the social status of their own family. Further, his father tells him that it is out of his own love and volition that he has agreed to the gifts. He also explained to Akhilesh that the car, furniture etc., will be used by Sarita at her in-law's place. Akhilesh could not argue with his father, even though he was not in agreement with his father's view. He and Sarita believe that giving/accepting dowry would lead to propagation of a social evil. They also are of the view that a profligate wedding, without due concern for family's finances, is illogical. a) What are the various ethical issues involved in the above case study? b) You are a close friend of Akhilesh. What advice will you give, in this situation, to Akhilesh in order to convince his father to abstain from giving dowry and organising a lavish wedding?
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2023
Ethical Dilemmas in GovernmentFamily, Society and Education
Public policy is being increasingly informed by insights from the behavioural sciences. One such behavioural approach is the Nudge theory. It is mainly concerned with the design of choices, which influences the decisions we make. Nudge theory proposes that the designing of choices should be based on how people actually think and decide, rather than how leaders and authorities traditionally believe people think and decide. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) Giving examples, illustrate the difference between enforced change and 'Nudge' techniques? (b) Identify the ethical concerns associated with the nudge technique. Also, suggest ways for using nudging theory ethically.
20 marks · 250 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2020
Social Influence and PersuasionDimensions of Ethics
"Whatever a person having authority does, other people do the same thing; whatever standards he sets up, all people follow the same." Examine, with reference to real-life examples.
10 marks · 150 words · Answered by 2 toppers · CSE 2018
Human ValuesSocial Influence and Persuasion