Let's get this out of the way: It's not difficult to get an A in this class. The median grade was probably between an A- and an A. There's nothing really special from the book and it's not necessary. The quizzes also get easier over time (the hard ones you can drop) and you can get +2% extra credit from doing 4 studies. If you do those at the beginning of the quarter, study enough to understand the material before quizzes , then you'll probably get an A. It also helps to do the modules at the beginning of the quarter (don't have to pay for it or worry when it's due) and ask your TA questions about the essay (not too difficult but the rubric is kinda confusing. I lost 1.5 points on it because I didn't discuss controversies enough of the paper).
This class is kinda fun. The professor is dorky and funny. But I left the class not really feeling any different. I know it's supposed to be an intro to other topics, but in the end it felt like I just took the class to satisfy a psych req. Overall not bad though

Professor Rissman is such a sweet, down to earth guy. He tries to clarify confusing concepts to the best of his ability, and the examples he showed in class were interesting and applicable to everyday things that we experience. The textbook was not necessarily important, but it did supplement the lecture material and gave more helpful examples. The content of the class itself was captivating and fun, but a lot of the material was a repeat of what I had learned in other psych classes (this may be a pro or a con, depending on what type of student you are). The exams were very, very fair and not too difficult. There were clicker quizzes, but again, as long as you reviewed the material the night before, they were also very doable. I totally recommend taking this class with Rissman!

AWESOME CLASS!!!

If anyone wants to buy the access code I have an extra unused one. Please text **********

good professor but hard class you have to study a lot and work really hard

This class was tough but fair. The amount of effort you put in is what you'll grade you'll get. I didn't put that much work in and ended up with a B. As the other reviews say, the tests and clicker quizzes are entirely based on the lectures which are bruincasted and the slides are posted. Study them in depth and you're fine. No need to read anything else. Don't buy the textbook there's no point. He's a good lecturer and you will learn a lot so overall it's a good class.

Professor Rissman was a really good professor! The content in the course was very interesting and exams are extremely fair. To do well in the class you do have to put in the work, which means knowing all of the info on the slides and quizzes, which can admittedly be alot if you dont manage your time or study efficiently. Overall, really enjoyed taking Psych 85 with him, he was nice and very direct with the tested concepts.

The material was pretty dense at first but got progressively better (and more interesting) as the quarter went on. There are a lot of terms and nuances to pick out so make sure to read the slides in depth and listen to lecture a second time.

Professor Rissman can come off as shy/awkward but is very approachable and kind. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to take our final online. In order to make things better for us, he adjusted the weights of the midterm/final and changed the structure of the final just a tad bit.

A great class with a great professor!

Let me start off and say that I had a D+ after I took the midterm. I got a 61.5 on the midterm and I had an average of 80% on the quizzes. I was so nervous for my future in this class. I didn’t know if I should drop or just accept I would probably get a D+ or a C in the class. I talked to both the professor and TA, and they encouraged me to stay and find different ways to study. I started to get 100% on the quizzes. However, I knew I had to get at least a C on the final to get a C in the class. I had to do exceptionally well to get a low B, so I decided to aim for a C. The class started to get more interesting towards the end when we started to talk about artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, COVID-19 started to disrupt our classes and eventually brought an end to in person lectures. Professor Rissman was so encouraging and understanding during this time. He decided to reweigh the class and basically whatever test we did better on, would count as 45% of your grade. This gave me high hopes but once again, I wasn’t expecting much. I ended up doing super well on the final and ended up with an A-. Professor Rissman made the final very fair and as long as you studied the slides, you were guaranteed an A. Professor Rissman, is a passionate and funny professor who honestly cares for his students , so go to his office hours, you won’t regret it :).

I do not recommend anyone else for 120A besides Jesse. He truly cares for his students and made a lot of accommodations for us amidst the pandemic. His exams are tricky, you need to study, exams are closed notes/book so you can't rely on your notes. I got a C on the midterm from not studying and a B+ on the final with minimal studying; LOTS of people got As and even 100% on the exams, again, if you study enough, the tests will be a breeze. There's lot's of assignments and quizzes where you can earn points to redeem yourself if you don't perform well on the tests. He also offers extra credit through SONA. I was able to still get an A in the course despite not performing too well on the exams. Take him!!!