PSYCH 118
Comparative Psychobiology
Description: Requisite: course 115. Designed for junior/senior majors. Survey of determinants of species-specific behavior, including genetic influences and learning.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Fall 2019 - Blaisdell is a really clear and articulate professor -- the killer in this class is the exams. He used to do 2 exams (50 questions T/F) and that was your entire grade. Since then he's built in some homework points, so now the grade scheme is: -16 pts from HW -42 pts from exam 1 (36 T/F questions, 5 short answer) -42 pts from exam 2 (36 T/F questions, 5 short answer) The exams are super nitty gritty, he changes the smallest detail and it can make it really tricky. He also doesn't bruincast -- which is another huge con. If he bruincasted it would be a lot easier and more accessible to rewatch the lectures. I normally record them on my phone and have to upload them to my computer, convert them, edit them, etc. Its super annoying. Tl;dr: Super clear professor, but exams are HARD
Fall 2019 - Blaisdell is a really clear and articulate professor -- the killer in this class is the exams. He used to do 2 exams (50 questions T/F) and that was your entire grade. Since then he's built in some homework points, so now the grade scheme is: -16 pts from HW -42 pts from exam 1 (36 T/F questions, 5 short answer) -42 pts from exam 2 (36 T/F questions, 5 short answer) The exams are super nitty gritty, he changes the smallest detail and it can make it really tricky. He also doesn't bruincast -- which is another huge con. If he bruincasted it would be a lot easier and more accessible to rewatch the lectures. I normally record them on my phone and have to upload them to my computer, convert them, edit them, etc. Its super annoying. Tl;dr: Super clear professor, but exams are HARD
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2017 - Just dropping in to confirm prior reviews. I came into this class knowing that it would be a lot of work. It indeed was. Studying and memorizing information down to the name of the species was incredibly difficult and tiring. The extra credit project was basically mandatory if you even wanted anything close to an A, but it does offer a huge grade boost so take advantage of that. Although challenging, the class is very very doable, but it requires the time and effort. Take this class with easier classes and start the project asap. Rest assured that the professor is very caring and willing to answer all your questions.
Spring 2017 - Just dropping in to confirm prior reviews. I came into this class knowing that it would be a lot of work. It indeed was. Studying and memorizing information down to the name of the species was incredibly difficult and tiring. The extra credit project was basically mandatory if you even wanted anything close to an A, but it does offer a huge grade boost so take advantage of that. Although challenging, the class is very very doable, but it requires the time and effort. Take this class with easier classes and start the project asap. Rest assured that the professor is very caring and willing to answer all your questions.
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2019 - This was by far the worst class I have ever taken at UCLA, an extremely stressful and disappointing experience. Larison is extremely, ridiculously unorganized (to the point even the T.A. was confused about the class most of the time) and not clear at all about anything- it was like trying to understand a foreign language with her (she would never directly answer questions and would want you to figure things out yourself. For example- students would ask a question in class, she would give a vague answer that no one understood, ask a clicker question about what she just asked, and the "correct" answer was the one least chosen by students). Her quizzes were stupidly nit-picky, and her first midterm was just a copy of those quizzes. So once I felt that studying the quizzes was enough for the final, what do you know- she actually puts in effort and makes a final not based on her quizzes and screws everyone over. Overall awful experience, I have literally gotten my first grey hair thanks to this class. Whatever you do, avoid this class and especially this professor at all costs- this single class felt like taking 8 am classes 7 days each week for the quarter.
Winter 2019 - This was by far the worst class I have ever taken at UCLA, an extremely stressful and disappointing experience. Larison is extremely, ridiculously unorganized (to the point even the T.A. was confused about the class most of the time) and not clear at all about anything- it was like trying to understand a foreign language with her (she would never directly answer questions and would want you to figure things out yourself. For example- students would ask a question in class, she would give a vague answer that no one understood, ask a clicker question about what she just asked, and the "correct" answer was the one least chosen by students). Her quizzes were stupidly nit-picky, and her first midterm was just a copy of those quizzes. So once I felt that studying the quizzes was enough for the final, what do you know- she actually puts in effort and makes a final not based on her quizzes and screws everyone over. Overall awful experience, I have literally gotten my first grey hair thanks to this class. Whatever you do, avoid this class and especially this professor at all costs- this single class felt like taking 8 am classes 7 days each week for the quarter.
Most Helpful Review
Let me start this by saying THIS GUY SUCKS! I took him for 118 and although I found the course and the book VERY interesting, I can't overstate how little concern this guy has for students. He forces you to go to lecture by instituting these stupid questions at the beginning of each lecture which he decided to count as our "3rd midterm" and of course many students performed much worse on these than on the REAL midterm and final thus screwing their grade. He is one of those teachers who feels he is intellectually leaps and bounds above his students and it shows in any attempted interaction with him. Avoid this guy if you can, you'll save yourself a whole lot of frustration!
Let me start this by saying THIS GUY SUCKS! I took him for 118 and although I found the course and the book VERY interesting, I can't overstate how little concern this guy has for students. He forces you to go to lecture by instituting these stupid questions at the beginning of each lecture which he decided to count as our "3rd midterm" and of course many students performed much worse on these than on the REAL midterm and final thus screwing their grade. He is one of those teachers who feels he is intellectually leaps and bounds above his students and it shows in any attempted interaction with him. Avoid this guy if you can, you'll save yourself a whole lot of frustration!
Most Helpful Review
1 word, BORING. Does this guy have a pulse? I'm taking this guy now and I dread going to class because I fear the torture of his monotone voice and lack of any personality whatsoever. I agree with a lot stated above - obviously,the "boring" aspect like i just got through saying, the fact that he is pretty rude when he answers questions, and his tests have the a&b, b&d bs all over. He seems to like picking on this one guy, who seems like a wuss but a genuinely nice guy, because he always answers his questions more rudely than normal e.g. (slight chuckle) "Like I said twice already blah blah blah". I mean Christ sorry if we're not experts on praying mantis courtship rituals and bat echolocation like you are, but just answer the question without the pretentiousness. Anyway, I managed to pull of an A- on the midterm, and that's because there is one accurate positive thing about him in these reviews - his lecture outlines are money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is apparently too stupid to pull of a good grade by meticulously studying his notes. Look, if you know his notes well, you should at least get a B. Have a Beautiful Day, and if you have to take Roverud, it'll seem like you're Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, but Elevation of your study skills will allow you to Walk On with a good grade, and you'll be flying high like a Kite. If you're completely clueless by this previous line, you must be a hermit.
1 word, BORING. Does this guy have a pulse? I'm taking this guy now and I dread going to class because I fear the torture of his monotone voice and lack of any personality whatsoever. I agree with a lot stated above - obviously,the "boring" aspect like i just got through saying, the fact that he is pretty rude when he answers questions, and his tests have the a&b, b&d bs all over. He seems to like picking on this one guy, who seems like a wuss but a genuinely nice guy, because he always answers his questions more rudely than normal e.g. (slight chuckle) "Like I said twice already blah blah blah". I mean Christ sorry if we're not experts on praying mantis courtship rituals and bat echolocation like you are, but just answer the question without the pretentiousness. Anyway, I managed to pull of an A- on the midterm, and that's because there is one accurate positive thing about him in these reviews - his lecture outlines are money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is apparently too stupid to pull of a good grade by meticulously studying his notes. Look, if you know his notes well, you should at least get a B. Have a Beautiful Day, and if you have to take Roverud, it'll seem like you're Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of, but Elevation of your study skills will allow you to Walk On with a good grade, and you'll be flying high like a Kite. If you're completely clueless by this previous line, you must be a hermit.
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