Prof. Chan was wonderful! Very responsive, kind, and sensitive to students' needs. Plus she really knows her stuff.

Catches you up in her excitement, wonderful personality, lectures are a treat and inspire continuing interest in the subject. Warm and encouraging. Somehow managed to make a class with 200 students seem like an intimate, well-connected group. Ive never seen my classmates feel friendlier towards each other.

(Summer) There was a midterm, a final, a 4-page paper, and a question set. The test material was only on the slides, which she posted on her bcourse. The tests were also CURVED! Know the slides, get an A+.

Professor Chan is really fun and excited about the subject! I knew a lot of the concepts, so the class was rather easy. Grading was chill, but her lectures and stories were amazing. I would recommend Prof Chan and her lectures to anyone!

Took Davina over the summer and it was great! Her lectures are long but they are very interesting. She's very easy going and funny. Exams are all based off slideshows so study those.

Incredibly funny, knowledgable, interesting and inspirational professor. Enjoyed her and the class so much. Very clear criteria, grades on a curve, and all of the exam questions come from her organized slides. One of the best at Cal!

She is SO engaging and enthusiastic, it really made me fall in love with the topics in this course. Her lecture style made even complex, difficult-to-understand concepts seem easy to learn.

Super-engaging lectures and lots of practical information that was applicable to my daily life. Exam content was never a surprise, and emphasis was on learning broad concepts rather than memorizing meaningless details.

A hilarious and sweet professor - definitely take if you have the chance! One of my favorite classes in my undergrad

The course is packed with fascinating material, and we went in depth into each topic so that you wind up with a much greater understanding of concepts than in Cogsci 1. Minimal homework.  You do have to study for the exams, but she curves the scores.

Extremely engaging professor. The material could have bored me out of my mind with a different professor.

All of the answers to the exam questions are in the lecture slides, but she incorporates lots of personal experiences into the course material which helps students to retain and understand the material better.

Relatable! She is so good at making everyone interested in the subjects we are discussing. Cheerful, lighthearted, and always more than ready to answer questions.

Best class I have ever taken. A perfect balance of academic learning and engaging in the practices. This class has taught me so much, helped me better cope and given me a lot of extremely powerful insights. Professor Chan is a compassionate professor who is tuned in to students experiences and has a genuine interest in helping her students succeed

I'm a psych major but did not expect to find this course so engaging, as I'm more interested in clinical psych. Material covered was broad and comprehensive, practical and relevant. Organized effectively and reflected appropriately in exams.

The way that she structured the Emotional Intelligence class to involve us incorporating mindfulness and other practices into our daily lives made the material more relevant as we got to see its effects first hand.

Loved this class though it was online. Professor Chan's teaching style was engaging and reinforced difficult to understand concepts in an accessible, relevant manner.

My favorite professor EVER! Professor Chan made learning entertaining, with her passion and sense of humor, as well as insightful, from her personal experiences and extensive knowledge.

Professor Chan has a knack for making complex ideas accessible- her lectures are dense, but fun, and the material lends itself well to practical application. Grading is extremely lenient with blissful curves, and the exams require memorizing the material from her slides. However, no clear feedback is provided for group term papers and projects.

Fun and engaging lectures! Always makes time for questions during class and stays behind for further questions. Plenty of extra credit opportunities (exams are curved such that you may receive higher than 100%). Exams are MC on lecture content and are fairly straightforward. The structure of the class really helped to foster learning in my opinion.

Dr. Chan conveyed Bio Psych topics in a super-interesting way that kept everyone enthralled. I had been dreading taking this class but wound up learning lots of useful information. Exams weren't easy but there was a nice fat curve.

Professor Chan is great! Her lectures cover a lot of material and her exams require memorization of her slides. As long as you put in the time to study and prepare for the midterm and exam, you'll be fine! She is very receptive if you come to office hours or contact her.

I took this class online, but it was still extremely engaging! The anecdotes, videos and interactive games all helped to solidify the concepts. I also really appreciated how applicable to our lives many topics were, like how to improve our memories, practice meditation, and improve our sleep. The AI applications module was also super cool!

She truly cares that you're learning the material, her course content is very engaging.

Really sad that Prof Chan is no longer teaching this course. Really awesome class. Lectures were clear, well-organized, and easy to understand, and the topics fascinating and applicable to real life. In addition, the teaching methods used - stories, video clips, games - were highly effective in fostering learning.

I loved Professor Chans lecture style! I did my best to make it to live lectures and even shared some of the recordings with my family. The material was well-organized, easy-to-follow, with a lot of real life applications, including mindfulness, lucid dreams, memory strategies, and use of virtual reality.

Homework involves sampling evidence-based techniques for enhancing happiness. Lectures focused on neurological and psychological research on happiness, which I personally found fascinating, but I know some students were unhappy that they had to learn about brain structures, so if you fall into that category, this might not be the class for you.

This was my second consecutive semester with Professor Chan. As always, her lectures were engaging- replete with interesting developments in Psychology as well as interesting stories from her own experience. Grading for group projects/ papers, and exams was *extremely lenient*: I started studying a week before the midterms/finals --> 104% overall.

Helpful for students who want to explore their interests in cogsci/psych. Great synthesis of literature in the field! Dr. Chan is extremely accessible, holds office hour twice/week, stays after class for questions. She addresses questions in zoom chat too. Always curve exams, easy A if you pay attention in class.

Really clear overview of structure and function of different parts of the brain. In addition, lots of fascinating research presented on subjects that arent generally discussed in Berkeley classes, like theories of how psychedelics work and how mindfulness affects the brain.

Professor Chan is one of the best professors I have had, and this is the best class I have ever taken at Cal. And I took it just for fun-- which it was! I learned so much that has contributed to my overall well-being. Emotional intelligence has truly made me a better person. I wish this were a mandatory class, and that it were longer. She is a GEM!

Lots of fascinating research studies interspersed with great stories that keep the material from feeling too abstract or conceptual. One of the best classes Ive taken at Cal. Dr. Chans energy and enthusiasm and her passion for teaching really shine!

I love this class. The course material is research based, but Dr. Chan also encourages us to question a lot of the assumptions that are taken for granted in the scientific community, and the class includes discussion of topics like mindfulness and psychedelics.

This is the second class that I've taken with Davina and I really enjoyed the content of this course. There's lots of interesting research on happiness and mindfulness which I particularly found inspiring. To do well you'll have to study her slides but in my opinion her content is interesting and fun so studying was enjoyable for me.

Had her for Neuropsych of Happiness and CogSciC100. Lots of overlap between the classesyou'll hear abt meditation, lucid dreaming, psychedelics, etc. a lot, but its easy A material and Chan is passionate abt it, so no complaints. Tests are curved extremely generously. C100 project was graded easy too, just keep your GSI in the loop.

Lectures and content were really interesting! She explained the material well, made what we were learning relevant to our lives and was quite entertaining. She responded to questions quickly and was accessible and helpful during office hours. She gives lots of chances to score. Exams were very doable if you study and the curve was generous!

Love Davina, she's caring and funny in her lectures, she curved a lot in the exam!

Davina is a good professor! Her lectures are very straightforward (you don't have to go to lecture as long as you review the slides) but they are also kinda monotonous/repetitive. Easy weekly quizzes, 1 midterm, a HUGE group project, and a final. Spent very little work on this class most weeks but you do have to grind for the midterm/final.

Professor Chan is a great and interesting professor. Her lectures are lengthy and almost all research based, so make sure to study all of that for her exams. Her exams are generously curved but are intended to be hard. Studying is a must for this class.

Amazing experimental data on how the brain works in processing experience with emphasis on emotions and methods to remold your brain via neuroplasticity. Deep!

Personally meaningful course that's full of fascinating material - everything from neurological and psychological disorders of the self to mindfulness and effects of social media on sense of self. Grade is based primarily on exams which are generously curved so it's a pretty easy A.

I've been telling all my friends and family about what we learn in this class. All sorts of helpful techniques for managing difficult emotions and improving relationships. Truly life changing.

Davina's lectures are largely based on research and straightforward, and the subjects she covers are really interesting and cutting-edge - had a good time in this class. The group project and midterm/final were the bulk of the grade, none of which were graded too harshly. A good amount of overlap with Cogsci 1.

Great for Stem majors who need the breadth requirement. The material was interesting even for me.

The Neuorpsychology of Happiness class offers a good balance between neuroscience and practical exercises for boosting mental health. I changed my major to psychology after taking this class.

Cogsci 180 has been one of my favorite classes at Berkeley so far! Professor Chan is super nice and engaging. Would highly recommend this class!

I Love this class i believe she covers a wide range of interesting topics, The lecture is 3 hours long but the lecture is never boring i believe i was engaged with every single topic. She can be passive agressive and she is very vague about the project, and has weekly quizzes that are meant to confuse you, that are worth A LOT.

This class really helped me to manage my emotions better.

I loved this class and the way it approached the issue of finding yourself from so many different perspectives. A philosophy breadth class that actually has practical benefits!

Lots of fascinating topics. Lie detection, xenobots, cognitive development in children, and new advances in AI, such as brain implants and emotional robots.

The in-class activities, super cool videos, and amazing stories kept me awake during the 3 hour lectures.

Interesting but a little weird, I hated the topics we focused on (too much experimental, unconfirmed theories - spent way too much time on psychoactive drugs for treatment). Don't need to go to lecture, just read the slides you'll be good for midterm/final. Group project expectations were a bit unclear but was fine. Quizzes mostly easy, open book

Very straightforward class, mostly lecture content and exams. She provides lecture slides ahead of time but a lot of content is explained more thoroughly during the lectures themselves. She discusses really interesting topics and is really easy to get ahold of outside of class through emails for questions or concerns.

Course helped me to stay sane during a crazy busy semester. HW assignments helped me to let go of distractions I often use when stressed and spend some quality time getting to know myself.

Really fun and exciting class. Pretty long, but interesting if you go to class. Overall, a pretty easy and manageable class which leaves you with lots of insight. Don't have to be a cognitive science major to take.

extremely uplifting professor who clearly loves to teach, although the lectures can be long, it's def worth staying to listen to her fun stories and insight. one of my fav professors at cal

professor Chan seems to be the literal embodiment of the material she discusses in class. her attitude towards life and intellectual knowledge inspires me

clear lectures, great professor. love professor chan's warmth and youthful attitude

The exams are pure memorizations, the projects are segregated from the lecture (research but nothing to do with the content). Even tho prof is nice, the GSIs are horrible(they sucks, no clear explanation and grade wrong every single time) and unresponsive. Huge curve and lots of extra credits. But the exams are just poorly designed for learning.

I've taken 3 classes (Cogsci 115, Cogsci 180, Psych C120) with Prof. Chan (will take another one) and I enjoyed every single one of them! There is a little overlap between all her classes but her lectures are amazing and she tells so many great stories in class that make the material seem very real. Exams go into detail so memorize all the slides!

Fascinating material! I have roommates taking CogSci 1 now who complain they keep falling asleep. I definitely never had that problem. Really engaging class. It's not an automatic A, but the exams have such big curves you'll do fine if you just look through the lecture slides a bit.

Amazing class! Lots of helpful real life applications.

Shes soooo funny! I loved hearing her lecture because she always said the most unexpected things. She likes to say that shes a tough grader at first, but after time you realize that shes actually quite chill.

easy As, super interesting content, great professor. I took cogsci 180,115 and 100 with Chan. 100% recommend if you want easy and enjoyable.

My favorite class at Cal! I don't think there are any other classes like this. It's a three-hour class, but I look forward to it every week. Wonderful mood lifter and introduces lots of helpful techniques. Should be a required course for all students.

Likely my favorite professor on campus. She tells wild stories that mostly connect to the material, I was certainly never bored. She's briliant and engaged in the lectures. Don't take the class unless you're willing to engage with perhaps some less than pc musings, though always kind and open minded.

Generous extra credit that boosted grade around 6%. The tests are similar to any other Cog Sci course I've taken at Berkeley - yes they are somewhat difficult but there is a very generous curve. There were two papers assigned throughout this course (a research paper + a personal experience paper). I think an A is very manageable - I recommend!

she reads off her slides, but u have to go bc there are iclickers. her material is fun but you REALLY need to study. her exams are difficult but she curves. lowkey her assignments don't have clear instructions so u have to figure it out urself.. take this class only if you have the time to study for 200+ flashcards for each exam. no joke

Love her. All the material was really interesting, though I had the 3 hour class which made it hard to focus towards the end. Only a few assignments, but the GSIs seem to be way more nitpicky than her (verbally). Two exams are all MCQ (some get really random) and it's def hard but the curve carries. Know all your terms and memorize those slides

Things to note: class is technically not mandatory but she does iclickers so you shouldn't miss more than two. Yes there is a textbook but I got above a 100 without reading it much. Also, wanted to note that anyone who took AP psych (and enjoyed it) should take! There's a lot of overlap (so nice advantage) but also gets way more interesting

really sweet professor, graded pretty leniently. exams aren't hard per se but there's no way you would do well without memorizing the slides. curves are insane fr. would absolutely NOT do the 3 hr lecture option but would def take this professor again!

funny lady. easy tests that are MEGA CURVED. attendance is mandatory so keep that in mind but she managed to keep the 3 hour lectures somewhat engaging with fun activities and videos.

As a freshman, this was the first class at Berkeley that I actually enjoyed. Professor Chan has funny stories and is an entertaining lecturer. There is one midterm and one final that I did decent on without reading the textbook. I honestly could've gotten an A but I didn't try as hard in the term paper x_x.

there is A LOT of extra credit offered in this class, so be sure to take advantage of it. the textbook is kind of useless. don't take the 3 hour lecture unless you're desperate...i almost fell asleep in class every lecture but she gives pop quiz questions that are graded (~6 each lecture out of 20 points) so you sometimes have to pay attention.

super enthusiastic and knowledgeable. the iclickers were annoying though

she has funny anecdotes and does some proofs during class. lectures are a bit heavy but entertaining. the exams are straight from the slides and the curve can be generous. there is no homework, just two assignments through the semester. there are some opportunities for extra credit. fun class overall!