2.8
Quality4.2
Difficulty24%
Would Retake89
Reviews24%
Would Retake
89
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
89 total ratings5
21
4
14
3
19
2
10
1
25
What Students Say
“I did not enjoy having him as a professor as all”
PSYC0215 - 1.0 rating“His tests are horrible, gives you multiple attempts but doesn't help you at all”
PSYCH316 - 3.0 ratingClass Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
54%
Textbook Required
48%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.47 avg changeRatings by Course
COMPARATIVEPSY
5.0
(1)COMPPSYCH
5.0
(1)COMPARATIVE
5.0
(1)COMPLEARNING
5.0
(1)LEARNING
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
LEARN0306
5.0
LEARNPSYC
5.0
PSY306
5.0
LEARN300
5.0
PSYH0101
5.0
Reviews (88)
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He is so smart it is unreal. willing to help always. He knows his subject so well and enjoys it which makes learning it fun. His tests are not very hard however some people manage to fail them. He is too smart to be at WSC so if you are a psych major you should take him while you can you will learn lots.
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Smart teacher, knows his material. The tests can be challenging, but if you study they are do-able. Good teacher.
Eric is amazing. He is extremely knowledgable. He is challenging but you learn so much from him. He is always there to help. His tests are not easy, but that is the way it goes when the teacher actually cares if you learn. Take him if you really care about getting alot out of a class. I can't not say enough about how much I enjoy him as a teacher.
Avoid at all costs... not a supportive professor told kid in my class he didn't know he would make it through college because he sucked at writing...uses language no one understands..is very cocky
Bressler is an AWESOME teacher. I absolutely loved this class and am taking another from him next semester. He is incredibly knowledgable in what he is teaching and is always there if you need help. He's a nice guy all around. The class is tough, but you learn more than you can imagine.
Eric Bressler is an amazing teacher. He will do anything to help his students if you take the time to go to his office and tell him what you are confused about he will do what he can. Clearly no one wants to take research methods, but since it is mandatory for psych majors, I suggest Bressler.
This is a great Professor. He is wicked smart and knows what he is talking about. He will bend over backwords to help any student. His classes are deff. do-able so, and I am planning to take another one with him!
Hard professor. But hey this is college! He's very fair and gives plenty of extra credit opportunities. Very knowledgeable about the material. Oh yeah and we got to play his own version of Jeopardy! in class..twice!
Comparative Psychology. Egotistical. Lectures are mainly examples. Hard to study for. Plays favorites. Nice person but needs more experience teaching. doesn't explain much. Enthusiastic about subject but forgets not all of us understand biology or evolutionary theory so goes too fast.
Bressler definitely is a smart man..I enjoyed this class most days..quizes every 2 chapters, and final exam is all 12 chapters..study, study, and study some more in order to get a good grade in this class..demands your time and effort but is interesting if your a psych major.
This class is pointless...didnt learn anything...quized weekly and a cum. final....if u want to work real hard for a c take this class otherwise stayyy away worst teacher ever...
HE IS A VERY FUNNY, LIKEABLE TEACHER, BUT HE IS KINDA HARD
Awesome Class.I took Comparative Psych. I don't remember the class number but it was one of the most interesting class I've ever taken. Highly recomended even though it was tough work.
I HATE HIM!!! He plays favoritism, he only lets girls get away with things. He is rude, and very judgmental of people. He needs to go away!!!
He's very difficult and somewhat arrogant and condescending but he can also be funny at times. He's okay if you want to work hard for your grade. I took this to fill a major requirement but I feel like I've learned more in other classes that I didn't have to work as hard for.
wicked hard teacher you really have to study to do well in the class his classes seem more like a bio class then psych...knows the info but has a hard time relaying it to the students...they really need another teacher teaching compar psy and learning psy during the school year ADVOID IF U CAN
Very hard but extremely interesting. I worked harder than other classes, so obviously, I learned more. The class time went by quickly.
STAY AWAY!!! he is very difficult...his quizzes are very hard to pass because you have to "memorize the chapters" if you want to do well..and he wont tell you what he is not putting on the quizzes! and his notes have nothing to do with his quizzes its all from the book! AVOID HIM IF YOU CAN!!!!!!
I definitely agree that he is too smart to be teaching at Westfield State College. I have had him for 3 classes now and it is definitely true that he is both passionate and very knowledgeable about the course content. Had him for Methods, Comparative and Learning. Hard classes, but if you want to learn something before you graduate..TAKE HIS CLASS
He's wicked smart and knows what he's talking about. Sometimes he gets off track to talk about things that interest students but aren't part of the material which is cool. Quizzes every 2 weeks or so, which are really difficult b/c you have to study the whole chatpers which are 50 pages long. Gives practices quizzes that help. Take intro to psych!
Very hard if you don't understand the material. However he gives you every oppertunity to ask questions and in the class I was in he taught the classical conditioning unit to relation of horror movies, specificly paranormal activity! Supper cool teacher and he drops Lowest test score. I would recommend this teacher to someone who really loves to learn and does not mind a little fun in class.
Was a very hard grader and not very clear about his expectations for papers or other work. He had an attitude like he was better than his students.
Teachers expectations change on a weekly basis. Tells you all the wrong information and doesn't praise student work at all. Avoid this teacher!
he is extremely intelligent and focuses on giving his student the responsibility to learn the material outside of class aswell. the best way to pass is to read the chapters as much as possible and participate. he's so smart so pick his brain, he'll like it.
Had him for Adaption & Animal Behavior. VERY SMART. I'm talking really smart. Pretty down to earth too. If you want to learn something, take him. Gives you alot of opportunities to ask questions, but his tests are a little hard. Just pay attention and study and you will do fine.
Hardest class I've ever taken. He's Genius smart, which makes his lectures hard to follow. Super hard tests, not much clarity in what he expects on papers. really harsh, critical grader. I *had* a 4.0 but now I'm just trying not to fail his class. Nice yet somewhat condescending...or maybe his brains just outweigh his social skills. DON'T TAKE HIM!
He is very difficult
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I had him for Intro. to Psych. If you're in that class... GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN! The entire class, every class is a lecture. Our "only" homework was a weekly 5-10 page outline due every Monday. Class is BORING, he's ignorant and doesn't care about his students. 6 quizzes, lowest dropped, no make ups and they are HARD
He is a very hard teacher. Expects a lot . Hard grader and quizzes are impossible
He is VERY clear and sticks to the syllabus. If you do what he tells you he expects, which isn't too much to ask for, you will succeed. Extremely open/helpful to help those who ASK. You'll never be blindsided because EVERYTHING is on the syllabus. Extremely fair teacher.
Bressler is great in a lot of ways, very smart and able to give lots of examples about what he is talking about. He can be a little condescending sometimes because he is basically a genius, but you have to take it with a grain of salt because he really has a lot to offer. If you are looking for an easy A, you probably shouldnt take a class with him
Very smart man, I had him for research methods a few semesters ago. I honestly had no trouble with his class, but there were only 6 people who actually finished the class. You honestly need to study in order to pass his tests but no they were not impossible. You will honestly learn so much from him, I still use some of his tools.
Great professor, really hard however. If you take his class be sure to really pay attention, no slacking. Although really interesting, clear and concise. the class was Adaptive animal behavior, i don't remember the number. 200ish
His intro to psych class is so hard and boring. This is definitely not as easy A class. He lectures for literally every second he can during class time. He is however very intelligent and knows what he is talking about. His quizzes are hard so study! He doesn't take attendance.
I had him for research methods. Super intelligent guy. He is a very fair teacher. Everything is on the syllabus so there are no surprises. It was difficult and you have to put in a lot of work, but not impossible. He is VERY helpful, and I always felt comfortable asking questions. He's pretty much a genius. He's a cool guy outside of class too
Awesome guy, but a very difficult teacher. He expects a lot and makes you actually think about the material. I would recommend his class to someone that will take it seriously because you actually have to do the work to get a decent grade.
Very, very Hard class. I advise individuals who are only extremely interested in the area of Research Methods to take his class. A total of 4 quizzes, lowest dropped. This class is almost impossible to ace, his withdraw rate is almost 50% and I knew one individual who failed all 4 quizzes Nice guy dont get me wrong. He should be teaching at Harvard
Bressler is super enthusiastic about the subject and its contagious. I really enjoyed going to this class, HOWEVER he's a super tough grader. I tried super hard, harder than any other class, and still only got a C+. But I also learned more than in almost any other class. Super fun subject and good teacher.
Not an easy class, but it was def. interesting. He is almost too smart. He will get you really interested in the material and is very enthusiastic but his tests are very difficult. There is no hw just one paper at the end, but it makes it hard to pass since his tests are quite difficult.
His class is not as hard as people say it is. I was so scarred of failing that I considered dropping out. However because there were no other classes open I stayed. His quizzes are not hard at all, if you actually study for them. If you took Leaning psychology with Reyes and you passed. You will be fine!
Bressler is an awesome professor. If you're someone who likes to do the bare minimum and slide by with c's and d's you aren't going to like it. The class is challenging but there is no reason why you can't get a good grade if you just study and go to class. He's really passionate about it and it shows. I'd suggest this class to other students.
Bressler is one of the smartest , if not the smartest, professors I've had at Westfied. He should be teaching at Harvard or somewhere like that. He loves what he teaches about and if you really want to learn you ought to take his class. That being said, the material is NOT easy. So if you're going to slack, take a different class.
This guy is for someone who will be willing to devote time and effort to this class more than most of the classes they are taking. This guy is a genius and meticulously explains his subject matter and expects that students learn the subject matter Very thoroughly. This course changed my life and i had the pleasure of learning from him. Thanks Eric!
I did not enjoy having him as a professor as all. He is very rude in both person and over email. He did very vague with what he expects you to know for quizzes as well as papers, and is no help when you ask for help. A lot of what is on his quizzes he talks about in class and also make sure you do the reading, even though it makes no sense.
This was the most difficult class I have ever taken. His tests are horrible, gives you multiple attempts but doesn't help you at all. Very rude over email and when he posts online. Doesn't let you know how you're doing in the class either.
Wow. Bressler is one of the toughest profs in the department. Not because he's mean, but because he will really push you. If you go in with an open mind, you will be challenged, but his Adaptation class is incredible. If you are looking for easy A or B, avoid. If you want to think, get ready.
Very hard class. Very rude and condescending while teaching.
Attendance isn't required, but if you miss a single class, you will feel lost and might not do well on his quizzes. I had him for Adaptation/Animal behavior and he gives 5 quizzes throughout the semester, a final paper, and a cumulative final. TOUGH CLASS. The way he grades his quizzes is tough but I definitely learned a lot. Don't take for easy A.
I took Research Methods in Psychology with Dr. Bressler in Spring 2017. He is intellectual and makes class interesting. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed going to class to learn something new or even something I've already learned (from a different angle). I worked very hard for an A- in his course, but it was well worth it because I now love research.
I took Dr. Bressler for research methods and loved his class. Yes, it was hard and required a lot of work. But it's incredibly rewarding and I feel like most people who dislike him weren't willing to put in the work. Bressler is incredibly smart and has a ton to offer to students. I definitely recommend him if you have a strong work ethic.
He knows his material and is a kind professor. However it was difficult to keep up with him while taking notes . He wasn't good at giving feedback . Very tough grader and his classes aren't easy. If you're looking to get an A or B then be ready to take good notes and pay close attention to his lectures!
the hardest class i have ever taken.. he is very condescending to his students. lectures are long and boring. doesnt care to get to know anyone.. attendance isnt mandatory but if you skip you will be VERY behind.. would never want to take one of his classes again.
Professor Bressler is a wonderful professor, but damn his classes are very hard and WAY to challenging for no reason. His lectures are very long but interesting at times. His quiz's are unnecessary every other week and the difficulty on them are insane. He likes to nit pick and ask the most precise and smallest detailed questions.
This class is more of a biology course than a psych course. His quizzes were difficult and he's very picky about what he wants in an open response question. However, I did learn a lot of interesting things and he's very passionate about the topic. He can be pretty condescending sometimes though too.
His classes can be interesting as he is very passionate, but he doesnt make you want to ask questions because he answers like youre an idiot. I thought he was really cool at first because he can be funny sometimes, but he expects you to define terms word for word and will take points off if you miss a single word. Highly dont recommend.
It was an interesting class, but how hard he graded ruined it me. We had 5 quizzes and they were so unnecessarily hard. He's very specific about what he wants as answers. If your answer is not word for word from lecture, you fail. Only take if you never skip class do well on exams.
He makes it seem like he's a really nice guy at first and he can be funny, but he really talks down to students. He is super specific about the answers he wants and expects you to write down everything he says, not what is on the power points. I am a straight A student and never struggled so hard in a class. Never would take another class with him
This professor is WAY too tough for the type of class that this is. Its more of a biology class than a psych. I was excited to take this class at first but once lectures actually started I wanted to slam my head into the wall. If you don't answer something exactly the way he want it the answer is wrong. The tests are mostly essay questions.
He may seem like a nice guy when you first take his class but he turns into such a rude person. Going to seek help, he made me feel stupid each time I left his office. His quizzes are IMPOSSIBLE, he needs such specific answers for it to be right. He is the worst professor I have ever had and do not recommend him at all!!
Only 7 assignments throughout the whole semester. Bressler is somewhat condescending and is a tough grader. Attendance was not mandatory but if you miss a class you will not pass the quiz. This class was interesting, but very difficult. Would not recommend unless you are extremely interested in the content.
Professor Bressler was an ok teacher. The material was tough but if you go to his optional reviews he simplifies it. Never answers emails, hard to get an A on any assignment.
My MW zoom class that only met on Weds; canceled 5 times. He barely lectured or used all of class time. We had to read the chapters in the book independently & had weekly exams with a lockdown browser. He offered extra credit for notes but gave partial credit if he didn't like the way we did them. He graded too hard considering we taught ourselves.
I think most of these ratings are too harsh. Bressler can come off condescending but I just think thats his personality. There is a lot of material but just spend a normal bit of time studying for the quizzes from your lecture notes and you'll be okay. If you can't go ask someone who has them and it'll work out! His stuff is interesting too.
He is very knowledgeable about the topics he teaches and is funny. This class is different from other psych classes and doesn't overlap with topics from other classes, so it's important to attend lecture or you will be lost. The tests are not multiple choice!
Mixed bag here, was an incredibly tough class but if you outline the entire chapter well and study a lot you will pass and do well. He uses a lockdown browser and can be kinda harsh at times with grades. Definitely a lot for an intro course, if your taking it just to fill the credit I'd stay away.
Do not take him, if you do there's a good chance you will have to withdraw. Seriously worst professor on this campus.
He wouldn't email me back, and he knew how much I was struggling and decided to not help, and I begged him for help, and he ended up failing me.
I'm usually a straight A student. After he announced most students fail his course I dedicated hours and hours each week to study. Hard quizzes, if you don't repeat his exact words from lectures you'll fail them. graded on 4 quizzes, cumulative final, and a final paper that you can't use resources for. Most dropped by November. Your gpa will tank.
Honestly, worst professor I've ever had in my life. Ridiculously tough and is not understanding of people's personal issues whatsoever. His quizzes are physically impossible to do well on; it's almost as if he prides himself on the fact that so many students fail his class. I would never recommend this class or professor to anyone, watch out.
This class required a lot more work than I was comfortable with. The chapter outlines took me 3 hours a week, and the quizzes were mostly from the lectures. Plus these outlines only count for a small percentage. You need to be present for his lectures or else you will fail the quizzes. He also is extremely passive-aggressive about questions asked.
He talks fast and randomly loud, swears to seem cool, and uses random vocab that he knows no one will recognize to seem smart. Says the opposite of class text at times, takes every conversation as a debate, makes every piece of info as complicated as he can. He's there for the check, not to help you. Get a tutor or take the class with another prof.
Perfect for people who do well with fast talkers, and guys who know their stuff. Procrastination is almost not an option with him as a teacher, you will definitely not pass. Very difficult class and he pushes you but if you genuinely put in work and get some outside help, then you will def succeed in Bressler's courses.
Don't be fooled by his easy going attitude, when it comes to exams, this teacher doesn't care about you. Even though attendance is required, it might as well be. When you take an exam, he wants the defintion he gave in class to the fullest extent. If you miss class, you will fail.
The material is easy to understand and the class is very straightforward. You must know all of this when doing anything in psych. If you do not do well in this class, it is because you are not trying. I expected nothing less from this professor, it has been the first class to challenge me as a student at WSU and will only benefit me in the future.
So difficult for no reason! if your answers aren't textbook/ what he said word-for-word, it is wrong, and if you ask him why, it's wrong because he said so. I have to retake it for next semester, and I'm not too happy. I put every Sunday aside for this class and it didn't matter, he's very condescending, plus he talks down to his students.
Your GPA will tank. For the love of god do not take this professor. I am an A-average student and this is the worst grade I have received in my life. I'm honestly just grateful I passed. SO many students failed or dropped the class. This is your warning! Do not take Bressler! He is THE WORST!
Honestly the worst professor I've had at Westfield. He is extremely disrespectful and rude and does not care about student's success. He plays favorites and grading criteria is so unclear. If you don't memorize work for word from the textbook you can't do well on quizzes. I would absolutely never take him again.
Eric is a nice guy, and very intelligent. BUT he treats an intro to psych as a PHD class. If you could I would drop this class no questions asked. HARDEST CLASS I HAVE TAKEN MY WHOLE LIFE
This class is a lot of work and difficult. Grading is based off weekly chapter outlines and 4 tests. Each chapter is around 60 pages or more a week. It is possible to get a good grade however you will have to study a lot. You will have no idea what is on the quiz as most of it is from the lecture and little from the textbook.
i hate this man.
do not take this professor🙏🏼 It was so hard for an intro class for no reason I almost failed the class. I did an extra credit assignment for 3 extra points and he gave me a 0/3 because it was not up to his expectations. TAKE INTRO WITH ANOTHER PROFESSOR
Before taking this class, I was pretty worried after seeing the other ratings. But from my experience, he was very kind and explained things thoroughly. The information you need for tests is only talked about in class so don't skip. For the most part, I enjoyed this class.
Eric, personality was never the issue, REAL NICE AND PERSONABLE BUT IS A HORRIBLE PYSC101 Professor :(, lets be honest, I'm no genius but I think I could pass a PYSC101 class pretty easily seeing that its an INTRO CLASS and Should not be as difficult as it is, however he teaches it like its a PHD CLASS, and it sucks, don't take his PSYC101
Bressler was VERY difficult and absent. Every week our work looked like a 40-50 page reading from the textbook with a lockdown browser test, some weeks also an essay. He will NOT answer emails. He took forever to grade things, and the final was a test of everything in the whole textbook basically. I dreaded doing anything for this class.
This class was hard for being a beginner psychology class! This professor never graded anything until towards the end of the semester so you have no idea how you're actually doing in the class or what you need to improve. This was hard for me because I need to know what I can improve on through the course. He also doesn't respond to emails.
Don't fall for his nice side. If you have to take this as a required course drop it with him and switch to another class. Goes off topic a lot, not flexible with anything. Drops the lowest quiz out of 6 quizzes throughout the term but if you miss it for literally ANY reason he will not let you take it another day. Even advisors don't like him.
Class Info
Online Classes
100%
Attendance Mandatory
54%
Textbook Required
48%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Declining
-1.47 avg changeRatings by Course
COMPARATIVEPSY
5.0
(1)COMPPSYCH
5.0
(1)COMPARATIVE
5.0
(1)COMPLEARNING
5.0
(1)LEARNING
5.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
LEARN0306
5.0
LEARNPSYC
5.0
PSY306
5.0
LEARN300
5.0
PSYH0101
5.0