An overview of theory and research from social, cognitive and motivational perspectives on the self and identity. Topics may include: how we come to know who we are and what we are like, how our social identities shape motivation and behavior, self-esteem and self-esteem protective strategies, and self-regulation.
4
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNone
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeJust lectures, no slides, no mics. Sit near the front and put your phone away so you don't get distracted. Just showed up to class and typed almost everything he said for my own benefit. He also uses an outline so you know what stuff is important. Made a few friends and exchanged notes to see what I was missing. Test are easy if you pay attention.
Klein is a great professor but to me the content got quite confusing due to how philosophical it could get. Class is only graded on midterm + final so you have to do well on both. While the structure of his lectures sounds daunting they never went the full time and went by pretty quick! Just make sure you go since there aren't any slides/recordings
Easily one of the highlights of my time at UCSB. While many courses lack a clear central question, Prof. Klein's class is deeply intentional, using experimental design to explore core ideas. If you engage with the material, it's genuinely perspective-shifting. A rare and thoughtful course, taught by an individual truly attuned to critical thought.
He is incredibly knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the subject, he is open-minded, approachable, and genuinely supportive. He truly wants his students to learn—not just memorize information, but really understand and think critically. I learned so much in this class, and it's largely because of the environment he created!
One of the only classes where the lecture hall is consistently full. This course structure is what I expected college to be like, where the very tenured professor talks at a room of note takers. Oh yeah, take good notes or else you're hosed. I can't decide if he is too nihilistic or if he just don't gaf, but I loved learning from him!
Klein offers a fresh perspective on the field of brain science that few other PBS profs do. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the topics he covers and his passion for this knowledge is inspiring. The class itself is graded simply on a midterm and final exam. I can't recommend taking a class from Klein enough - it is an experience like no other.