Running head: TRIGGER WARNINGS
Topic paper
Trigger Warnings
Carine Verlin
Wright State University
SAA7620
Dr. Dan Abrahamowicz
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Trigger warnings are in place to inform students about potential emotional distress that
could be caused by the content of some academic material. However, the subject of trigger
warnings is controversial, and a source of debate that divides professionals, and students on
American university campuses. Proponents of trigger warnings would argue that alerting
students about potential distressful material indicate that professionals are showing care and
compassion to students who eventually could be triggered by the content of the classroom
material. On the contrary, opponents of trigger warnings would criticize the practice by stating
that it inhibits learning and growing, and that on the long run, protecting students instead of
challenging them will prevent them of becoming engaged citizens.
Since the subject of trigger warnings is still very recent, there is yet no legal precedent or
lawsuits regarding this issue. Still, faculty members are worried that the topic of trigger warnings
could engage students to file complaints against their professors instead of seeking support
through mental health professionals (Seven humanities professors, 2014).
Some institutions such as Oberlin College, Ohio have already created formal documents
on trigger warnings to encourage faculty members to remove any material, when it does not alter
the learning objectives, that could generate a strong emotional response. In addition, Oberlin
College has for objective of creating a policy to make trigger material voluntary (Miller,
2015).
Two years ago in 2014, students from the University of California, Santa Barbara passed
a decree in which they requested that trigger warnings needed to be mandatory and included on
classroom syllabi. Additionally, when triggered material would be presented in class, attendance
would become optional. During the same year, students from Wellesley College, Massachusetts
TRIGGER WARNINGS
petitioned about a sculpture who depicted a man in underwear asserting that it could produce
thoughts of sexual assault for some students (Jarvie, 2014).
When considering this controversy issue, student affairs professionals should not forget
the moral principles that govern the profession. The ethical principles and standards of the
College Student Educators International (2010) stipulates that student affairs practitioners share
various responsibilities such as promoting student learning, supporting student development, or
demonstrating sensitivity and knowledge in regard to diversity and students. Additionally,
professionals should demonstrate and promote fair treatment by encouraging practices that are
just, inclusive, and non-discriminatory. They should first recognize hindrances to inclusiveness,
and then find solutions to overcome them (ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for
Student Affairs Practitioners, 2010). When taking into account the standards of the profession,
alerting students in advance before presenting triggering materials appear to be a positive and
comprehensive approach. And while maybe not every student would beneficiate from this
sensitive action, the ones who would need it the most, will. The goal is not to coddle students
but to prepare them emotionally. Additionally, when a professor uses trigger warnings, he shows
that he respects and values the emotional wellbeing of his students. In exchange when students
feel valued and recognized, they tend to engaged more and as a result have better chance of
being successful. Another aspect to take into consideration is that when students do not feel that
professors care for them, they will less likely to think that they belong to their institution which
is one cause of student attrition. One could argue that students who have trouble to adjust are
students who do not make enough efforts to adapt to the institutions mission, values or policies.
However, in general, because institutions were created for the average population, for the
categories of students that do not meet the general standard, it becomes really difficult, and
TRIGGER WARNINGS
sometimes almost impossible to adapt in a setting that does not match the special needs of
students. Administrators have the responsibility to create an inclusive environment where
diversity, care, empathy, and a sense of belonging are encouraged, taught and developed.
While the ethical principles and standards clearly demonstrated that the implementation
of trigger warnings could be one small technique for institutions to adapt to the emotional
wellbeing of the ever changing student population, institutions should also consider the theories
and practices of student development.
For instance, according to Chickerings theory of identity development, seven vectors of
development stimulate the development of identity. One of his vector is managing emotions
(Evans, 2010). The goal is not to suppress or remove unwanted emotions, but to learn how to
handle them in a more accepting and efficient way. In order to release their emotions, students
need to be exposed to them. One of the challenge when being in situations where strong
emotions are triggered by external stimuli is to learn how to self-control and self-regulate. Since
mastery comes with practice, removing triggering material from a lesson could prevent students
from being able to learn how to control and adapt their emotions.
Students who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health
condition in which individuals experience flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts
caused by a direct or indirect exposure of a past traumatic event can also be triggered very easily
when exposed to a stimuli that reminds them of the traumatic event. Triggers can be anything,
from a smell, to a sound, to a feeling or a visual representation. An effective therapy that is used
to treat PTSD is prolonged exposure therapy (PE). One of the technique used in PE is to expose
individuals to some cues that are traumatic. This method allows the fear, and anxiety attached to
the traumatic event to disappear (Sue, Sue, Sue & Sue, 2014). Knowing that people who suffer
TRIGGER WARNINGS
from PTSD could be triggered by anything and that in order for them to heal, they should be
exposed to triggers, the question of removing triggers content is arguable.
Since the controversy of trigger warnings, institutions and especially faculty members
feel more and more pressured to put in place new policies, and to change the content of learning
material since students expect the classroom to become a safe space for everyone. At Columbia
University, after students wrote an opinion editorial in favor of trigger warnings, faculty
members, and members of the office of multicultural affairs board decided to implement
measures to create safe space in classrooms. They suggested that faculty members should be
aware of the potential trigger warnings, and should be able to support triggered students.
Additionally, students should be able to share anonymously with their professors their concerns
or disagreement. And last, faculty members should all be trained on diversity, and on how to
form a curriculum that would comprise best practices to a diverse population (Johnson, Lynch,
Monroe, Wang, 2015).
Another reason why there is a polemic behind the topic of trigger warnings is because
since students are paying an excessive amount of money for their education, they should be
considered like consumers in the sense that they should be able to choose the services and
experiences they are paying for. Until today, students did not have much to say on their learning
experiences, but as education become more expensive, student voice is becoming more valuable
as well. Trigger warnings is one example that show the influence students start to have over their
education. As a result of this change, faculty members are more and more afraid that students
will complain more and more when a topic would make them uncomfortable, and since colleges
are governed by students tuition, accommodating students become one priority (Nelson, 2015).
TRIGGER WARNINGS
Knowing that learning happens out of our comfort zone, we could argue that trigger
warnings could prevent students from being challenged.
My opinion on trigger warnings changed a little after researching the topic. Before
writing this paper, I had never heard of trigger warnings and after reading the first few articles,
my French mentality started to kick in. I first thought that students needed to adapt to their
environment and their professors, and not the other way around. Students need to learn to be
uncomfortable, and that not everything will fit their needs. They need to experience feelings of
frustration, otherwise they will not be well prepared to enter the real world where trigger
warnings do not exist. So first I was against implementing trigger warnings. However, after
reflection, my background in psychology, and my personal experience in suffering from PTSD
took over. Like I mentioned earlier people who suffered from PTSD can be triggered very easily
by whatever information is perceived by the five senses. The objective of treating patients with
PTSD is not to avoid any triggered situations but on contrary to be exposed to them. After a
prolonged exposure, people realize that these situations do not represent a danger, and that they
are in a safe space. As a result, I do not think that trigger material should be removed or even
optional, but I strongly believe that notifying students first that what they would see or heard
could triggered them is a good practice. I do not believe that cuddling students is helpful for
their professional development, but paying attention and demonstrating care and empathy to the
needs of each student is crucial for their personal development.
The topic of trigger warnings divide faculty, administration, and students. The arguments
from each sides are valuable and logic. Some believe that when students do not feel safe, they
will not learn effectively since they will disengage from their learning experience. Others
consider that in order to learn and grow, students need to be challenged, and go out of their
TRIGGER WARNINGS
comfort zone. Since both opinions are valid, the solution maybe is to try to accommodate both
sides by implementing trigger warnings in the syllabi or at the beginning of a class, while
triggered class material should remained.
TRIGGER WARNINGS
8
References
ACPA College Student Educators International. (2010). Statement of Ethical Principles &
Standards. Retrieved from http: //www.myacpa.org/ethics.
ACPA/NASPA. (2010). Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners. A Joint
Publication of Endorsed by each Associations Board of Directors.
Evans, N. J. (2010). Psychosocial Identity Development. Nancy J. Evans et al. (Eds.), Student
development in college: theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Jarvie, J. (2014) Trigger Happy. New Republic. Retrieved from
https://newrepublic.com/article/116842/trigger-warnings-have-spread-blogs-collegeclasses-thats-bad
Johnson, K., Lynch, T., Monroe, E., and Wang, T. (2015). Our identities matter in Core
classrooms. Columbia Spectator Retrieved from
http://columbiaspectator.com/opinion/2015/04/30/our-identities-matter-core-classrooms
Miller, E. M. (2015). Columbia students claim Greek mythology needs a trigger warning. The
Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2015/05/14/columbia-students-claim-greek-mythology-needs-a-trigger-warning/
Nelson, L. (2015). Why Trigger Warnings are really so controversial, explained Retrieved from
http://www.vox.com/2015/9/10/9298577/trigger-warnings-college
Seven humanities professors. (2014). Trigger Warnings are flawed. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved
from https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/05/29/essay-faculty-members-aboutwhy-they-will-not-use-trigger-warnings
