title: "Trigger warnings" are trivially effective at reducing distress

authors: Sanson, Mevagh

abstract: University students are requesting, and many of their professors are issuing, “trigger warnings.” Trigger warnings are a kind of content warning; they give a précis of the material to follow and caution that it may cause a reader or viewer to experience symptoms of distress. The use of these trigger warnings in higher education is controversial: Their purpose is to reduce or eliminate the distress students may otherwise experience in response to “triggering” course content, but no data exist regarding how effective they are at achieving this purpose. Moreover, there is reason to suspect these warnings may backfire and exacerbate the very symptoms they are intended to alleviate. We conducted the first investigation into the effects of trigger warnings: We gave some subjects a trigger warning, but not others, then exposed all of them to negative material, and measured the analogue symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder they experienced. Meta-analyses on data gathered across our six experiments revealed that trigger warnings had trivial effects—regardless of if subjects had seen a trigger warning beforehand, they judged the material to be similarly negative, and reported similar levels of negative affect, intrusions, and avoidance. These results suggest that trigger warnings are neither meaningfully helpful nor harmful, and that students and professors should not rely on them to mitigate students’ distress.

text: "Trigger warnings" are trivially effective at reducing distress University students are requesting, and many of their professors are issuing, “trigger warnings.” Trigger warnings are a kind of content warning; they give a précis of the material to follow and caution that it may cause a reader or viewer to experience symptoms of distress. The use of these trigger warnings in higher education is controversial: Their purpose is to reduce or eliminate the distress students may otherwise experience in response to “triggering” course content, but no data exist regarding how effective they are at achieving this purpose. Moreover, there is reason to suspect these warnings may backfire and exacerbate the very symptoms they are intended to alleviate. We conducted the first investigation into the effects of trigger warnings: We gave some subjects a trigger warning, but not others, then exposed all of them to negative material, and measured the analogue symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder they experienced. Meta-analyses on data gathered across our six experiments revealed that trigger warnings had trivial effects—regardless of if subjects had seen a trigger warning beforehand, they judged the material to be similarly negative, and reported similar levels of negative affect, intrusions, and avoidance. These results suggest that trigger warnings are neither meaningfully helpful nor harmful, and that students and professors should not rely on them to mitigate students’ distress.

year: 2018

title: The opening day of the Te Aroha goldfield: 25 November 1880

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Possibly 800 people were present on the opening day of the new goldfield, most of who wanted to acquire mining claims or residence and business sites. The excitement meant they were up early in the morning, and, after struggling up the steep Prospectors’ Spur, following the reading of the proclamation the shots to indicate that pegging out could commence were fired at 10.00. As several parties marked out the same ground or overlapped others’ claims, Harry Kenrick and his officials readied themselves to resolve disputes. About 60 claims were pegged out, but Kenrick believed that, once these were surveyed, the real number of claims would be much less; his behaviour and recommendations were much praised. In the township rush, 54 sites were competed for, again with rival claims to ownership. 
Compared with previous rushes, this opening day won accolades for its orderliness, and the new regulations required claims to be fully manned. The names chosen for claims revealed something about their owners, who, like everyone else, hoped for a prosperous field, for it had the potential to benefit the whole region.

text: The opening day of the Te Aroha goldfield: 25 November 1880 Possibly 800 people were present on the opening day of the new goldfield, most of who wanted to acquire mining claims or residence and business sites. The excitement meant they were up early in the morning, and, after struggling up the steep Prospectors’ Spur, following the reading of the proclamation the shots to indicate that pegging out could commence were fired at 10.00. As several parties marked out the same ground or overlapped others’ claims, Harry Kenrick and his officials readied themselves to resolve disputes. About 60 claims were pegged out, but Kenrick believed that, once these were surveyed, the real number of claims would be much less; his behaviour and recommendations were much praised. In the township rush, 54 sites were competed for, again with rival claims to ownership. 
Compared with previous rushes, this opening day won accolades for its orderliness, and the new regulations required claims to be fully manned. The names chosen for claims revealed something about their owners, who, like everyone else, hoped for a prosperous field, for it had the potential to benefit the whole region.

year: 2016

title: Observations by and conversations with health workers and hospital personnel involved in transferring Maori patients and whānau to Waikato Hospital in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: The predominant focus of Aotearoa New Zealand’s public health system on biomedical models of health has left little room for meaningful engagement with holistic indigenous approaches. Culturally appropriate provision and support are recognized for their relevance and importance during hospital transferals. Hospital staff involved in transfers to one of New Zealand’s trauma centers share their observations of whānau Māori engagement during an admission away from their home base. Sixteen key informants share their experiences, which are presented as strategies and challenges to whānau engagement. Three main themes highlight challenges within the health system that make it difficult for hospital staff to engage whānau in the desired ways and as often as both parties would like. Key informants described services and practices that are not designed with patients and their whānau in mind; instead they are designed by clinicians around the needs of administrative systems. As employees within the public health system, key informants felt powerless to challenge dominant settings. Nevertheless, employees managed to circumnavigate processes. Our findings highlight the need for continued decolonization and anti-racism work within public health settings.

text: Observations by and conversations with health workers and hospital personnel involved in transferring Maori patients and whānau to Waikato Hospital in Aotearoa New Zealand The predominant focus of Aotearoa New Zealand’s public health system on biomedical models of health has left little room for meaningful engagement with holistic indigenous approaches. Culturally appropriate provision and support are recognized for their relevance and importance during hospital transferals. Hospital staff involved in transfers to one of New Zealand’s trauma centers share their observations of whānau Māori engagement during an admission away from their home base. Sixteen key informants share their experiences, which are presented as strategies and challenges to whānau engagement. Three main themes highlight challenges within the health system that make it difficult for hospital staff to engage whānau in the desired ways and as often as both parties would like. Key informants described services and practices that are not designed with patients and their whānau in mind; instead they are designed by clinicians around the needs of administrative systems. As employees within the public health system, key informants felt powerless to challenge dominant settings. Nevertheless, employees managed to circumnavigate processes. Our findings highlight the need for continued decolonization and anti-racism work within public health settings.

year: 2020