For Whom The Trigger Warns: The Effects of Trigger Warnings on Avoidance and Morbid Curiosity

Author

Daniel Gasparek

Background

Study Framework: Based on Bridgland et al. (2022), examining avoidance behaviors, the efficacy of warnings, and “morbid curiosity” as a potential coping mechanism for anxiety.
Trigger Warnings and Avoidance: Bridgland et al. (2022) found that trigger warnings did not significantly influence avoidance behavior, suggesting limited effectiveness.
Anxiety Measurement: Utilizes the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess both state and trait anxiety levels.
Research Focus: The efficacy of trigger warnings and content warnings on sensitive content.
Research Finding: Trigger warnings were ineffective and did not significantly affect responses to negative material.
Research Source: Bridgland, et al. 2023.

Stimuli

Stimuli were taken from Google searches using keywords such as ‘violent’, ‘disgusting’ and ‘neutral’.

Hypotheses

H₁: Participants higher in morbid curiosity will choose to unblur the image more than those who score lower in morbid curiosity

H₂: Participants will, on average, choose to view more pictures when they are presented with a trigger warning compared to when they are not.

H₃: Participants will choose to view more images in the Graphic conditions compared to the Control/Neutral condition.

References

Bridgland, V. M. E., & Takarangi, M. K. T. (2021). Something Distressing This Way Comes: The Effects of Trigger Warnings on Avoidance Behaviors in an Analogue Trauma Task. Behavior Therapy, 53(3)
Bridgland, V., Jones, P. J., & Bellet, B. W. (2023). A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Trigger Warnings, Content Warnings, and Content Notes. Clinical Psychological Science, 12(4)
Bellet, B. W., Jones, P. J., & McNally, R. J. (2018). Trigger warning: Empirical evidence ahead. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 61, 134–141
Jones, P. J., Bellet, B. W., & McNally, R. J. (2020). Helping or harming? The effect of trigger warnings on individuals with trauma histories. Clinical Psychological Science, 8(5), 905–917
Nolan, H., & Roberts, L. (2023). Trigger warnings as tools for learning—theorising an evolving cultural concept. Medical Education, 58(2).

--- title: "For Whom The Trigger Warns: The Effects of Trigger Warnings on Avoidance and Morbid Curiosity" author: Daniel Gasparek format: html css: theme.css editor: visual --- ## Background - **Study Framework:** Based on Bridgland et al. (2022), examining avoidance behaviors, the efficacy of warnings, and “morbid curiosity” as a potential coping mechanism for anxiety. - **Trigger Warnings and Avoidance:** Bridgland et al. (2022) found that trigger warnings did not significantly influence avoidance behavior, suggesting limited effectiveness. - **Anxiety Measurement:** Utilizes the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess both state and trait anxiety levels. - **Research Focus:** The efficacy of trigger warnings and content warnings on sensitive content. - **Research Finding:** Trigger warnings were ineffective and did not significantly affect responses to negative material. - **Research Source:** Bridgland, et al. 2023. ## Stimuli Stimuli were taken from Google searches using keywords such as '*violent*', '*disgusting*' and '*neutral*'. ::: {#blurry layout-ncol="3"} ![](images/clipboard-3278348269.png){width="320"} ![](images/clipboard-2548328363.png){width="313"} ![](images/clipboard-2204916698.png){width="306"} ::: ## Hypotheses H~1~: Participants higher in morbid curiosity will choose to unblur the image more than those who score lower in morbid curiosity H~2~: Participants will, on average, choose to view more pictures when they are presented with a trigger warning compared to when they are not. H~3~: Participants will choose to view more images in the Graphic conditions compared to the Control/Neutral condition. ## References - Bridgland, V. M. E., & Takarangi, M. K. T. (2021). Something Distressing This Way Comes: The Effects of Trigger Warnings on Avoidance Behaviors in an Analogue Trauma Task. Behavior Therapy, 53(3) - Bridgland, V., Jones, P. J., & Bellet, B. W. (2023). A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Trigger Warnings, Content Warnings, and Content Notes. Clinical Psychological Science, 12(4) - Bellet, B. W., Jones, P. J., & McNally, R. J. (2018). Trigger warning: Empirical evidence ahead. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 61, 134–141 - Jones, P. J., Bellet, B. W., & McNally, R. J. (2020). Helping or harming? The effect of trigger warnings on individuals with trauma histories. Clinical Psychological Science, 8(5), 905–917 - Nolan, H., & Roberts, L. (2023). Trigger warnings as tools for learning—theorising an evolving cultural concept. Medical Education, 58(2).