Sam Pratt
@sampratt99.bsky.social
Psychology PhD student at UCLA 🐻 learning about morality, politics, and consciousness
So, do trigger warnings and safe spaces belong in the classroom?
Though we can't answer this for instructors, our data suggest that TWs fall short at improving students' perceptions of the classroom, but students react positively when the classroom is framed as a safe space.
Though we can't answer this for instructors, our data suggest that TWs fall short at improving students' perceptions of the classroom, but students react positively when the classroom is framed as a safe space.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
So, do trigger warnings and safe spaces belong in the classroom?
Though we can't answer this for instructors, our data suggest that TWs fall short at improving students' perceptions of the classroom, but students react positively when the classroom is framed as a safe space.
Though we can't answer this for instructors, our data suggest that TWs fall short at improving students' perceptions of the classroom, but students react positively when the classroom is framed as a safe space.
Safe spaces had benefits!
When instructors described the classroom as a safe space, students saw them as more caring and felt more psychologically safe and willing to discuss controversial issues.
When instructors described the classroom as a safe space, students saw them as more caring and felt more psychologically safe and willing to discuss controversial issues.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Safe spaces had benefits!
When instructors described the classroom as a safe space, students saw them as more caring and felt more psychologically safe and willing to discuss controversial issues.
When instructors described the classroom as a safe space, students saw them as more caring and felt more psychologically safe and willing to discuss controversial issues.
Trigger warnings didn’t help even among students with a history of trauma—the group they’re often meant to support. 44% of these students reported that the trigger warning reminded them of their past trauma, but these students did not feel more positively after receiving a TW.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Trigger warnings didn’t help even among students with a history of trauma—the group they’re often meant to support. 44% of these students reported that the trigger warning reminded them of their past trauma, but these students did not feel more positively after receiving a TW.
A common argument for trigger warnings is that they’re polite: they signal respect and make students feel supported. But we found no evidence for this.
Students who were randomly assigned to receive a warning felt no more positively about their instructors or the classroom.
Students who were randomly assigned to receive a warning felt no more positively about their instructors or the classroom.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
A common argument for trigger warnings is that they’re polite: they signal respect and make students feel supported. But we found no evidence for this.
Students who were randomly assigned to receive a warning felt no more positively about their instructors or the classroom.
Students who were randomly assigned to receive a warning felt no more positively about their instructors or the classroom.
Pleased to share our paper Sending Signals: Trigger Warnings and Safe Spaces is an Editor’s Choice paper in JEP:A 🥳
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Pleased to share our paper Sending Signals: Trigger Warnings and Safe Spaces is an Editor’s Choice paper in JEP:A 🥳
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Trigger warnings and safe spaces are increasingly popular. We asked: do they shape how students perceive the classroom climate?
psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...
Study 5:
In another version, we described sleep aids as preventing harm - reducing traffic deaths by improving sleep. Moralization flipped: people now saw using sleep aids as morally praiseworthy 👏 😊
In another version, we described sleep aids as preventing harm - reducing traffic deaths by improving sleep. Moralization flipped: people now saw using sleep aids as morally praiseworthy 👏 😊
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Study 5:
In another version, we described sleep aids as preventing harm - reducing traffic deaths by improving sleep. Moralization flipped: people now saw using sleep aids as morally praiseworthy 👏 😊
In another version, we described sleep aids as preventing harm - reducing traffic deaths by improving sleep. Moralization flipped: people now saw using sleep aids as morally praiseworthy 👏 😊
Study 5:
But can we turn a *morally neutral* behavior - using sleep aids 💊😴 - into a moral issue by describing it as harmful? Yes!
Participants moralized sleep aids more when we framed them as causing harm (increasing traffic deaths due to residual drowsiness) 😡
But can we turn a *morally neutral* behavior - using sleep aids 💊😴 - into a moral issue by describing it as harmful? Yes!
Participants moralized sleep aids more when we framed them as causing harm (increasing traffic deaths due to residual drowsiness) 😡
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Study 5:
But can we turn a *morally neutral* behavior - using sleep aids 💊😴 - into a moral issue by describing it as harmful? Yes!
Participants moralized sleep aids more when we framed them as causing harm (increasing traffic deaths due to residual drowsiness) 😡
But can we turn a *morally neutral* behavior - using sleep aids 💊😴 - into a moral issue by describing it as harmful? Yes!
Participants moralized sleep aids more when we framed them as causing harm (increasing traffic deaths due to residual drowsiness) 😡
Study 4:
Next we tested causality. Participants read about a health behavior (going to a crowded event while sick) that was described as either harmful or disgusting.
Framing it as harmful → seems immoral 😡
Framing it as disgusting → seems gross 🤢 but not immoral
Next we tested causality. Participants read about a health behavior (going to a crowded event while sick) that was described as either harmful or disgusting.
Framing it as harmful → seems immoral 😡
Framing it as disgusting → seems gross 🤢 but not immoral
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Study 4:
Next we tested causality. Participants read about a health behavior (going to a crowded event while sick) that was described as either harmful or disgusting.
Framing it as harmful → seems immoral 😡
Framing it as disgusting → seems gross 🤢 but not immoral
Next we tested causality. Participants read about a health behavior (going to a crowded event while sick) that was described as either harmful or disgusting.
Framing it as harmful → seems immoral 😡
Framing it as disgusting → seems gross 🤢 but not immoral
Studies 1-3:
We found that the more people viewed poor health as *interpersonally* harmful - causing others in one's life to suffer - they more they viewed all kinds of health behaviors as moral issues.
We found that the more people viewed poor health as *interpersonally* harmful - causing others in one's life to suffer - they more they viewed all kinds of health behaviors as moral issues.
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Studies 1-3:
We found that the more people viewed poor health as *interpersonally* harmful - causing others in one's life to suffer - they more they viewed all kinds of health behaviors as moral issues.
We found that the more people viewed poor health as *interpersonally* harmful - causing others in one's life to suffer - they more they viewed all kinds of health behaviors as moral issues.
Why do some health choices seem like moral issues 💉😷 whereas others are personal preferences 🦷🧘?
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
November 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Why do some health choices seem like moral issues 💉😷 whereas others are personal preferences 🦷🧘?
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
Our new paper in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin finds that we moralize health behaviors when we see them as causing harm.
doi.org/10.1177/0146...
New post about the signals that trigger warnings and safe spaces send to students in SPSP blog👇
September 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
New post about the signals that trigger warnings and safe spaces send to students in SPSP blog👇
Introducing the Words Can Harm Scale: a measure of the belief that words can cause psychological harm.
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
September 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Introducing the Words Can Harm Scale: a measure of the belief that words can cause psychological harm.
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
Preprint and online assessment in next tweet!
The belief that words can harm was consistently related to poorer psychological well-being, including:
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Difficulties in emotion regulation
-Anxiety sensitivity
-Lower resilience
-Belief that the self and others are vulnerable to trauma
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Difficulties in emotion regulation
-Anxiety sensitivity
-Lower resilience
-Belief that the self and others are vulnerable to trauma
September 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The belief that words can harm was consistently related to poorer psychological well-being, including:
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Difficulties in emotion regulation
-Anxiety sensitivity
-Lower resilience
-Belief that the self and others are vulnerable to trauma
-Anxiety
-Depression
-Difficulties in emotion regulation
-Anxiety sensitivity
-Lower resilience
-Belief that the self and others are vulnerable to trauma
The WCHS was correlated with:
-Intellectual humility
-Empathy
-Support for trigger warnings/safe spaces
-Concern for political correctness
-Tendency for interpersonal victimhood
-Moral grandstanding
-Left-wing authoritarianism
-Belief in the importance of silencing others
-Intellectual humility
-Empathy
-Support for trigger warnings/safe spaces
-Concern for political correctness
-Tendency for interpersonal victimhood
-Moral grandstanding
-Left-wing authoritarianism
-Belief in the importance of silencing others
September 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The WCHS was correlated with:
-Intellectual humility
-Empathy
-Support for trigger warnings/safe spaces
-Concern for political correctness
-Tendency for interpersonal victimhood
-Moral grandstanding
-Left-wing authoritarianism
-Belief in the importance of silencing others
-Intellectual humility
-Empathy
-Support for trigger warnings/safe spaces
-Concern for political correctness
-Tendency for interpersonal victimhood
-Moral grandstanding
-Left-wing authoritarianism
-Belief in the importance of silencing others
Who scores higher on the Words Can Harm Scale? In our sample (N = 956), the belief was more common among:
- Younger people
- Women
- Non-White participants
- Political liberals
- Younger people
- Women
- Non-White participants
- Political liberals
September 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Who scores higher on the Words Can Harm Scale? In our sample (N = 956), the belief was more common among:
- Younger people
- Women
- Non-White participants
- Political liberals
- Younger people
- Women
- Non-White participants
- Political liberals
✍️ New Preprint:
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
September 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
✍️ New Preprint:
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
"Sticks and stones may break my bones..." but can words really harm?
We created the Words Can Harm Scale (WCHS) to measure the belief that speech can cause lasting psychological harm.
You can take the online assessment here: sampratt99.github.io/Words-Can-Ha...
People often rely on their own judgment over the "wisdom of the crowds" when making tough decisions (e.g., "which school should I attend?")
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
August 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM
People often rely on their own judgment over the "wisdom of the crowds" when making tough decisions (e.g., "which school should I attend?")
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
A new study found that across 12 countries, most participants went with their gut even when given the option to consult others.
Bottom line: We should be careful not to project our liberal biases onto participants. It’s not enough to pick 6 “right-wing” issues and cite Jost when participants don’t necessarily treat those issues as right-wing.
August 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Bottom line: We should be careful not to project our liberal biases onto participants. It’s not enough to pick 6 “right-wing” issues and cite Jost when participants don’t necessarily treat those issues as right-wing.
Why I’m cautious #1: Category slippage.
The “left” and “right” categories imposed by the researchers aligned with the perceptions of leftist participants, but not as much with rightists. For rightists, many of the left-coded issues seemed politically ambiguous.
The “left” and “right” categories imposed by the researchers aligned with the perceptions of leftist participants, but not as much with rightists. For rightists, many of the left-coded issues seemed politically ambiguous.
August 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Why I’m cautious #1: Category slippage.
The “left” and “right” categories imposed by the researchers aligned with the perceptions of leftist participants, but not as much with rightists. For rightists, many of the left-coded issues seemed politically ambiguous.
The “left” and “right” categories imposed by the researchers aligned with the perceptions of leftist participants, but not as much with rightists. For rightists, many of the left-coded issues seemed politically ambiguous.
What they did: Participants rated their moral obligation to defend 12 issues derived from past research: 6 left-coded (e.g., gender equality) and 6 right-coded (e.g., capitalism).
Result: both leftists and rightists reported greater moral obligation toward left-coded topics.
Result: both leftists and rightists reported greater moral obligation toward left-coded topics.
August 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
What they did: Participants rated their moral obligation to defend 12 issues derived from past research: 6 left-coded (e.g., gender equality) and 6 right-coded (e.g., capitalism).
Result: both leftists and rightists reported greater moral obligation toward left-coded topics.
Result: both leftists and rightists reported greater moral obligation toward left-coded topics.
A new study seems to show that right-leaning participants care more about left-leaning causes than right-leaning ones 🤯
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
August 22, 2025 at 1:45 PM
A new study seems to show that right-leaning participants care more about left-leaning causes than right-leaning ones 🤯
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
A surprising finding, but I think we should be cautious about this interpretation 🧵 1/8
People are averse to "doubling back": in a virtual reality maze game, over half (56%) of participants chose a longer route over a more efficient route when the efficient option required them to "double back", effectively undoing their previous progress.
August 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
People are averse to "doubling back": in a virtual reality maze game, over half (56%) of participants chose a longer route over a more efficient route when the efficient option required them to "double back", effectively undoing their previous progress.
Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos:
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
August 18, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos:
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
"The existence of consciousness is both one of the most familiar and one of the most astounding things about the world. No conception of the natural order that that does not reveal it as something to be expected can aspire even to the outline of completeness"
Feeling mixed feelings on my last day as lab manager in the
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
August 1, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Feeling mixed feelings on my last day as lab manager in the
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
Deepest Beliefs Lab. It's been an amazing two years working with @kurtjgray.bsky.social and I'm so grateful for all the amazing people I've worked with.
But lots to look forward to starting at UCLA in two months!
55-70% of people followed an arbitrary rule (e.g., wait at a stoplight until a cross disappears) even when 1) nobody is watching, 2) they would get money for breaking the rule, and 3) breaking the rule harms nobody
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
July 29, 2025 at 7:27 PM
55-70% of people followed an arbitrary rule (e.g., wait at a stoplight until a cross disappears) even when 1) nobody is watching, 2) they would get money for breaking the rule, and 3) breaking the rule harms nobody
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Open access paper: www.nature.com/articles/s41...