Overview

• The peer-reviewed experiment by Flinders University and U.S. collaborators involved 738 students exposed to trauma-related lectures introduced with trigger warnings, safe space notices, both, or neither.
• Trigger warnings produced no measurable increase in students’ psychological safety or willingness to discuss controversial topics.
• Safe space messages significantly enhanced perceptions of instructor care, trustworthiness, and openness to challenging material.
• Participants receiving safe space notifications were more likely to perceive instructors as politically liberal and supportive of content censorship.
• Universities are now debating strategies to leverage safe space cues for student well-being without undermining academic neutrality.