Social Representations of Harm: Trigger Warning Practices on Facebook Watch

This study aims to map out how harm is socially represented in Facebook Watch videos with trigger warnings. In contemporary times, psychological terms have become increasingly popular in laypeople’s use. Although the transmission of scientific knowledge to common sense is not a new phenomenon, it has been expediated by the popularity of social media. Consequently, a new understanding of clinical terms, such as trauma and trigger warnings, are reflected in everyday practices, meaning making and communication between people. Historically, trauma was a physical injury, yet diagnostic manuals and shared understanding have shifted toward including psychological and emotional harm as bases of traumatic experiences. Likewise, trigger warnings have spilled from therapy to become a safeguarding practice in a variety of new settings. The thesis is situated primarily within Serge Moscovici’s social representations theory, which is well-geared to examine laypeople’s conceptualization of social phenomena and understand how scientific knowledge becomes a part of common-sense practices. The theory of concept creep by Nick Haslam, and clinical knowledge is applied as a secondary paradigm. The research question is: How is harm socially represented in Facebook Watch videos with trigger warnings? In total, 87 videos were collected from Facebook Watch service to assess how trigger warnings cue the risk of harm and how harmful content is understood. Videos were watched, evaluated, and analyzed through Braun and Clarke’s 6-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Further steps were taken to assess visual, sonic, and affective features to comprehend how the entirety of the content signified harm. As a result of the reflexive thematic analysis, the study identified four main themes for social representations of harm: Clinical reminders, Collision of values, Ambiguous entertainment value, and Collectively unsettling to the society. The results suggest that conceptualizing harm has moved from clinical understanding to subjective perceptions of trauma and harm. Social representations of harm were consistent with recent literature exemplifying the inflated harm concept. Harm was represented as ideas, opinions, values, theories, expressions, critiques, and images which go beyond graphic content. Although a large portion of the data (n=48) exemplified trigger warnings as a safeguarding practice based on clinical triggers or concerns for immature viewers, harm was occasionally portrayed as opposing value systems and polarization. Facebook Watch was found to constitute a powerful shared universe for social actors to create and share social representations of harm through videos, which are potentially affective, persuasive, and occasionally extreme. With the guidance of social representations theory and thematic analysis, the thesis demonstrates the practice of trigger warnings and how harm is socially represented in social media videos. The results indicate that further research efforts should focus on assessing and creating guidelines for safe and inclusive social media platforms for trauma and non-trauma background users. Current guidelines lack specificity and do not provide uniform recommendations for navigating harmful online content. Additionally, the study identifies the conceptualization of harm as a more inclusive and broad practice than outlined in clinical manuals, which ideally should be reflected in more comprehensive social media regulations to meet the users’ needs. Lastly, the study offers foundations and suggestions for further social psychological studies on harm through various methods.