Triggers

Initial Post Instructions
Triggers are ethnocentric responses to differences and defensive reactions to ethnocentrism. Any number of things can serve as triggers, but they generally fall into the following categories: voice, appearance, attitude, and behavior. For example, a person of color may become anxious when driving through a small rural town. They may fear being stopped because of looking out of place. Another example would be to react to the smell of curry and spices when walking into an Indian home. The reaction could be either negative or positive depending on your experiences, but you immediately react to the stimulus.

For the initial post, address the following:

• Describe a trigger that you have responded or been a witness to in the past, even if it was only a fleeting mental thought.
• What was the result of your/their response?
• If you/they had a negative response, how could your/their response to the situation been better or different?
• What barriers did you/they need to overcome?