2 ms·
Is this really true? My understanding was that most of the reason the placebo effect is so interesting is that it does result in concrete objective improvements
by aninhumer 12y ago
Is this really true? My understanding was that most of the reason the placebo effect is so interesting is that it does result in concrete objective improvements in people's conditions.
- saalweachter 12y agotokenadult has a lot of nice links; the individual study that sticks in my mind as a great exemplar was an asthma study which involved a subjective measurement ("how do you feel?") and an objective measurement of lung function (eg, blowing into a tube). Subjects receiving the real treatment would report feeling better and show significantly improved lung function. Subjects receiving the placebo treatment would also report feeling better, but show no improvement in their lung function. I'm not sure the placebo effect is really interesting so much as it has a great PR guy. It's like the Kardashians of science.