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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 27, 2026

How to Study Placebo Responses in Motion Sickness with a Rotation Chair Paradigm in Healthy Participants

How to Study Placebo Responses in Motion Sickness with a Rotation Chair Paradigm in Healthy Participants

Published on: December 14, 2014

Do placebo expectations influence perceived exertion during physical exercise?

Hendrik Mothes¹, Christian Leukel^1,2, Harald Seelig³

¹Department of Sports Science, University of Freiburg, Schwarzwaldstrasse 175, Freiburg, Germany.

|June 30, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Placebo expectations can reduce perceived exertion during exercise. Positive expectations about exercise or products, especially when aligned with physical self-concept, significantly lower perceived exertion levels.

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Area of Science:

Sport and Exercise Psychology
Psychophysiology
Behavioral Medicine

Background:

Placebo effects are well-documented in clinical settings.
Marketing research highlights the impact of product expectations.
Understanding psychological factors influencing exercise perception is crucial for adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how placebo expectations influence perceived exertion during acute physical exercise.
To examine the differential effects of exercise-related and product-related expectations.
To determine if physical self-concept moderates these placebo effects.

Main Methods:

Seventy-eight participants completed a 30-minute cycling exercise.
Perceived exertion was measured every 5 minutes using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale.
Participants were randomized into four conditions, receiving tailored video information about exercise and product efficacy, and completed a physical self-concept questionnaire.

Main Results:

Positive expectations, whether general or product-specific, led to reduced perceived exertion.
Physical self-concept moderated the effects: high self-concept individuals benefited more from general exercise expectations, while low self-concept individuals benefited from product-specific expectations.
Placebo expectations were shown to influence RPE during exercise.

Conclusions:

Placebo expectations represent a significant psychological factor influencing perceived exertion during physical activity.
Tailoring placebo interventions based on individual physical self-concept may optimize exercise experiences.
This research opens avenues for leveraging psychological strategies to enhance exercise adherence and performance.