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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 14, 2025

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

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Published on: December 14, 2014

Explaining placebo effects in an online survey study: Does 'Pavlov' ring a bell?

Rosanne M Smits^1,2,3, Dieuwke S Veldhuijzen^1,2,3, Tim Olde Hartman⁴

¹Health, Medical and Neuropsychology unit, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.

|March 11, 2021

Summary

People prefer placebo explanations focusing on brain mechanisms and positive expectations. Understanding these preferences is key for developing effective placebo information strategies in healthcare and research.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Medical Ethics

Background:

Knowledge of placebo effects is growing, yet strategies to utilize them are limited.
Understanding patient preferences for placebo information is crucial for effective implementation.
This study explores how the general population perceives and prefers information about placebo mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate placebo information strategies in a general population.
Assess current knowledge, preferences for placebo explanations, and attitudes towards their use.
Provide insights for developing effective placebo communication in clinical and research settings.

Main Methods:

An online survey was conducted in Leiden, The Netherlands.
444 participants (377 completers) aged 16-78 years were recruited.
Data collected included placebo knowledge, preferences for 8 different explanation types, and attitudes towards placebo use.

Main Results:

Participants demonstrated high baseline knowledge of placebo effects (81.15% correct).
Explanations emphasizing brain mechanisms and positive expectations were significantly preferred over others (p = .001).
Acceptability of placebo use varied by condition, with higher acceptance for psychological complaints; participants felt honesty is not always required.

Conclusions:

Novel evidence supports placebo information strategies centered on brain mechanisms and positive expectations.
These findings are valuable for constructing placebo information strategies in clinical practice and research.
The study highlights the need for tailored communication approaches regarding placebo effects.