LISTENING TO THE PLACEBO, OR HOW TO FIND OUT WHY TREATMENTS WORK

The placebo effect is powerful and has been proved effective in multiple studies, competing even with well-established treatments. It is absolutely not an unspecific or inert effect. It has a ubiquitous nature and accounts for all types of treatments, although psychology is the area that makes it co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miguel A. Vallejo Pareja, Laura Vallejo-Slocker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Spanish Psychological Association (Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos) 2020-09-01
Series:Papeles del Psicólogo
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.papelesdelpsicologo.es/English/2942.pdf
Description
Summary:The placebo effect is powerful and has been proved effective in multiple studies, competing even with well-established treatments. It is absolutely not an unspecific or inert effect. It has a ubiquitous nature and accounts for all types of treatments, although psychology is the area that makes it comprehensible. Discussing and discovering what makes it so effective is a useful and illustrative task regarding how treatments work. In this sense, it must be emphasized that in order for the placebo effect to operate, it must be considered from a contextual view, it does not require deception, and it does require a person with problems, in homeostatic imbalance. The study of the conditions in which the placebo effect occurs has been useful in delineating which aspects are important in treatments. These are as follows: the provision of information and its meaning, the patient’s previous experiences and beliefs, the application of the treatment under favorable conditions, and the use of well-recognized and accepted treatments in their foundations and procedure.
ISSN:0214-7823
1886-1415