“Beliefs Create Reality” This is the easiest explanation for the placebo effect. Traditionally, placebo effect had been considered as a psychological trait related to neurosis and gullibility, but modern researches show it is a physiological phenomenon. More specifically, the neurotransmitter dopamine is released by placebo treatment and turn on the switch of the body’s innate ability to heal itself. 1)
Furthermore, the placebo effect in 2005 was about twice as more powerful than it was in the 1980s.2) Human’s self-healing systems may not have changed during 25 years, then why the effect (or response) is getting stronger? It could be explained by the “confidence”, “exposure” and “hope”, and all of them are related to the “more intense belief” …show more content…
People are exposed to the drug ads every day, and it ensures their expectation about the effectiveness. Hamilton says his research that “Advertising plays on the mind; the very vehicle of the placebo effect”.
Lastly, extremely high hopes for the drugs generate the stronger placebo effect. According to the Hamilton’s research, more and more drug tests are taking place in developing nations now. Usually, poor people who are struggled with lack of medical care have stronger hopes to the western drugs, and they are more susceptible to the placebo effect.
Besides, Kaptchuk (2005) take notice that the high dependency on drug companies’ funding for drug experiments makes doctors are more likely to say that the drugs are working. Similarly, in most pharmaceutical trials, it is too hard to find people, so doctors admit the patients who don’t have certain symptom, and they are much more sensitive to the placebos. He pays attention to the genes that may influence the placebo effect in his recent research (2015). However, I think these reasons are too weak to explain the twofold increase in the strength of the
Furthermore, the placebo effect in 2005 was about twice as more powerful than it was in the 1980s.2) Human’s self-healing systems may not have changed during 25 years, then why the effect (or response) is getting stronger? It could be explained by the “confidence”, “exposure” and “hope”, and all of them are related to the “more intense belief” …show more content…
People are exposed to the drug ads every day, and it ensures their expectation about the effectiveness. Hamilton says his research that “Advertising plays on the mind; the very vehicle of the placebo effect”.
Lastly, extremely high hopes for the drugs generate the stronger placebo effect. According to the Hamilton’s research, more and more drug tests are taking place in developing nations now. Usually, poor people who are struggled with lack of medical care have stronger hopes to the western drugs, and they are more susceptible to the placebo effect.
Besides, Kaptchuk (2005) take notice that the high dependency on drug companies’ funding for drug experiments makes doctors are more likely to say that the drugs are working. Similarly, in most pharmaceutical trials, it is too hard to find people, so doctors admit the patients who don’t have certain symptom, and they are much more sensitive to the placebos. He pays attention to the genes that may influence the placebo effect in his recent research (2015). However, I think these reasons are too weak to explain the twofold increase in the strength of the