Transforming Water: Social Influence Moderates Psychological, Physiological, and Functional Response to a Placebo Product

Abstract

This paper investigates how social influence can alter physiological, psychological, and functional responses to a placebo product and how such responses influence the ultimate endorsement of the product. Participants consumed a product, “AquaCharge Energy Water,” falsely-labeled as containing 200 mg of caffeine but which was actually plain spring water, in one of three conditions: a no social influence condition, a disconfirming social influence condition, and a confirming social influence condition. Results demonstrated that the effect of the product labeling on physiological alertness (systolic blood pressure), psychological alertness (self-reported alertness), functional alertness (cognitive interference), and product endorsement was moderated by social influence: participants experienced more subjective, physiological and functional alertness and stronger product endorsement when they consumed the product in the confirming social influence condition than when they consumed the product in the disconfirming social influence condition. These results suggest that social influence can alter subjective, physiological, and functional responses to a faux product, in this case transforming the effects of plain water.

Reinterpreting homoeopathy in the light of placebo effects to manage patients who seek homoeopathic care: A systematic review

“…Contextual factors have such an impact that “contextual healing” has been proposed as a better definition for the sum of placebo effects (Miller & Kaptchuk, ), especially when referred to clinical practice, rather than RCTs, because of the greater possibility to elicit placebo effects. Moreover, the social context has a significant role in modulation of placebo effects, since confirming or disconfirming social interactions can either enhance or reduce placebo responses (Crum, Phillips, Goyer, Akinola, & Higgins, ). This fact is very important if we think about the above described behaviours of patients who seek homoeopathic care.…”

Psychologic Factors Do Not Affect Placebo Responses After Upper Extremity Injections: A Randomized Trial

“…Stress, distress, and less effective coping strategies affect symptom intensity and the magnitude of limitations, but they do not seem to influence the magnitude of the placebo effect. Current best evidence supports that clinicians can enhance placebo effects through conveyance of warmth and competence [5,7,11]. In other words, there is an opportunity for clinicians to bolster a more effective internal physiology through effective communication, irrespective of individual patient factors.…”

“…Treatment can also activate our intrinsic physiology for well-being such as enkephalins and endorphins-a phenomenon referred to as the placebo effect. Evidence points to the warmth and competence of the clinician as key factors influencing the magnitude of placebo effects [5,7,11]. Consequently, an effective clinician-patient relationship increases the effectiveness of both effective and inert or ineffective (eg, sugar pill) medications.…”

European Headache Federation recommendations for placebo and nocebo terminology

“…Appendix Table 2 Environmental factors and stimuli modifying placebo/nocebo effects Modifiable Non-modifiable Patient's expectations [13] Previous experiences [14] Pre-treatment verbal and non-verbal suggestions [15,16] Patient's personality [17] Speed of treatment titration [18] Cultural factors [19,20] Safety profile of treatment [21] Age [22] Patient-doctor relation/communication [23] Social Media and Internet information [24] Investigator/physician status [15] Gender [25] Affective and cognitive traits [26] Level of patients' education [22] Generic formulations [27,28] Genetics [29] The appearance of drugs or medical devices, e.g. packaging, color, price, drug taste, etc.…”