On March 8, 2023, fellow Biomed student, Jarnae Harris, came and gave her senior Biomed presentation to our class on "The Placebo Effect," and allowed us to take part in a blind taste test experiment of marketed water brands!
The Placebo Effect is a phenomenon that occurs from receiving a placebo treatment. The Placebo Effect is more than just positive thinking regarding treatment and creates a stronger connection between the brain and body, and how they work together.
Placebos work by creating increased activity in an area called the Rostral Ventromedial Medulla which is responsible for relaying pain information, which is located at the nucleus of the spinal cord
"The Nocebo Effect" is the opposite of the placebo effect and occurs when there is a negative outcome from a placebo treatment and is the result of negative beliefs prior to treatment, this can sometimes be life-threatening
The Placebo Effect can be related to psychology by using components such as Disposition, Expectations, Classical Conditioning, and Social Cues.
The Placebo Effect has been used in many marketing tactics for years. Water Brands for example use packaging to alter the drinker's experience. In theory, these waters taste the same, however many people already have preconceived notions regarding the brand based on the packaging. Packaging is also heavily involved in the pricing process, and not necessarily the taste itself.
So we decided to test out this theory of "The Placebo Effect," by taste testing water brands differing in price and brand, without seeing the label. This lab was extremely interesting due to the results which yielded that no one could tell the difference between generic brand water and the higher marketed.
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