Preserving the placebo effect after disclosure: A new perspective on non‐deceptive placebos

Abstract

AbstractThe present study explores whether a particular style of placebo disclosure could serve as a tool to foster a renewed trust in one's own inherent resources and elicit a meaningful placebo effect. In a motor performance task, two placebo groups received inert transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in each of four sessions along with information on its force‐enhancing properties. Before the final session, one of the placebo groups was informed about the placebo, which was portrayed as a means to unleash an inherent potential. Along with force, we systematically monitored task‐specific self‐efficacy to test whether this variable would be differentially modulated in the two placebo groups. Compared to two control groups, placebo groups showed higher force and self‐efficacy in the last session. No differences in self‐efficacy were observed in the placebo groups even after revealing the placebo procedure, suggesting that the disclosure was effective in ‘safeguarding’ individuals' self‐efficacy. These findings may have important implications, paving the way for the use of placebos that not only are ethically permissible but also support individuals' self‐efficacy.