Comments on: My favorite example of the placebo effect… http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/ Bad Science And Scary Science Wed, 23 May 2012 13:24:13 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Joe Somebody http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14583 Joe Somebody Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:05:14 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14583 [quote comment="14581"]There is a site that has examples of aura camera systems at www.auracamera.com that prints aura photos. Has anyone experienced this system?[/quote] Yeah, that stuff is all complete and utter bullshit. It's just a photographic effect caused by static buildup and it is meaningless. There is no 'Aura' it's a scam and a dumb one.

        maaz said:

There is a site that has examples of aura camera systems at http://www.auracamera.com that prints aura photos. Has anyone experienced this system?

Yeah, that stuff is all complete and utter bull****. It’s just a photographic effect caused by static buildup and it is meaningless. There is no ‘Aura’ it’s a scam and a dumb one.

]]> By: maaz http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14581 maaz Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:14:07 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14581 There is a site that has examples of aura camera systems at www.auracamera.com that prints aura photos. Has anyone experienced this system? There is a site that has examples of aura camera systems at http://www.auracamera.com that prints aura photos. Has anyone experienced this system?

]]> By: ciccio http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14454 ciccio Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:09:18 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14454 I can guarantee there is no reverse effect. Made the unfortunate mistake of mixing gin from a decanter with " Rose's Lime Juice Cordial". That was 50 years ago, I still shudder when I see the stuff. I can guarantee there is no reverse effect. Made the unfortunate mistake of mixing gin from a decanter with ” Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial”. That was 50 years ago, I still shudder when I see the stuff.

]]> By: drbuzz0 http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14452 drbuzz0 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:41:07 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14452 [quote comment="14447"]Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it's happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case?[/quote] I would doubt it. Alcohol is certainly not just the placebo effect - it does have some pretty potent nervous system effects. It's possible that if a person were ignorant of its presence they might not notice the effects quite as quickly.

        Burya Rubenstein said:

Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it’s happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case?

I would doubt it. Alcohol is certainly not just the placebo effect – it does have some pretty potent nervous system effects. It’s possible that if a person were ignorant of its presence they might not notice the effects quite as quickly.

]]> By: DV82XL http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14450 DV82XL Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:05:13 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14450 [quote comment="14447"]Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it's happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case?[/quote] Alcohol is a powerful CNS depressant; it is unlikely that its effects could be overcome by ignorance of its presence.

        Burya Rubenstein said:

Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it’s happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case?

Alcohol is a powerful CNS depressant; it is unlikely that its effects could be overcome by ignorance of its presence.

]]> By: Burya Rubenstein http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14447 Burya Rubenstein Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:50:21 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14447 Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it's happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case? Could the placebo effect work in reverse? What about actually getting large quantities of alcohol into people without their having any reason to believe it’s happening? Could they effectively act and function as not-drunk in this case?

]]> By: Mockumenter http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14427 Mockumenter Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:48:47 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14427 This subject has come up before in trying to decide what the procedure should be in informing the public of a potential chemical attack or some other circumstance where there could be health issues. Many people seem to think the idea of the government withholding information is a horrible scandalous thing and that if they think that they should inform the public of any information they have of dangers. There is a problem with this though. If there is an incident where there are initial reports of a chemical or bacteria released somewhere but they do not know the extent of the incident or even if it has been confirmed then telling an entire city that there may have been a problem and that it may make some people ill and they should get help can cause a much larger problem. This has happened before. An annonucement is made that there is evidence of contamination of a water supply or something and that anyone who feels dizzy/sick/tired/develops a rash or something should seek medical help. What do you think happens? Droves of people show the symptoms and think they need treatment. Afterward, it turns out the initial test was a false positive or that only a small area was in danger. However, the droves of people who run to the hospitals and everything can end up causing deaths directly or indirectly. The ironic thing is when this kind of thing has happened before, people are so sure that it must be and so unwilling to admit they were fooled that afterward they insist the preliminary report must have been right and later ones must be wrong. Silly how people can act. It takes you aback though because it shows that there's a good argument to be made that sometimes the public can't deal with the info and are best kept in the dark. This subject has come up before in trying to decide what the procedure should be in informing the public of a potential chemical attack or some other circumstance where there could be health issues. Many people seem to think the idea of the government withholding information is a horrible scandalous thing and that if they think that they should inform the public of any information they have of dangers.

There is a problem with this though. If there is an incident where there are initial reports of a chemical or bacteria released somewhere but they do not know the extent of the incident or even if it has been confirmed then telling an entire city that there may have been a problem and that it may make some people ill and they should get help can cause a much larger problem.

This has happened before. An annonucement is made that there is evidence of contamination of a water supply or something and that anyone who feels dizzy/sick/tired/develops a rash or something should seek medical help. What do you think happens? Droves of people show the symptoms and think they need treatment. Afterward, it turns out the initial test was a false positive or that only a small area was in danger. However, the droves of people who run to the hospitals and everything can end up causing deaths directly or indirectly.

The ironic thing is when this kind of thing has happened before, people are so sure that it must be and so unwilling to admit they were fooled that afterward they insist the preliminary report must have been right and later ones must be wrong.

Silly how people can act. It takes you aback though because it shows that there’s a good argument to be made that sometimes the public can’t deal with the info and are best kept in the dark.

]]> By: ciccio http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14411 ciccio Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:33:36 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14411 Studies have also shown that the more expensive a placebo, the better it works. Red works much better than plain white. Homeopathy has shown beyond doubt that minds can trump matter. Studies have also shown that the more expensive a placebo, the better it works. Red works much better than plain white.
Homeopathy has shown beyond doubt that minds can trump matter.

]]> By: An Actual Scientist http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14406 An Actual Scientist Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:53:55 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14406 Funny, I have a similar story. I have a prescription for sleeping pills that i take only on rare occasions that I can't get to sleep or need to be sure I get a full nights sleep. My experience was that they are extremely effective and I sleep like a log. One night I decided to take them because I felt a little restless like I wasn't going to sleep well. So I went to bed and feel fast asleep within a short time. The next morning I got up and was thinking to myself how well that medication works in keeping me from being restless and getting a good full sleep. Then I walked into the bathroom and the two pills were sitting there next to a glass of water on the skin. I could have sworn I had a much quicker and deeper sleep than normal, like the sleep aid would give me, but I had completely forgotten to take it. Funny, I have a similar story. I have a prescription for sleeping pills that i take only on rare occasions that I can’t get to sleep or need to be sure I get a full nights sleep. My experience was that they are extremely effective and I sleep like a log. One night I decided to take them because I felt a little restless like I wasn’t going to sleep well. So I went to bed and feel fast asleep within a short time. The next morning I got up and was thinking to myself how well that medication works in keeping me from being restless and getting a good full sleep. Then I walked into the bathroom and the two pills were sitting there next to a glass of water on the skin. I could have sworn I had a much quicker and deeper sleep than normal, like the sleep aid would give me, but I had completely forgotten to take it.

]]> By: DV82XL http://depletedcranium.com/my-favorite-example-of-the-placebo-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-14404 DV82XL Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:57:35 +0000 http://depletedcranium.com/?p=1596#comment-14404 [quote comment="14403"]One thing I've learned is not to assume you're better than that, though. You might think you're a seasoned drinker and too experienced and with it to fall for that kind of crap, but I realize not to trust anyone too much, not even my self.[/quote] Quite the contrary actually, a negative result wouldn't be interesting at all. A positive one on the other hand would fascinating. Anyway I suspect that only those who have had some experience being drunk could be fooled, as teetotalers wouldn't have a reference to draw on.

        JKGr8 said:

One thing I’ve learned is not to assume you’re better than that, though. You might think you’re a seasoned drinker and too experienced and with it to fall for that kind of crap, but I realize not to trust anyone too much, not even my self.

Quite the contrary actually, a negative result wouldn’t be interesting at all. A positive one on the other hand would fascinating. Anyway I suspect that only those who have had some experience being drunk could be fooled, as teetotalers wouldn’t have a reference to draw on.

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