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Abstract

Placebo effects have increasingly aroused scientific and public interest for their clinical and research values. However, underlying mechanisms of this mind–body phenomenon are not yet fully understood. In this article, I propose a new model according to which context-based placebo effects source from positive treatment beliefs but are directly caused by benefit expectations. By virtue of mediating belief-expectation transformation, placebo administration triggers, and thus has a pivotal role in, subsequent therapeutic responses.

Keywords

placebo effect belief meaning expectation reward emotion appetitive/aversive motivation route of treatment administration

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Placebo Effects: A New Theory

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